Wine Future Rioja, held 12-13 November in Logroño, focused upon a range of topics of great importance during this current world economic crises. Speaker and moderator Jancis Robinson MW summed up that, "this is the best assembly of the wine trade I've ever experienced."

During the closing, round-robin panel 'Challenges & Opportunities for the Wine Industry," she lamented the high level of alcohol in wines as more detrimental to women than men, and expressed amazement at, "how supine the French lobby is in the face of the French government who seem now to be the most anti-alcohol government in the world."

She sees a trend towards viticultural techniques becoming more natural with fewer chemicals entering the vineyard and took pains to point out the greater number of atypical varieties being produced.

Keynote presenter Robert Parker spoke in support of winemakers' creativity to make wines with as much or little alcohol as they wish. While recognizing his work contributing to it, he characterized 'speculation' as, "a dirty word." Parker took the opportunity to rail against high restaurant wine prices as, "alienating younger, less well-heeled wine drinkers. A 300% mark-up is like being mugged on the street!"

Bringing some emotion to the moment, Southern Wines & Spirits Mel Dick recounted falling in love with the wine business at the age of 21 and having a career that, "couldn't be better." When asked his opinion of where the greatest growth will be found in the coming years he shared, "the greatest opportunity the wine business has is the emerging markets where the grape is not yet so enjoyed."

In another session addressing the off-trade Dick chose to beam into Latin populations in the US drinking wine more often. "The key is to advertise and promote to these groups with merchandising material, Spanish-lanaugae advertising, POS, signs that speak to them about the various products," and that not enough is currently being done to address this.

"A number of the liquor and beer companies have jumped on this...often a supplier will come to us with merchandising material for in-store which translates differently with different groups within the Latin community. Puerto Ricans, Cuban, Mexicans, South Americans all comprehend Spanish differently. You must direct your advertising to specific groups."

Ending on an optimistic note he said, "that's the key and we will get there."

Casting their eyes to Asia, Boston-based importer of Spanish wines Jorge Ordoñez said that, "in the case of marketing to the Chinese you have to sell the idea of Spain rather than its many different varietals and grapes." American importer Don St. Pierre, based in Hong Kong, added that, "those suppliers with the best route to market will do the best in China. Importer Christopher Cannan agreed with Ordoñez saying, "it's not easy for emerging wine-consuming countries to learn the many wines now available so wine regions need to promote themselves over brands." Considering the current economic crisis he echoed Parker's earlier expressed optimism for impending improvement and that, "the new emerging markets are going to play a major role in fine wines in years to come."

Parker's sold-out tasting of Grenaches of the world (along with two Tempranillo-based Riojas), was a bit controversial. He was given carte blanche as to the semblance of the tasting. He chose Grenache because, unlike Tempranillo, it is grown successfully in places other than Rioja so as to make an interesting world-wide comparison. However, the Riojanos saw it as a slap in the face to what they do best, Tempranillo. Whether done in response to his sponsor's dismay or, as he claims, as an always-intended adjunct, conference organizer Pancho Campo secured enough bottles of the legendary Riscal 1945 and the excellently modern Contador 2007 to show at the tasting along with the range of Grenache wines. That said, a few of the Grenache wines didn't show as expected though Parker ordered them served just the same.

The most talked-about appearance was that of Gary Vaynerchuk who gave an electric account of how he built WineLibrary.com with the goal of creating wine drinkers rather than taking his piece of the same pie. "There's no Pizza Advocate, no Hot Dog Spectator," as he drove home the point that his web-based show draws 100,000 people per day with far less investment he gave to the original website. "All industries draw lines in the sand," citing how not long ago many people wouldn't consider using cell phones and that the internet, at 15 years old, "hasn't even had sex yet!" He implored importers, retailers, and sommeliers to engage people via the internet, accusing winery principles who allow others to tell the story of their wines of laziness.

"This is game-changing, society-changing! This is building brand equity." He subjected Napa wineries to the scorn of age-profiling their customers, of disenfranchising their younger customers as, "unable to buy 10 cases of reserve Cab and and signing up to their wine club and urged wineries to hire someone in-house dedicated to working with social media, to getting the message out in this playground."

Ryan Opaz of Catavino.net cited the example of Parker in 1978 launching his newsletter as something different than what the wine world was previously accustomed to. "He spoke a new language and in a new format," and drew parallels between Parker's struggle with that of the new media saying, "retailers, importers, the press are still selling the same mantra, that first 'you must understand wine before you can drink it.' The consumer is beginning to have informational choices via the internet," and, "blogs are today's mimeographs...though we may not like what they all say." In closing the sessions event organizer Pancho Campo MW thanked the assembly of hundreds saying that, "we're here today because of our love for this incredible beverage which has no comparison."