Women in Wine Expo Aims to Bring Global Wine World Together
Fostering success among women in the global wine industry through education and mentorship is the goal of Senay Ozdemir, the founder of the Women in Wine Expo. A journalist and owner of a PR agency based in Amsterdam, Ozdemir hopes to create awareness about gender equality and celebrate advancements in winemaking, grapegrowing and sales.
Ozdemir’s wine journey began in Austin, Texas, when it took an 8-hour drive to find Turkish wines for her friends to enjoy with a Mediterranean meal. It spurred her to expand the reach of the rich history of Turkish wines across the globe as an importer. Throughout her career, she spent time with a number of female winemakers, marketers, distributors and entrepreneurs, and discovered that it was time to bring two story-telling passions together. With her new marketing agency, she has committed herself to telling the tales of the less-frequented wine region and the women who thrive within the industry. From this, the Women in Wine Expo was born, and she held her first edition in 2019 in Rotterdam and Brussels.
This year, the second annual Women in Wine Expo will be held May 7-8, 2020 at the Lopota Lake Resort, in Napareuli, the heart of Georgia’s wine region. Following on the success of the inaugural event, this year the conference moved out of Europe and into the birthplace of winemaking—a region Ozdemir feels every wine professional should experience for herself.
“A large international wine organization like this has never been held on this side of the world, how poor that may sound, as it’s the cradle of wine,” she said. “We believe that every wine professional should experience where winemaking started.”
Karen MacNeil, author of the Wine Bible is lending her expertise as this year’s keynote speaker, lending her expert. The prolific wine writer is currently expanding the section on ancient wines in one of the industry’s most well-regarded reference books. Sessions will explore sustainability in winegrowing, entrepreneurship, marketing and diversity as well as masterclasses on Georgian wines and tours of local facilities.
“We have speakers with fascinating stories. As a journalist, you just develop a nose for a good story and you recognize talent. I’d like to give them a stage,” she said. “Last but not least we will come with an analysis on the state of gender in the EU wine industry, as there are no statistics. But we are also going to celebrate women’s hard work as growers, producers, entrepreneurs, have fun, watch some movies and learn about Georgian wines with the beautiful Caucasus mountains on the background.”
Attendees will include women from across the globe, including Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Africa among others, and will create a space for women around the world to meet, network and collaborate. “Wine is a very global product so you should treat it globally,” Ozdemir said.
For 2020, Erica Taylor and Vicky Corbeels joined the organization as board members, lending their knowledge and expertise to grow and expand the conference.
A full schedule can be found at www.womeninwineexpo.com. Thirty tickets are left and available here.
Q&A with founder Senay Ozdemir
WBM: Why did you start the Women in Wine Expo?
Ozdemir: Because I couldn’t find a conference that matched my needs and where I could identify myself with. I wanted something that was inspiring and big, yet reachable. I wanted a place where we talked about all aspects in this industry, in an easy-to-understand way for a beginner, but where experienced wine professionals still had lots to learn and opened their horizon. So, the Women in Wine Expo was born. We want to bring women together in one place where they can discover and share and then leave full of positivity towards the great wine community we have the privilege to be part of.
WBM: What sets the Women in Wine Expo apart?
Ozdemir: What differentiates WIWE from other platforms, is that it’s the first and only GLOBAL women wine organization. We will be moving the expo every year to a new and exciting wine region, to not only bring more women together from those regions, but to shine a light on up and coming wine-producing cities. We are looking to the future and considering holding the Expo in Cape Town, Tokyo, Mexico and even Slovenia. We spend most of our time to help empower women in their goals and celebrate that it’s them that makes this industry valuable. But: It’s not only about being successful. It’s also about paying attention to each other and being curious, to learn, share stories and make lasting friendships.
WBM: How has the conversation around women in wine changed over the years?
Ozdemir: Just a couple years ago people would be surprised when you announced the word ‘female’ in winemaking. Even women would do that. They wanted to be mentioned a ‘winemaker’, not a female winemaker. It is accepted that we can only change if we empower each other. You have to see that our stories are not there in the books yet. And let’s face it, we do have a different story. We have so many ‘specific’ woman related issues as stigmas (sommeliers who are questioned working at night and sexual harrasment) but also parental leave. Women solve their problems very creatively (they send their sister or mother to promote their wine at a big trade show when they themselves are giving birth for example). Its worth to get to know these solutions for other women in wine. Promoting and including more diverse role models is essential to encourage more girls and young women to consider a career in wine as acceptable and achievable.
WBM: What is the best piece of advice you could give to a younger woman just starting out in the industry?
Ozdemir: My first and only advice is: GO FOR IT. The wine business is one of the most fascinating and most globally interconnected businesses I have known. It’s constantly developing and so eager for fresh ideas. It offers a plethora of opportunities and possibilities. Just reach out; everyone likes being a mentor. And please don't be afraid to "look stupid." Sign up for a tasting, reach out to your local sommelier association, take a course. No one is born inherently knowing wine, we all have to start somewhere.
WBM: What are the key wine trends you'll be watching for in the coming years?
Ozdemir: There are several. One trend I am happy is on the rise, is the fact that people are realizing they can make a career out of wine outside of being a winemaker. Our board member Erica works with the South African Sommeliers association and she has seen many men AND women joining the organization and stepping up to get their sommelier certifications. Restaurants are investing in their employees and sending them to sommelier courses all over the country. The variety of jobs that are open to trained sommeliers is a big draw. With regard to wine styles, being based in North-Europe I am fascinated by the spurge of cool-climate wines that are made in the rainy Netherlands, Belgium, and UK. Never thought that I would like it so much! They are very well made, and I order them more and more! Maybe because my wine adventure started in Texas, I am also very curious and follow what’s happening with the wine consumption of the growing middle class in hispanic communities.
The first gathering of the Women in Wine Expo, held in Rotterdam and Brussels in May 2019.
Photo courtesy Tono Giorgobiani.
This article was originally published on winebusiness.com on February 24, 2020