MAKING FARMING SEXY: THE INTERSECTION OF WINE, MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Anthony shares thoughts about using 21st century technology to market an early 20th century approach to wine using 18th century vocabulary. Can evangelizing the Vinaroon Movement through social media support small, sustainable wine farming?

A chef by trade, Anthony Nicalo has spent his lifetime examining the connection between food and its farmed roots. While eating and drinking wine with the Fenocchio family in Italy, Anthony found his calling: bringing the farm to the table. Anthony founded Farmstead Wines in 2007 and carefully chooses rare, handcrafted wines from small sustainable farms for its selections. Farmstead Wines reconnects wine to agriculture, representing and marketing vinaroon wines in North America.

Tim Hendrickson
Dairy Farmers of Canada
www.allyouneedischeese.ca

CHEESE EXPERT
Challenge your senses when you experience a wide range of artisan cheeses. Why does Brie have a mushroom aroma? What is your favorite Blue Cheese? Tim Hendrickson, of the Dairy Farmers of Canada, works with leading cheese makers, so come prepared to have these questions answered along with enjoying some amazing taste sensations.

Tim Hendrickson’s sensitive palette and passion for fine cheese and wine have been cultivated by over 20 years spent in the food and wine business. From working on a cheese-producing farm in Devon, England through to operating his own delicatessen and wine shop, Tim has seen all sides of the industry. Tim spent 16 years as the owner/operator of The Wine Shop, Calgary’s first independent wine store. Prior to his tenure at The Wine Shop, Tim spent three years as owner/operator of The Gourmet Royal, a successful delicatessen in downtown Calgary. There his responsibilities included importing and retailing a wide selection of Canadian and international cheeses. Since early 2005, Tim has worked independently as a wine and cheese consultant and recently accepted a position with Blush Lane Organic Market to develop a Canadian Cheese program.

HOW TO CHEESE ROLL
Last year TAXI Vancouver took a long shot and suggested to the Dairy Farmers of Canada that they hold the first ever Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival up at Blackcomb in August. Find out how it happened, given that the client’s first question was… “What?”

Michael spent the first 12 years of his career as an advertising writer before becoming Creative Director of the newest TAXI office, which opened its doors in Vancouver in 2007. In years past, Michael has created award-winning work for MINI Cooper, Flow 93.5, The Movie Network, Williams Sonoma, Viagra, WestJet and Nike. And already, in its short history, TAXI Vancouver has begun to make its mark with work for TELUS, Vancouver Aquarium, Meinhardt Fine Foods, Wild Horse Canyon Wine, Little Boy Games and the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

WHO’S YOUR CHEESE?
Cheese is much more than just a food, it’s personal and it’s got a lot of personality. A symbol for culture, relationships and individual maturity; the types of cheese you eat (and why) can tell the world a lot about you…perhaps more than you’d like to admit. Drawing on findings from an in-depth study into Australian cheese consumption, Nick will share some amusing insights into the psychology of cheese. From cheese lovers, to cheese dictators – this presentation will explore who’s your cheese and what’s it saying about you?

As the Senior Associate at Concerto Marketing Group and Principal of Mext Consulting (Australia), Nick Black is best described as a combination of logic and magic. He is Canada’s only expert in morphological psychology and has used the groundbreaking science to lead market research, brand strategy and innovation projects across Australia, Asia and North America. Tapping into deep consumer thought and motivation, his work has delivered certainty for clients including Coca-Cola, Foster’s, Yellow Pages, 20th Century Fox and most recently the BC Dairy Foundation.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES
James is an award-winning wine writer and educator, and the co-founder of HALFAGLASS, a boutique wine consultancy on a mission to spread the wine love. He is the co-author of five bestselling wine books, the latest is Had a Glass: Top 100 Wines for 2009 under $20 (Whitecap Books). James’ musings on wine have been seen and heard in a variety of magazines and on radio and TV, and he is widely known as one of “The Wine Guys” from his weekly wine column that appears Thursdays in The Province newspaper.