Join acclaimed wine writer and educator Elaine Chukan Brown for a thought-provoking masterclass that challenges outdated perceptions of California and explores the exciting evolution of one of the world’s most dynamic wine regions.

Through a curated tasting of distinctive wines, you’ll discover the modern California defined by place, freshness, balance, and authenticity. This is an invitation to rethink California through the lens of today’s sommelier and uncover compelling wines that deserve a place on the world’s best wine lists.

Taste. Challenge assumptions. Rediscover California.

Wine has never faced greater competition for consumers’ attention. Drinking habits are evolving, consumer expectations are shifting, and purchasing behaviours continue to change. How can today’s sommeliers adapt, reconnect with guests, and inspire a new generation of wine drinkers?

Join acclaimed wine educator and moderator Elaine Chukan Brown, alongside Vincent Morrow, MS, Wine Director at Union Square Hospitality Group, and Wanda Mann, East Coast Editor of The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel, for a dynamic conversation with influential voices from hospitality, media, and communications. Together, they’ll explore how to build guest trust, tell more compelling wine stories, engage wine-curious consumers, and compete in an increasingly crowded beverage landscape.

More than a discussion of today’s challenges, this session offers practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and actionable ideas to help you connect with guests, drive engagement, and ultimately sell more wine.