Exceeding last year’s attendance, 600 wine and grape industry leaders, researchers and other academic representatives from around the world attended the American Society for Enology and Viticulture’s (ASEV) 64th National Conference. Hosted last week in Monterey, California, the conference serves as the national platform for the wine and grape industry to disseminate current research reports and present seminars on technology and other themed topics of importance to the industry.

According to ASEV Executive Director Lyndie Boulton, the conference serves as an unmatched opportunity for industry researchers, students, academics and other professionals to convene and explore emerging science, research updates and technical directions shaping the wine and grape industry.

The conference’s robust agenda of technical research topics and practices in enology and viticulture plays a vital role in decision making in the industry. Two in-depth symposia focused on rootstock and tannin, and video recordings of the symposia international speakers will be posted on the ASEV member-only site. The week also featured topical sessions on critical issues such as Red Blotch and six industry seminars on key fundamental topics of interest. The conference high point was Dr. Jim Wolpert’s Merit Award presentation, “The Changing Role of Extension in the Modern Winegrape Industry.”

Returning this year to Monterey, ASEV again chose a venue near a wine region to connect the session experience with fundamental practices and opportunities to visit local vineyards and wineries. Next year, the ASEV will host the National Conference in Austin, Texas, with collaborative plans in place to integrate its Eastern Section chapter’s annual meeting.

Audio recordings of individual sessions or as an entire conference package will be available for purchase at www.asev.org.