Virtual

Wine Industry Virtual Conference 2025

Date: Nov. 20 - 21, 2025

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. PT

CPE: 12

Overview

Join us for a deep dive into the latest updates and emerging trends shaping the wine industry—locally and globally. Led by top industry voices, these sessions will unpack pressing issues around labor, tax, and accounting that every wine business should be ready for.

Prefer to attend in person? Click here to access the in-person conference option.

Please note that the agenda and/or speakers are subject to change.

Product Code
1000004220
Credit Type
CPE: 12
CPE-AA: 1
CPE-Technical: 12
CTEC-TX: 2.5
IRS-TX: 1.5
MCLE: 4
MCLE LS-TX: 2.5
Format
Virtual
Intended Audience
CPAs, CFOs, controllers, attorneys, management accountants, consultants and other professionals who do business in the wine industry.
NASBA Field of Study
- Accounting
- Finance
- Taxes
Level of Difficulty
Update
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of tax and accounting. An understanding of the wine industry is helpful.
Advance Preparation
None

Learning Objectives

Identify issues and trends within the wine industry.

Recall best practices for winery operations.

Recognize new tax, accounting and legislative updates that impact the wine industry.

Outline innovative ideas to increase your competitive edge.

Recognize which top issues will likely affect your clients.

Agenda

Welcome Remarks

Headwinds & Horizons: What’s Next for Wine
Gain insights into the most pressing headwinds shaping today’s wine industry, from market fluctuations to sustainability demands. Learn how industry leaders are addressing these challenges and what they mean for your business strategy.
Speaker(s)
Allison Jordan

From Oversupply to Opportunity: Cracking the New Wine Economy
Oversupply, pricing pressures, and shifting distribution models are reshaping vineyard and winery economics. This session explores adaptation strategies, valuation impacts, and international opportunities that can help businesses stay competitive in a changing marketplace.
Speaker(s)
David Dilwood Marc Cuneo Karissa L. Kruse Sean Lim

Break

Smart Vines & Digital Times: Tech That’s Transforming Wineries
From AI-driven tools to digital marketing strategies, technology is redefining how wineries operate and connect with customers. Explore scalable solutions for both large and small wineries and learn how to leverage innovation for growth.
Speaker(s)
Benjamin Gibson Sean Clarke

Lunch Break

Tax Policy Discussion: Federal, State and Audit Updates
Stay ahead of evolving tax developments impacting the wine industry. This session covers critical updates, including transfer pricing considerations, to help you manage risk and optimize tax strategies.
Speaker(s)
David Pardes

Passing the Bottle: Next-Gen & Succession Strategies
Succession planning is more complex than ever, with family dynamics, sustainability, and team-building at play. Experts will discuss strategies for ensuring continuity, whether through next-generation leadership, outside advisors, or long-term planning.
Speaker(s)
Jeffrey Kragel Elijah Pfister

Break

Beyond the Balance Sheet: GAAP Essentials for Wineries
Accounting professionals will get up to speed on key GAAP considerations affecting wineries, including going concern assessments, impairment, and capacity issues. Learn what auditors and regulators are watching for in today’s environment.
Speaker(s)
Rae Paulson

Deals in the Cellar: Private Equity & the Future of Wine Ownership
Private equity continues to reshape winery ownership and deal structures. Hear from industry leaders on current trends, valuation drivers, and what buyers and sellers should know in today’s M&A market.
Speaker(s)
Dana Sexton Vivier Angela Zhang Perry DeLuca

Final Remarks/Adjourn

Opening Remarks

Economic and Policy Forces Reshaping the Wine Industry
Explore the macroeconomic and policy factors influencing the wine industry, from tariffs and supply chain pressures to demographic shifts and the non-alcohol movement. Gain perspective on financing trends and how banks are approaching winery clients.
Speaker(s)
David McCuan Tyler Flowers Damien Wilson Gary Schlossberg

Break

Labor in the Vines: Navigating Workforce and Compliance Challenges
Labor remains one of the industry’s toughest challenges, from immigration policy to recruitment and retention. This session examines legal, operational, and workforce development strategies to help wineries adapt to shifting labor dynamics.
Speaker(s)
Richard C. Rybicki Russell K Weis

Adapting to Thrive: Strategic Planning for the Wine Industry
This interactive discussion tackles the big questions facing wine producers today. Hear diverse perspectives from industry insiders and consumer experts on trends shaping the future of wine.
Speaker(s)
Christian Miller Adam Casto James Bielenberg Maggie Curry

Faculty

James David Bielenberg

James D. Bielenberg is CEO of Bielenberg Management Consultants. He has an extensive depth and breadth of Finance and Operations as a C-suite executive in diversified industries and IPO experience. Company size has ranged from start-up to upper middle-market with ownership ranging from closely-held (including private equity) to public. Situations have ranged from turnaround, to work-out to high-growth and scaling.As a trusted advisor, Mr. Biel...

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Adam Casto

Serves as the Head Winemaker at Ehlers Estate. With a diverse background spanning New Zealand, Chile, Australia, and France, Casto brings a wealth of international experience to the winery. His expertise in crafting Bordeaux-style wines aligns seamlessly with Ehlers Estate's commitment to producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Casto's approach emphasizes sustainable practices and a deep respect for the estate's historic v...

More about Adam Casto

Sean Clarke

Sean Clarke is the founder of Pacific IQ, a Shopify design and development agency specializing in premium wine and beverage eCommerce. He’s led dozens of successful WineDirect and Commerce7 migrations to Shopify, helping wineries modernize their DTC experience and grow online sales through elegant, high-performing sites.

More about Sean Clarke

Marc Cuneo

Marc Cuneo joined Turrentine Brokerage as a Bulk wine Broker in 2010, bringing industry experience ranging from grower relations to wine marketing. Marc entered the wine business as a sales representative for Southern Wines and Spirits in San Francisco after receiving a Business Administration degree at the University of the Pacific. He then moved on to work at his family’s winery, Sebastiani Vineyards. During his decade at Sebastiani Vineyard...

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Maggie Curry

Maggie Curry, VP Marketing, Partnerships and Trade Marketing at Jackson Family Wines

More about Maggie Curry

Perry DeLuca

Perry is Managing Director and Head of Wine, Beverage and Agriculture Middle Market M&A at BMO Capital Markets. Prior to joining BMO in 2023, Perry was Managing Director and Senior Banker, Wine & Beverage at Bank of the West, serving as lead sell-side banker on numerous current mandates (including 5 deals in exclusivity currently), and other successful sell-side deals including Spring Mountain Winery and A to Z Wine Works. He also originated s...

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David Paul Dillwood

David Dillwood has been in public accounting since 1983, specializing in taxation. He started his career in San Jose during the technology boom of the early 1980s before moving to Santa Rosa. He is a frequent speaker at professional and industry events in the areas of tax planning and accounting. He has written articles for the Journal of Taxation and The Tax Advisor, and is an expert witness in accounting and taxation matters in Napa, Alameda...

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Tyler Flowers

Raised on a family farm, Tyler Flowers’ passion for agriculture led him to a lifelong dedication to the industry by studying agricultural economics at Mississippi State University and embarking on a career in the Farm Credit System. Through American AgCredit, Tyler is honored to serve the viticulturists and vintners across Northern California by creating value through long-term partnerships. Tyler lives on a ranch where his family grows Pinot ...

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Benjamin Gibson

Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Winehub.io - the largest winery and BevAlc focussed DTC platform on Shopify. Winehub brings critical functionality across wine clubs, subscriptions, loyalty, allocations and compliance integrations for the US market, and serves businesses from the boutique winery estate right up to complex enterprise beverage businesses. Ben founded Winehub to combat legacy industry DTC technology and bring new features and s...

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Allison Jordan

Allison has served as Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance since 2007, where she is responsible for leading the award-winning California Sustainable Winegrowing Program and Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing. She joined Wine Institute in 2003, and now serves as Vice President, Environmental Affairs for Wine Institute, a department she established in 2007 to address wine industry environmental and sust...

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Jeffrey John Kragel Jr

Over the years, I have built my practice around entrepreneurs, sports figures, corporate executives and owners of privately held companies. My client base is generally in one of the following industries: food, beverage or the consumer product space. I enjoy partnering with individuals and families who have followed their dreams and work hard at their chosen passion, but simply do not have the capacity to think about the financial portion. In p...

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Karissa L. Kruse

Karissa Kruse was named president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers in May 2013 after serving as director of marketing since 2012. Additionally, she serves as the executive director of Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. Kruse earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master of business administration in marketing from Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania. She has 20 years of marketing, brand management, strategic pl...

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Sean Lim

Sean Lim is a Senior Appraiser with American AgCredit, specializing in the valuation of vineyard and winery properties throughout the North Coast. A graduate of UC Davis, Mr. Lim began his career at a commercial appraisal firm, where he gained experience appraising office, retail, industrial, and residential subdivision properties. After 10 years at this firm, he then joined an appraisal management company as the Commercial Valuations Manager ...

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David McCuan

Professor McCuan joined the faculty of Sonoma State University in Fall 2003. His expertise lies in two broad areas: American politics and International Relations. He received his doctorate from the University of California, Riverside in 2002.He researches state and local elections and the study of terrorism. His teaching responsibilities include courses in international and national politics, international security and terrorism, state and loc...

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Christian Miller

Christian Miller is the Research Director for the Wine Market Council, as well as proprietor of Full Glass Research. He has over 25 years of work experience in marketing, sales, consumer and trade research and industry analysis. His experience includes work with both small and large companies, as a brand manager, in retail and restaurant sales, in operations analysis and market research. Christian holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA ...

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David Glantz Pardes

David Pardes is a tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers based in San Francisco. He has been part of the private company services practice since he arrived at PwC and is the tax leader of the wine industry services Group. He is responsible for tax consulting and compliance services to numerous companies in industries that include vineyards and wineries, agri-business, manufacturing, and retail and consumer. Additionally, Pardes has experience w...

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Rae Ann Paulson

Rae Ann Paulson has been in public accounting since 2005. She provides assurance services for clients in a variety of industries, predominantly wine and food processing. Her experience includes responsibility for all phases of audit and review engagement execution, assisting clients with technical accounting issues and the implementation of corporate accounting policies and procedures. Paulson spends much of her time in the field with her clie...

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Elijah Pfister

Elijah is the founder and principal advisor of Warp & Weft Strategic Partners, bringing nearly two decades of leadership and advisory experience across technology, consumer products, manufacturing, adult beverage, and non-profit sectors. He specializes in scaling businesses, developing high-performing teams, and guiding executive leadership through periods of strategic growth and transformation.Elijah has served in a range of senior roles—incl...

More about Elijah Pfister

Richard C. Rybicki

Richard Rybicki advises employers on all aspects of labor and employment law. He has represented employers, employer associations and employee benefit plans in courts and administrative proceedings throughout the United States. He has a particular focus on the hospitality industry including restaurant, hotel, winery and tasting room, amusement, and transportation employers. Rybicki also practices under state and federal labor relations laws, r...

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Gary Schlossberg

Gary Schlossberg is a global strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute (WFII), a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which is focused on delivering the highest quality investment expertise and advice to help investors manage risk and succeed financially. WFII serves Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management (WIM), a division of Wells Fargo & Company. Gary is responsible for identifying global macroeconomic and political trends, their ...

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Dana Sexton Vivier

Dana Sexton Vivier is the Chief Financial Officer of Far Niente Wine Estates, overseeing the financial strategy for the portfolio. Before serving as CFO, Vivier was VP of Strategy where she worked cross-functionally to position the company for sustainable growth. She joined Far Niente in 2016 from GI Partners where she managed multiple aspects of the firm’s wine industry investments.

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Russell K Weis

Russ Weis is the President of Walsh Vineyards management in Napa, California. He has more than 30 years of experience in the global grape and wine industry beginning with his early years working in his family’s vineyards in Madera, California. Over his career, Weis has worked with storied wine brands like Beaulieu Vineyards, and Robert Mondavi as well as iconic estates like Inglenook, Opus One and Silverado Vineyards. His duties have spanned...

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Damien Wilson

Dr. Damien Wilson is the inaugural Hamel Family Chair of Wine Business Education with SSU's Wine Business Institute. Dr. Wilson arrived in California in 2015 with 20 years of professional experience in the wine sector. This commercial experience facilitated him achieving the first-ever Honors Degree in Wine Business with the University of Adelaide, and this qualification is among his four degrees in the discipline of Wine Business. He joins us...

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Angela Zhang

Angela Zhang is a private equity investment professional with over 15 years of finance and investing experience. She was most recently a Director of Gl Partners and focused on software, fintech and payments investments. Angela also served on the boards of Dako, Togetherwork, and Rectangle Health. Prior to joining Gl Partners, Angela was with Advent International in New York where she focused on private equity investments in the Technology, Med...

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Wine Industry Virtual Conference 2025

Member

Nonmember

Overview

Product Code

Credit Type

Format

Intended Audience

NASBA Field of Study

Level of Difficulty

Prerequisites

Advance Preparation

Learning Objectives

Agenda

8:30 – 8:35 a.m. PT

Welcome Remarks

8:35 – 9:25 a.m. PT

Headwinds & Horizons: What’s Next for Wine

Speaker(s)

9:25 – 10:40 a.m. PT

From Oversupply to Opportunity: Cracking the New Wine Economy

Speaker(s)

10:40 – 11 a.m. PT

Break

11 – 11:50 a.m. PT

Smart Vines & Digital Times: Tech That’s Transforming Wineries

Speaker(s)

11:50 a.m. – 1:05 p.m. PT

Lunch Break

1:05 – 2:20 p.m. PT

Tax Policy Discussion: Federal, State and Audit Updates

Speaker(s)

2:20 – 3:10 p.m. PT

Passing the Bottle: Next-Gen & Succession Strategies

Speaker(s)

3:10 – 3:30 p.m. PT

Break

3:30 – 4:20 p.m. PT

Beyond the Balance Sheet: GAAP Essentials for Wineries

Speaker(s)

4:20 – 5:10 p.m. PT

Deals in the Cellar: Private Equity & the Future of Wine Ownership

Speaker(s)

5:10 – 5:15 p.m. PT

Final Remarks/Adjourn

8:30 – 8:35 a.m. PT

Opening Remarks

8:35 – 9:50 a.m. PT

Economic and Policy Forces Reshaping the Wine Industry

Speaker(s)

9:50 – 10:05 a.m. PT

Break

10:05 – 11:20 a.m. PT

Labor in the Vines: Navigating Workforce and Compliance Challenges

Speaker(s)

11:20 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. PT

Adapting to Thrive: Strategic Planning for the Wine Industry

Speaker(s)

Faculty

Sponsors

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