Last updated on March 18, 2011

Date: Wednesday, June 22
Time: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Portola Hotel

Organizing Committee:
Lise Asimont, Francis Ford Coppola Presents, California
Kristen Barnhisel, Handley Cellars, California
Leticia Chacón-Rodriguez, Treasury Wine Estates, California

Click here to view the Industry Seminars on Thursday

These seminars are an ASEV program feature that emphasizes the fundamentals of commercial winemaking and viticulture practices. They are designed to emphasize useful, practical, hands-on knowledge of the general topic category with specific product focus. Suppliers with related products and services will have table top displays to view from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on either Wednesday or Thursday specific to each seminar. Click here to view the Industry Seminar Supplier Displays.

New! These seminars are now included in the General Registration fee.

Speakers will be added as confirmed.

Grapegrowing in a Challenging Climate

The 2010 growing season was one of the most challenging seasons in recent years for many within the western United States. Conditions were characterized by a cool spring leading to delayed budbreak, late bloom period, and cool growing seasons, which all lead to delayed harvest and nervous grapegrowers and winemakers. Many battled difficult fall weather, including rains and severely damaging frosts. As a result of this season’s weather, growers battled fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot and struggled to ripen fruit. Within this session, speakers will discuss vineyard management methods used to deal with difficult growing seasons, and we will hear from speakers who deal with similar challenges on a regular basis when growing in regions where viticulture is pushed to the edge.
Chair Patricia Skinkis, Oregon State University, Corvallis
Speakers Matt Novak, Results Partners, Oregon
Hans Walter-Peterson, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Yates County

Precision Viticulture

There is a lot of excellent technology in the market today but it is not widely understood in terms of its effectiveness for use in winegrowing practices. Some winegrowers are leading the charge with the use of GPS units to quantify and qualify their winegrowing metrics and to take their cultural practices a step further. Many companies, both small and large, are using these new database systems to make decisions on everything from pruning to harvesting.
Chair Matthew Heil, Constellation Wines US, California
Speakers Rachel Ashley, Treasury Wine Estates, California
Towle Merritt, Walsh Vineyards Management, California
Lars Pierce, California State University, Monterey Bay

Water Efficiency

Efficient water utilization practices for sanitation, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse will be the focus of this seminar. These professionals will discuss current challenges and opportunities that wineries have concerning water efficiency.
Chair Chik Brenneman, University of California, Davis
Speakers Robert Boller, Jackson Family Wines, California
Chik Brenneman, University of California, Davis
Jeff Zucker, J. Lohr Winery, California

Tannin Management in Winemaking

This seminar will discuss the complexity of tannin management as a central component of red winemaking. Methods of tannin analysis for small, medium, and large wineries will be discussed. How do seed ripeness, berry condition, and tannin content influence winemaking outcome? The focus will include: picking date, cold soak, whole cluster fermentation, pumpover/punchdown regime, timing and inclusion of press fraction, and extended maceration. Winemakers will discuss their experiences in maximizing good tannin extraction with given varieties.
Chair John Thorngate, Constellation Wines US, California
Speakers Rod Chittenden, Eastern Institute of Technology, New Zealand
Jordan Ferrier, Constellation Wines US, California
Evan Schiff, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, California