Geek Up: Wine Meets Tech

#sxsw #GeekUp

Love wine? Hate Snobs? This is the Meet Up for you. Come to where old & new world wines and tech collide. Time to Geek Up and Drink Up!
Ask the experts, share your knowledge, and enjoy the Wine Meet Up at SXSW!

Presenters

April Wright Collins

Founder & Pres

Vintage Wine Marketing

April Collins has been a proven leader in the wine industry for 10 years. Her career began in fine dining and transitioned to the distribution side where she managed Serendipity, a fine wine distributor in Texas. She also worked for Francis Ford Coppola winery before founding Vintage Wine Marketing, a luxury wine broker. Vintage specializes in the finest wineries from around the world. As founder and managing partner, she expertly represents her clients from the time the wine leaves the winery until the cork is pulled by the consumer. April has been called upon to provide her expertise as a second time SXSW featured wine presenter as well as a featured speaker at Atlanta Food and Wine Festival.

Craig Collins MS

Exec Beverage Dir

Elm Restaurant Group

Master Sommelier Craig Collins first became enamored with wine while working at a Texas winery during his college years. This passion inspired him to study abroad in Italy before graduating from Texas A&M University. His first post-collegiate position was with Domaines and Estates, the fine wine division of Glazers, where he was introduced to the Court of Master Sommeliers and began to refine the professional skills and industry knowledge that would help shape his career.

Collins moved to Austin, Texas, in 2005 to manage Prestige Wine Cellars, a boutique wine distributor focused on family-owned-and-operated wineries. His next venture was working as Regional Sales Manager for Dalla Terra Winery Direct, an Italian import company representing some of that nation’s most iconic estates. He currently serves as Beverage Director for ELM Restaurant Group, overseeing the offerings at chef-driven hotspots 24 Diner, Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden and Arro.

In 2011, Collins passed the esteemed Master Sommelier Exam, a feat mastered by less than 200 people worldwide at that time. He is an active member in the Court of Master Sommeliers and frequently serves as a featured speaker at wine and food festivals across the country. Recognized as a leading educator in his field, Master Collins is often asked to judge wine competitions and contribute to both local and national publications. His wife, April, is also a respected member of the wine community.