Written with Neeta Mittal, Founder at LXV Wine
At SommCon, we believe that the future of the beverage industry is built not just on what’s in the glass, but on the connections we create – one conversation, one story, one idea at a time. That’s why moments like the one Neeta Mittal shared during the Women in Craft Forum at SommCon 2024 resonate so deeply.
Neeta is the co-founder of LXV Wine in Paso Robles, known for its bold Bordeaux varietals, immersive spice pairings, and storytelling-driven approach to wine. A Berkeley-trained engineer with Indian roots, she brings precision and passion to everything she does. Her deep appreciation for Bordeaux led to making wine in Saint-Émilion, as part of a personal and professional journey to understand the legacy and language of one of the world’s most iconic wine regions.
In the piece below, Neeta explores a powerful idea that community is a collective IQ – one that accelerates ideas, safeguards tradition, and drives the industry forward.
He stood patiently at the edge of the crowd – quiet, composed, and clearly waiting for something more than just a pour. I was behind the tasting table at SommCon, mid-conversation, but he caught my eye with a small, knowing smile. When I finally broke away to greet him, I learned he was the Costco wine buyer from Irvine. He had driven down just to meet us. In just a few minutes, we had swapped stories about wine regions, shared photos with winemakers, and talked about Saint-Émilion and Paso Robles. It was casual, unhurried, but it held the weight of something bigger.
That was (is) the quiet genius of SommCon Conference & Beverage Expo. On the surface, it was a conference. But in truth, it was a living room of minds where individual insight became collective intelligence. Where someone across the table might challenge your thinking, complete your sentence, or hand you the missing piece you didn’t know you needed.
What happened in that kind of room wasn’t just networking. It was collective acceleration. Ideas moved faster. Curiosity sharpened. Guardrails dissolved. Standards rose. And slowly, something rare began to take shape: a culture where collaboration outpaced competition. What I witnessed in that room was profound; it was a living network of trust. A belief that no one bottle, no one house, no one name carries the whole story. You need the ensemble. You need the community. You need the collective intelligence.
So, what does that collective intelligence actually achieve? It shortens learning curves. It raises quality. It protects integrity. It keeps the focus on long-term health not just of the business but of the land, the people, and the reputation of the region. It also allows individual risk-taking to happen with a safety net. In a high-stakes legacy industry like wine, that’s no small thing. When one producer experiments with regenerative farming or a daring new blend, others are watching, learning, adjusting, and often supporting. That’s how innovation survives tradition. It creates a human moat. In a world of consolidation and faceless distribution, community becomes the edge. It’s what gives a place soul. A face. A story that customers can belong to, not just buy into. This is how legacy gets built today – not by going it alone, but by growing it together.
At SommCon, we aren’t just trading thoughts. We are composing them layer by layer, like music. We were thinking in concert.
And if that Costco wine buyer is reading this, – yes, you with the contagious smile and the quiet patience – I never got your card, but we need to finish that conversation. Find me. We’ve got work to do.
SommCon Conference & Beverage Expo returns to San Diego, September 7–9, 2025, with an expanded focus on connection, education, and the future of the trade. From skill-building seminars and certifications to mentorship and market insights, it’s our goal to deliver the community and conversations the industry needs right now.
Register today to join the conversation with us this fall.