Wine Writers Symposium to Focus on Voice and Value.

 The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley begins its second decade by helping wine journalists and critics polish their writing voices while increasing the value of what they write. The Symposium will welcome up to 75 working journalists, critics, editors and authors in the fields of wine, wine-food and wine-travel, to enjoy four days in Napa Valley while improving their writing voices, increasing their brand value as writers and elevating their wine knowledge. Registration is now open!

United States poet laureate (2001-2003) Billy Collins, will speak at the 11th annual Symposium for the first time and promises to bring a fresh perspective on the creative process and craft of writing. Collins is a coveted speaker and one of the few contemporary poets to be just as popular on the PBS News Hour or delivering a TED Talk as he is for his 10 published collections of poetry. Collins is joined by a stellar cast of Symposium faculty members who will help writers and editors enhance their own writing for magazines, newspapers and blogs, as well as their books and speaking engagements.

JANCIS ROBINSON TO SPEAK

Jancis Robinson, the London-based journalist, editor and celebrated author, will be the keynote speaker on wine writing, and lead a rare vertical tasting of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Robinson founded JancisRobinson.com, writes for The Financial Times, is editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine and co-author of The World Atlas of Wine and the groundbreaking work of viticultural research, Wine Grapes.

Other accomplished writers, critics and editors on the 2015 Symposium faculty are: Karen MacNeil, author, The Wine Bible, and chair, Rudd Center for Wine Studies, The Culinary Institute of America, Greystone; S. Irene Virbila, restaurant critic and wine columnist, Los Angeles Times; Betsy Andrews, executive editor, Saveur; Will Lyons, wine columnist, The Wall Street Journal; Dave McIntyre, wine columnist, The Washington Post; Louise Kiernan, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, associate professor, Medill School of Journalism; Evan Goldstein, Master Sommelier, author of Wines of South America and three other books; Blake Edgar, senior sponsoring editor, University of California Press; Meridith May, owner, The SOMM Journal, co-founder, The Tasting Panel; Joe Czerwinski, managing/digital editor, Wine Enthusiast.

REGISTER NOW FOR BEST RATE

Symposium registration is limited to professional writers and editors who can demonstrate paid, published work during the past year. The fee is $595 per person for registrations made now through November 30 and increases to $695 on December 1. Meadowood Napa Valley also offers a special lodging rate.

Registration includes general and breakout sessions, advanced tastings of Napa Valley wines, three breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. Two private coaching sessions on career development and/or writing expertise are available to each registrant. Faculty members attend all functions and network closely with registrants.

2015 FELLOWSHIPS

The Symposium offers sixteen fellowships for 2015, which cover the registration fee and lodging at Meadowood, a $1,940 value. Interested professional wine writers are invited to enter writing samples for evaluation by a team of independent judges. The judging is open for submissions and closes November 1, 2014.

Founded by Meadowood Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Vintners trade association and The Culinary Institute of America, the symposium is a non-profit event only open to professional editorial writers and editors. The symposium convenes just after Presidents Day and ends just before Premiere Napa Valley, the annual barrel tasting and auction for the trade, hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners. Register today and remember to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@WineWriterBuzz) and use #WWS15 to begin trending the upcoming conference!