Society of Wine Educators’ 2011 Conference: Top Presenters to Enliven Wine & Food Theme in Rhode Island
Posted on 15. Jul, 2011 by Dunn Robbins in Events, Press Releases, Society of Wine Educators
New York, NY, July 6, 2011…The Society of Wine Educators 35th Annual Conference will take place August 3-5 in Providence, Rhode Island, with over 50 sessions highlighting the theme, “A Food and Wine Experience.” And, on August 2nd, to precede the specially themed conference, there will be an entire day of special sessions given by local celebrity chefs at the Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence at Johnson & Wales, the largest educator of hospitality professionals in North America.
As always, the SWE Conference covers wine and spirits from all corners of the globe, including traditional and cutting edge wines from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Chile, South Africa, Greece, Canada and the US. In addition to guided tastings, which include spirits, specialty cocktails, beer and tea, there are also sessions on the art and science of teaching, wine writing, marketing, social media, wine classification.
Here’s a sampling of our almost-sold out sessions:
The Legend of Sassicaia
The emergence and rise of Sassicaia in the world of wine has been mercurial, to say the least. Furthermore, its impact on the Italian wine scene is legendary. It has been called the original Super Tuscan and is often credited as being the catalyst of that movement in the Italian wine industry at large. But Sassicaia’s impact exceeds the borders of Italy. Its triumph over the world’s most acclaimed Cabernets in a Decanter magazine blind tasting in London in 1978 placed it among the world’s elite wines. This session will tell the story of this iconic wine, from its birth in Bolgheri in the 1940s to its present day magnificence, tasting from the following vintages: 2006, 2003, 1996, 1993, 1989, 1980.
Presenter: Don Kinnan, CSS, CWE
After serving 20 years in the US Army, Mr. Kinnan then worked as a retailer and supplier in the wine industry, remaining active for the past 25 years. He conducts 40 multi-day wine seminars for distributors each year, and was the founding president of the Society of American Wines in Canada. He is a Board member of the Society of Wine Educators, and Vice President of Corporate Education at Kobrand Corporation.
Lafite Around the World
Château Lafite Rothschild has been part of the Rothschild 
family since 1868, and is the cornerstone of this renowned portfolio. Since 1962, other prestigious Bordeaux properties have joined, and in 1988, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) began its expansion by acquiring exceptional vineyards: Viña los Vascos in Chile; Bodegas Caro in Argentina, and most recently, Château d’Aussieres in the Languedoc. We will take a journey of Lafite around the world, visiting their properties to see how their key principles of “Excellence, Finesse, and Elegance” weave their way from the vineyard through the bottle.
Presenter: Stephen Kelley
With a diploma from the French Culinary Institute and the American Sommelier Association, Stephen brings over 18 years of experience in the food and wine business to his role as National Portfolio Manager for Domaines Barons de Rothschild. After 10 years in the culinary world, Steve became NYC Director of Sales for Southern Wine & Spirits’ Lauber Division, where he helped to develop their in-house education program. During his 5 years on the Executive Committee of the American Institute of Food & Wine, he developed scores of educational events. For Domaines Barons de Rothschild, he currently travels throughout the US, telling the “Lafite Around the World” story to distributor stales teams, restaurant service staff and the general public.
Rules of Engagement
A presentation is likely to be the most important business communication tool you have. Subject matter is mastered, products are purchased, and ideas are changed, all with the help of presentations. None of this can occur, however, if your audience is not actively interested, attentive or even awake! To succeed, a presentation should take attention and actively nurture it into engagement. In this session, you will learn the difference between attention and engagement, and why the latter is more valuable. Everyone needs to know Miss Jane’s Top Seven Rules of Engagement, to keep their audience involved and excited.
Presenter: Jane A. Nickles, CSW
Jane Nickles is a Chef Instructor, Wine Educator and Faculty Development Coach for Le Cordon Bleu Schools, North America. She was named the Career Education Corporation’s “Educator of the Year” from a field of over 90 colleges and 6,000 faculty members. In 2009, she was named “The Nation’s Ultimate Culinary Educator” by the Food Educator’s Learning Community, and is a three-time nominee and finalist for the Career Colleges and Schools of America “Educator of the Year” award.
Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Blanc de Blancs Champagne, made from 100% Chardonnay, is really the newest style of Champagne, first promoted by Eugenia Salon in 1913.In the US, it first became known when Taittinger released its 1952 Comtes de Champagne in 1958. Today, almost every major Champagne producer makes at least one. This is the most elegant style of Champagne, a must as an aperitif, and surprisingly long-lived. Some of the very best Champagnes produced today are Blanc de Blancs.
Presenters: Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, CWE and Ed McCarthy, CWE
Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Master of Wine, is a leading wine educator, columnist and author. She was the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and one of 26 MWs in the US. She is President of the International Wine Center in NYC, founded in 1982, and is Executive Director of the US programs for WSET. With her husband, Ed McCarthy, she has co-authored the best selling Wine For Dummies and nine other wine books in the …For Dummies series. She and Ed are columnists for winereviewonline.com. Ed’s articles also appear in Decanter, and Quarterly Review of Wines; he is also a contributing editor of Beverage Media.
Benvenuto Brunello
Bill Whiting welcomes you to Montalcino, home to Italy’s best known and most prestigious wine, Brunello di Montalcino. In 1980 this silky, seductive red was the first Italian wine to be awarded DOCG status. Farmers in Montalcino had been making wine for centuries. Success for the zone followed, and world-class wines from international varietals also found a perfect home here. Join Bill on a tour through many vineyards, vines, and wines of historic Montalcino, the once sleepy town which has become synonymous with iconic Italian wines.
Presenter: Bill Whiting, CSW
William J. Whiting is Wine Education Director of Banfi Vintners, Old Brookville, NY, America’s leading wine importer, and a major producer of premium offerings from Italy. Mr. Whiting implements educational programs for the staffs of Banfi wholesalers, as well as sales personnel of key on and off-premise accounts, throughout the US and Europe. He also helps to create wine education tools for industry professionals, students in the hospitality field and the general public. He is the grandson of John F. Mariani Sr., who founded Banfi in 1919. Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, has won Italy’s highest honor four times: the Premio Gran VinItaly—as International Winery of the Year.
Wines of Germany: Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) Riesling & Pinot Noir
Since its founding in 1910 the VDP Prädikatsweinergüter—today comprised of 194 estates all over Germany—has 
been committed to setting high standards in German wine culture. They cultivate the best vineyard sites, focus on traditional grape varieties, limit yields and stand for style and personality. Join Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser as he explores the current state of top-quality German wine, and gain a thorough understanding of VDP designations and laws.
Presenter: Tim Gaiser, MS
A noted educator, consultant, and Master Sommelier, Tim Gaiser is the Director of Education for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, as well as an adjunct professor for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. His previous posts include Napa Valley’s Heitz Wine Cellars, Bix and Cypress Club restaurants in San Francisco, and Wine.com, where, as senior wine merchant, he
This promises to be one of the best Conferences ever, with top sessions filling up quickly, so go to www.societyofwineeducators.org and register today!
For more information contact Executive Director, Carla Williams
cwilliams@societyofwineeducators.org or call 202-408-8777