May in Wine Country and Oregon Wine Month 2022 Toolkits

Building on last year's success, we are continuing in 2022 with an all-month May in Wine Country campaign that will combine both the Memorial Weekend in Wine Country and Oregon Wine Month programs. Here's how to join in on both! 

May in Wine Country
Step 1) Log into WV Portal and you will see May in Wine Country signup registration on the home screen. WVWA members that opt in to participate ($150 per member) in the campaign will have all of their Events and Special Offers for the month of May posted to our May in Wine Country microsite.

Step 2) You will submit your Events and Special Offers on WV Portal by clicking Collateral in the left-hand navigation. Once you sign up for the promotion, ALL applicable May Events (in-person and virtual) and Special Offers that you submit will be included. Your Events and Offers will have special tags feeding to the May in Wine Country microsite, and will also be included on the main event calendar and special offers page. 

Step 3) Make a plan for announcing and promoting your events on your own website and social channels. Use the #wvwines, #oregonwinemonth (May only) and #wvinbloom (all spring) hashtags and tag us @wvwines so we can add your posts to our Instagram story and other social media channels. 

Our goal is to boost wine buying (in-person and online) and tourism throughout the month of May. We will drive traffic to the microsite through several campaigns:

• Media pitching
• Email marketing (to our consumer newsletter list of 32,000 subscribers)
• Search engine advertising
• Social media posts
• Social media advertising

Participation fees go entirely toward additional marketing and advertising to direct visitor traffic to the campaign. 

Please contact Julie Dalrymple with any questions.

Descriptive copy: 

Springtime in wine country is cause for celebration! During the months of April, May and June, the Willamette Valley is "in bloom" with brilliant gardens, budding vines and clear skies.

At the center of it all is our long-running Memorial Weekend in Wine Country event, now expanded to include the entire month of May. With this much-loved tradition, our wineries open their doors to welcome the return of vibrant colors to our landscape and the first chapter in the story of the next vintage. We also kick off the summer tourism season, basking in dry, warm, sunny weather that brings everyone outside. This is the time for exciting new white wine and rosé releases, soft buds emerging on the vines, the scent of flowers everywhere and the joy that comes with a fresh start. Check out our participating wineries' special events and offers, browse wineries with garden views and lawn games to make the most of the sunshine, and use our Memorial Weekend Map to plan your trip. Finally, be sure to check out our reopening guide to see the latest public health guidance. 

Oregon Wine Month

The WVWA has created a suite of co-branded (OWB / WVWA) trade resources for distributors, retailers, restaurants and wineries to leverage during Oregon Wine Month (May 2022.) View the WVWA resources here. 

See the slide deck from the January 28 presentation to membership here for more information.

These resources are meant to complement the statewide resources that the Oregon Wine Board has created. You can view the OWB resources here.

It is the expectation that you will use these region-wide creative assets when you develop specific brand campaigns and promotions.

If you need additional resources that are not found in this toolkit, please email morgen@willamettewines.com. 

Step 1) Log into WV Portal and then download the WVWA's new Oregon Wine Month creative assets here. You can also find OWB's toolkit here. 

Step 2) Reach out to your distributors and trade accounts with these assets (the sooner the better!) and ask them how you can partner to make Oregon Wine Month a success. Here are just a few ideas:

• schedule a staff training event for their team
• suggest special pricing or a promotion
• offer to come out for a dinner or tasting event

Step 3) Get involved with May in Wine Country, the WVWA's Oregon Wine Month DTC activation! (See above.)

Past Toolkits

Cellar Season 2022 Toolkit

The 2022 Cellar Season is here! Find creative assets in this folder.

Events you publish during January, February and March will all be given the Cellar Season event tag (this is not a paid promotion—it's open to all). We are promoting Cellar Season events, photos and recipes using our website, consumer emails and social media. 

Email Julia (julia@willamettewines.com) if you have an original recipe to submit that fits this cozy time of year!

Hashtag: #wvcellarseason

Main link: https://www.willamettewines.com/plan-your-visit/seasons/cellar-season/

Descriptive copy: 

Take a breath. Feel the stillness. Our vines, having released their brilliant leaves, are sleeping peacefully. Our young wines, just harvested, are beginning their slow transformation in barrel. The promise of the vintage is now safely in the hands of our winemakers. Welcome to Willamette Valley wine country's coziest time of year.

The glow of heaters and crackling fireplaces from winery porches in the misty air beckons us to embrace the joys of this special season: the hushed thrill of that first taste of the year's newest wine releases. The comfort of seasonal food and wine pairings, enjoyed with a stunning backdrop of fir trees and rising fog. The chance to share this moment with the talented makers who can finally catch their breath, too, and embrace a moment of calm.