Global Wine Vision 2016 conference coming to Santa Rosa in December

Sonoma County has been selected as the first U.S. site to host a global wine business conference late this year, wine officials announced Wednesday.

The three-day Wine Vision 2016 conference in December will feature such chief executives as Rick Tigner of Santa Rosa-based Jackson Family Wines, Ted Baseler of Washington’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and, from France, Jean-Guillaume Prats of Moët-Hennessy Estates & Wines and Christopher Salin of Domaines Barons De Rothschild (Lafite).

It is tentatively set to take place at Santa Rosa’s Hyatt Vineyard Creek hotel. The three-year-old conference previously has been held in London and Bilbao, Spain.

“It puts us on the global map for winemaking,” said Karissa Kruse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers group.

Kruse said part of the appeal to have the conference here is for global attendees to learn firsthand about the county’s effort by 2019 to become the first “100 percent certified sustainable wine growing region” in the U.S. The conference guests will have the chance to interact here “with the boots on the ground, the grape growers.”

The Dec. 5-7 gathering also will offer the local wine industry a rare opportunity to hear “some of the top wine executives from around the world talking about what’s ahead for the wine business,” Kruse said.

The conference, produced by William Reed Business Media of the United Kingdom, drew 200 participants to Spain last year.

A highlight this year will be an opening night “Prohibition Party” at Geyserville’s Francis Ford Coppola Winery to celebrate the Dec. 5, 1933, repeal of Prohibition in the U.S.

Attendees also will dine at gatherings at Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg and Jackson Family Wines in Santa Rosa.

Along with Sonoma County Winegrowers, local hosts include Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Tourism. The three groups, Kruse said, will offer attendees ways to extend their stays to better explore the county’s vineyards, wineries, restaurants and other attractions.

You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 521-5285 or robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit