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PANEL's Publisher/Executive Editor Meridith May (see sidebar), to com- munal meals wherein mingling is encouraged and impromptu meetings take place over an impressive spread (half of these interviews may or may not have been conducted near a cheese platter), ECRM is a social environment where those who work hard can also play hard. Culminating in a walk-around Grand Tasting wherein wine, beer and spirit suppliers pulled out all the stops to showcase their wares, THE TASTING PANEL was also proud to sponsor the first-ever ECRM Grand Tasting Awards, which shone a spotlight on some of the favorite and most innovative products in the industry today (see pages 64-65 for full results). This may have been our first trip to ECRM, but it won't be our last: Next year, make sure you're there too. Stay tuned to THE TASTING PANEL and www.ecrm.marketgate.com for updates on the 2013 show. The esteemed panel for THE TASTING PANEL/ECRM Roundtable: Stuart Roy, National Director, Wine and Spirits, Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group; Meridith May, Publisher/Executive Editor, THE TASTING PANEL; Smoke Wallin, CEO, Paddington Brands; Derrick Gus, Director of Sourcing and Procurement, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Ryan Heilig, VP Operations, G.K. Skaggs, Inc.; Douglas Due, President and CEO, DA Due Compliance and Logistics; Tom Conte, National Sales Manager, Serralles USA. Buyers and Suppliers of the Roundtable For the first time, the 2012 ECRM was also host to an exclusive roundtable inviting a handful of buyers, suppli- ers and innovators in our industry a chance to discuss the state of the wine and spirits business, from distribution tactics, to the impact of social media. THE TASTING PANEL's Meridith May, who acted as moderator for the panel, explained, "We wanted to find a reason to bring brands and buyers together in the pages of the magazine, and this conference is the perfect opportunity to do that." Here are some of the highlights: On building an artisan portfolio: "We're seeing a lot more emphasis on artisan spirits now. We try to find brands that have a reason to be, not just to fit some category. Coming to market with a liquid that is great is not enough—we have to be creative in terms of how we get our brands to market." —Smoke Wallin, CEO, Paddington Brands, whose Napa Smith Brewery has had a great impact on the craft beer segment "The craft movement is so hot, and with technology, the world is much smaller. We tend to look for brands that tell a story and represent a region, because people want something fresh and new." —Ryan Heilig, VP Operations, G.K. Skaggs, Inc., which strives to bring new and interesting wines to the U.S. market On crafting a focused, diverse wine list: "As soon as they start talking scores, I stop listening. I'm much more interested in the heritage and quality of wines than a number." —Stuart Roy, National Director, Wine and Spirits, Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group "The adult experience is a by-product of the overall experience, so we try to stay focused on a theme and stock items that would be difficult for guests to track down in their home town." —Derrick Gus, Director of Sourcing and Procurement, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts On distributor/supplier relationships: "Our job as suppliers is to catch the eye of the distribu- tor. Our job is to create something fun and unique that the distributor can get behind and support." —Tom Conte, National Sales Manager, Serralles USA "The biggest issue to buyers and suppliers in the industry today is the second tier, which controls the flow and pricing of products." —Douglas Due, President and CEO, DA Due Compliance and Logistics, a clearing distributor that can move product within California for as little as five cents/case october 2012 / the tasting panel / 63