--- title: "Business Retreats: Team-Building for Oenophiles" id: "17288" type: "post" slug: "business-retreats-team-building-for-oenophiles" published_at: "2013-05-06T22:19:44+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:03:56+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/05/06/business-retreats-team-building-for-oenophiles/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/05/06/business-retreats-team-building-for-oenophiles.md" excerpt: "How wineries are offering team-building environment for business retreats, and what you can learn. Also: Some leadership lessons from J. Crew’s CEO Mickey Drexler for meeting professionals." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Meetings" - "online events" - "Retreat" - "team building" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Business Retreats: Team-Building for Oenophiles Is it time for your association’s staff retreat? Maybe you could take a cue from the movie *Sideways* and wine down. Business retreats perfectly designed for wine lovers, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Retreating At A Winery > A Corporate Retreat for Team-Building, With a Taste of Wine [http://t.co/GEgOgpOSPi (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/GEgOgpOSPi) > [#teambuilding (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/teambuilding?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#meetingprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/meetingprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Mariella Irivarren (@mformariella) [May 6, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/mformariella/status/331491437004849154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Wineries are helping coworkers bond,** and, no, their solution is not to drink more. (Though if you’re looking to, the option’s certainly nearby.) They organize team-building activities, such as wine making, where colleagues complete tasks that couldn’t be more different from their office jobs. Mauricio Romo, tourism manager at the Viu Manent vineyard in Chile, says the tasks make guests feel like their organization’s goals aren’t complex at all, next to wine making. [This New York Times article (opens in a new tab)](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/business/a-corporate-retreat-for-team-building-with-a-taste-of-wine.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0) explains how some wineries organize retreats. Napa Valley, California, actually encourages wineries to hold corporate gatherings. *(ht [@mirivarren (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/mirivarren/status/331491437004849154) )* ### Leading An Event > What [#Meeting (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meeting?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > Professionals Everywhere can Learn from J. Crew’s CEO Mickey Drexler [#PCMA (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PCMA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#MPI (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MPI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/uPRLb8R4Pd (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/uPRLb8R4Pd) > > — Mulligan Management Group | Digital Marketing Firm (@DedeMulligan) [May 6, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/DedeMulligan/status/331453604890292225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **How do you ensure your events go as planned?** In some ways, meeting planning is like running a company. You have to pay attention to your market, take creative risks, and pay attention to details—but only the important ones. Those are a few of the leadership tips that *Fast Company* recently gleaned from J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler. One key theme: Simplicity is crucial. “Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones, but something or someone gets in your way. How can you make your event easier for your attendees?” DeDe Mulligan, CMP, [wrote on the AVEvent Services blog (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.aveventsolutions.com/blog/news-and-tips/what-meeting-professionals-everywhere-can-learn-from-j-crews-ceo-mickey-drexler) , based on [Drexler’s interview with Fast Company (opens in a new tab)](http://www.fastcompany.com/3007844/10-creativity-tips-jcrew-ceo-mickey-drexler) . *(ht [@DedeMulligan (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/DedeMulligan/status/331453604890292225) )* What links have you been sharing today? Let us know in the comments. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock) [Anita Ferrer](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Anita Ferrer is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Tags: [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#online events](https://associationsnow.com/tag/online-events/) [#Retreat](https://associationsnow.com/tag/retreat/) [#team building](https://associationsnow.com/tag/team-building/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoPeter O’Neil’s Fall Leadership Retreat RecapDecember 5, 2011](https://associationsnow.com/2011/12/05/peter-oneils-fall-leadership-retreat-recap/) - [VideoTeam Event Management DemoSeptember 11, 2020](https://associationsnow.com/2020/09/11/team-event-management-demo/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [TemplateMembers onlyOnline Event Cheat Sheet for HostFebruary 1, 2022](https://associationsnow.com/2022/02/01/online-event-cheat-sheet-for-host/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F05%2F06%2Fbusiness-retreats-team-building-for-oenophiles%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !