Do you like wine and talking about wine? Are you keen on putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to express your wine thoughts? If so, the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers (SPWW) may just be the thing for you. The three-day event has gone virtual for 2021 and applications to attend are currently open.
Now in its eighth year, the SPWW is “professional conference that focuses on writers who explore topics within wine and wine-adjacent fields” whose purpose is to “enhance the craft of the written word” and as a “career enhancement opportunity for writers at any stage of their career,” per the website. And in 2021, the SPWW is shifting focus to “expand its reach through a virtual platform and to help foster new voices in the industry with a focus on inclusivity and diversity.”
Taking place Monday, May 10th though the 12th, each day of the symposium focuses a different topic. Day One is “The New Language of Wine,” Day Two is “Honing Your Craft,” and Day Three is “Reaching the Modern Consumer.” Each day will dig in deeper to their given topic with a variety of keynote addresses, panels, and activations hosted by wine writing luminaries from around the globe including Dorothy Gaiter (Grape Collective), Baxter Holmes (ESPN), Julia Coney (Vinepair), and Eric Asimov (New York Times).
The SPWW is currently accepting applications for attendance and will continue to do so through Friday, April 30th. Applications include a questionnaire—which can be filled out here—as well as the inclusion of a writing sample produced in the past 12 months. They will be reviewed anonymously by a committee with acceptance being granted “based on the quality of their writing.” For more information, visit the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.