Schedule-at-a-Glance
Conference: March 27-29, 2012
Trade Show: March 28-29, 2012
Location: Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA
Once again, we'd like to welcome our guest moderators, all experts in their fields and names you'll immediately recognize: Elizabeth Slater, In Short Direct Marketing; Keith Striegler, Ph.D., University of Missouri; Bruce Zoecklein; Ph.D., Virginia Tech; Paul Wagner, Balzac Communications and Marketing. This year's conference theme is "Eastern in Scope, Diverse in Flavor".
In the meantime, we encourage you to take advantage of our discount program to be sure you get the most bang for your buck! Wineries Unlimited delivers the quality experience you've come to expect and enjoy. For 35 years, this event has been the hub and meeting place uniting the entire eastern wine industry. If you already know you're planning to attend Wineries Unlimited, sign up now and receive the deepest discount.
Conference Overview March 27-29, 2012 |
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Tuesday-Thursday |
7:30 am - 4:00 pm |
Registration Open |
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Tuesday |
9:00 am - 5:00 pm |
Sessions |
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5:30 pm - 7:00 pm |
Welcome Reception |
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Wednesday |
8:45 am - 6:00 pm |
Sessions (multi-track) |
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm |
Trade Show
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12:00 pm |
Trade Show Lunch |
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2:00 pm - 3:30 pm |
Trade Show Happy Hour |
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6:00 pm - 9:30 pm |
Best of the East Grand Gala & Keynote |
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Thursday |
9:45 pm - 4:15 pm |
Sessions (multi-track) |
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10:00 am - 3:30 pm |
Trade Show |
12:00 pm |
Trade Show Lunch |
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2:00 pm - 3:30 pm |
Trade Show Happy Hour
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SESSIONS
Marketing Workshop
TUESDAY, March 27
Winery DIY...giving you the tools to get the work
done.
Marketing Workshop with Elizabeth Slater
Single-Day Workshop
Tuesday, March 27, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
The "how-to conference" that gives you the tools to do-it-yourself.
Anyone who frequents the home improvement store or watches TV home makeover shows understands the do-it-yourself (DIY) concept. We've taken it one step further by empowering you with the DIY tools, skills, and know-how to improve your winery's tasting room, programs, and staff.
You don't always have the budget to rely on outside services so roll up your sleeves, put on the safety glasses and get to work.
In this workshop, you'll receive expert commentary by qualified guest speakers. You'll leave armed and ready with the right tools to get the job done and the satisfaction that you've done it yourself! Bring your tool belt and leave with a belt full of the tools you can use to meet your goals.
SESSION ONE: Elizabeth Slater
Hammer Out Your Messaging
The messaging you present to the world affects consumers' perceptions of your winery and wines in so many ways. Is messaging through your email, Facebook, and website bringing visitors to your winery? Does it light up the desire to purchase even before visitors arrive? Does the messaging you present to the world resonate through tasting room employees?
Session how-to:
- Measure the effectiveness of your messaging
- Create consistent messaging through all mediums
- Focus on messages that will make consumers stop...internalize...take action
SESSION TWO: Jennifer McCloud (tentative)
Nail Down Profits in the Tasting Room
If all wine were sold for $5 a bottle, it would be very easy to sell. Many wineries, when sales are tough, resort to price reductions and other discounting. This session helps you create and focus on Value Adds, rather than selling wine at discounted prices, which may undermine the value consumers place on your wine, your messaging, and your brand.
Session how-to:
- Create value instead of discounting
- Using value to create connection and encourage sales
SESSION THREE: Speaker to be announced
The Nuts & Bolts of Selling During Events
Reaching your sales goals for events is all about planning. Events need organization; every element fitting seamlessly into the overall plan, and employees who know what's expected of them and trained to do it.
Session how-to:
- Develop a blueprint for all your events
- Create the specifics for individual events, including goals & sales projections
- Concise, direct messaging
- Keep customers satisfied, happy, and connected
SESSION FOUR: Elizabeth Slater
Build an Extraordinary Team
Any successful structure hangs on the framework of a strong team. A group of people working together focused on a common goal. How does your team fit together? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What is needed to bring your team together?
Session how-to:
- Find the right personalities to make up your team
- Build current and new employees into a strong team
Enology & Viticulture
Joint Sessions
WEDNESDAY, March 28
Moderators: Dr. Keith Striegler, University of Missouri and Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Virginia Tech
Microbiology from Vineyard to Bottle
This program will feature practical discussions on issues related to the impacts of vineyard management on yeast ecology, yeast and bacterial stain impact on aroma, flavor and phenols, yeast and bacteria compatibility, non-Saccharomyces fermentations, sensory impacts, etc.
Program will include sensory evaluations to highlight processing examples.
8:45 am - 9:00 am
Welcome and Session Overview
Dr. Bruce Zoecklein (L) and Dr. Keith Striegler (R)
9:00 am - 9:45 am
Leaf Removal: A Tool to Reduce Yield and Bunch Rot in Grapes
Speaker: Paolo Sabbatini, Michigan State University, Assistant Professor
9:45 am -10:00 am
Break
10:00 am -11:00 am
Friend or foe? Vine Nutrition Effects on Grape and Wine Quality.
Speaker: Dr. Markus Keller, Washington State University - IAREC
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Microbiology-An Answer to Grape Growing and Winemaking? The Case
of Burgundy
Speaker: Professor Pascal Duran, University of Burgundy
11:45 am - 12:00 pm
Question and Answer, Morning Session Wrap-Up
Enology:
THURSDAY, March 29
8:30 am - 9:15 am
Overview of Yeast Selection and Malolactic Fermentation on Aroma/Flavor
and Phenols
Description: Consideration of the potential for flavor/aroma and structure
management by use of selected yeast and ML-bacterial strains during and
post-fermentation
Speaker: Professor Ken Fugelsang-CSU-Fresno
9:15 am - 10:00 am
Using Non-Saccharomyces Yeast During Alcoholic Fermentation
Speaker: Dr. Peter Salamone-Laffort
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Break
10:15 am - 11:00 am
Influence of Yeast Strain Selection on Malolactic Fermentation
Speaker: Dr. Nichola Hall-Scott Laboratories
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sensory Evaluations-Wine Tasting of Yeast Trails Using Torulaspora
Delbrueckii
Speaker: Charlotte Gouraud- Laffort
-and-
Sensory Evaluation-Wine Tasting of Various Yeast Stain and MLF
Combinations
Speaker: Sigrid Gertsen-Briand-Scott Laboratories
12:00 pm
Lunch in Trade Show
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Microbiological Survey of Equipment and Environment at Wineries
on West Coast of United States
Speaker: Dr. Robert Tracy-BevTrac
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Enology Panel Discussion: Practical Resolution to Regional Wine
Microbiological Issues
Viticulture:
THURSDAY, March 29
Current Research Developments: Implications for Mid-Atlantic Grape Growing
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Cultural Practices and Cultivar Selection Used for Vinifera in
Michigan
Speaker: Paolo Sabbatini, Michigan State University, Assistant Professor
9:30 am - 10:30 am
A Balancing Act: Vine Balance and Lessons for Canopy Management
Speaker: Dr. Markus Keller, Washington State University -
IAREC
10:30 am - 10:45 am
Break
10:45 am -12:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Practical Resolution to Regional Viticultural
Issues
This session will provide recent research innovations and their significance
for grape producers in the Mid-Atlantic region will be discussed. In addition,
a panel of industry leading growers will cover practical solutions for
viticulture issues in the region. Panelists to be announced.
3:15pm-4:00pm
Microbiological Review of Equipment and Environment at Wineries
Speaker: Dr. Robert Tracy-BevTrac
4:00pm-5:00pm
Enology Panel Discussion: Practical Resolution to Regional Wine
Microbiological Issues
Marketing:
WEDNESDAY, March 28
9:45 am - 10:45 am
The Basics & What Wine Writers Want...Don't Want
Moderator/Speaker: Paul Wagner
The Basics will provide
- Wine Marketing from the bottom up:
- Knowing what you need
- Doing the work
- Creating the message that makes a difference
What Wine Writers Want...and Don't Want
Speaker: David McIntyre, wine columnist, Washington Post
What Wine Writers Want and Don't Want will provide:
- David McIntyre will share his stories about successful and unsuccessful attempts to pitch him a story about a wine or winery
11:00 am - 12:00pm
Making your Winery a Destination-Getting More Visitors in the
Door
Speaker Panel:
- Jonathan Edwards in CT
- Brian Roeder of Barrel Oak Cellars in VA
- Nicole Howard of Duplin Cellars in NC
12:00 pm
Lunch in Trade Show
THURSDAY, March 29
10:45 am - 11:45 am
Selling BEYOND the Tasting Room
Speakers: Ron Sharman and Dick Kline of E-Winery Solutions
This session will provide:
- Using Customer Relations as a way to build your sales on a local, regional, and national basis.
12:00 pm
Lunch in Trade Show
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm
How to Sell Wine and How You Can Tell If Your Doing it Right
Moderator/Speaker: Paul Wagner
This session will provide:
- The Four Steps to Selling Wine, and how to use them:
- In the retail room
- In the market to restaurateurs and retailers