Speaker: Lise Asimont

Description: The grape and wine market is in the midst of an adjustment as new realities are reshaping it. How a large production company sees the challenges and opportunities this change represents can be very different from the perspective of a small, direct-to-consumer label. But is there perhaps more overlap in these two perspectives than we might think?

Lise Asimont bridges both worlds. As Senior VP of Foley Family Farms, she manages grape supply for a broad portfolio of labels on the West Coast. As the owner of Dot Wines, she lives the realities of small production and direct customer relationships. She'll share what she's currently seeing and experiencing from each vantage point, and how some of the lessons from one part of the industry might inform the other.

Speaker: Lori Shipman

Description: The ability to adapt, reflect, and grow when facing new challenges in the wine industry develops resilience within the business. Offering a perspective rooted in a two-prong approach of looking at the business and the individuals involved; we offer options for change and growth.

Enology Track – Session A

Canandaigua Room (2nd floor)

Alternating Proprietorship Model: Industry Panel Discussion

Speakers: Esther Dickinson, Vinny Aliperti, Sarah Eighmey

Moderator: Chris Gerling

Description: Not every wine needs a winery. For newer or smaller producers, a dedicated production space may not be practical or possible. At the same time, existing wineries may also be looking for a way to use excess capacity in their cellars. The alternating proprietorship model offers efficiency opportunities for both new and established companies. This panel will cover legal requirements and practical considerations for these arrangements.

Viticulture Track – Session A

Lake Front Grand Ballroom

Replanting as Repositioning: Considerations for Plant Material Selection

Session sponsored by FELCO

Speakers: Marc Fuchs, Eric Amberg, John Mietz

Description: The current market isn't demanding new vineyard plantings at the moment and is forcing some hard decisions about what stays and what goes. But when blocks need to come out anyway, that's when replanting decisions matter most. Replacing struggling, low-performing vines with healthy, well-chosen plant material now means you're positioned with productive acreage when conditions improve. This session will cover some things that growers should consider when making these decisions.

Enology Track – Session B

Canandaigua Room (2nd floor)

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Less Ethanol, More Flavor: A Microbial Toolkit for Lower-Alcohol Winemaking

Session sponsored by Wine and Beer Supply

Speaker: Sara Stadulis

Description: This talk surveys the microbial toolkit for lowering ethanol during fermentation — from non-Saccharomyces sequential inoculation and adaptive laboratory evolution to genetic engineering and CRISPR — with a focus on what each strategy does to the wine sensorially. We'll also preview unpublished work from the Gibney Lab on a novel yeast engineering approach targeting pyruvate metabolism.

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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

It Came Out of Nowhere: The mysterious science of sulfurous off aromas in wines

Speaker: Gavin Sacks

Description: Sulfurous, or “reduced” off-aromas, arising from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and related compounds are a common wine fault. These volatiles can appear (and reappear, and reappear) during wine fermentation, storage, and post-bottling. This session will discuss the science behind these malodorous volatiles, including the latest research on how they can be lost and later reformed during storage. The session will also consider approaches to limit formation of these sulfurous off-aromas, and the strengths and weaknesses of different mitigation strategies (copper, aeration).

Viticulture Track – Session B

Finger Lakes Grand Ballroom

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Field Diagnosis Workshop

Speakers: Hans Walter-Peterson, Bernie Gagnier

Description: When something's wrong in the vineyard—yellowing leaves, stunted shoots, shriveled fruit—figuring out the cause isn't always straightforward. The same symptoms can stem from multiple problems: nutrient deficiency, disease, drought stress, or insect damage.

This workshop walks participants through real-world diagnosis scenarios. You'll learn what questions to ask, what details to look for, and how to narrow down the likely culprits when your vines are showing distress. Whether you're dealing with a new problem or a recurring issue, these diagnostic skills can help you make better decisions about where to focus your time and resources.

Enology Track – Session C

Canandaigua Room (2nd floor)

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM

The Existential Questions of Spontaneous Fermentation

Session sponsored by Niagara Label

Speaker: Anna Katharine Mansfield 

Description: The question isn’t so much whether spontaneous fermentation exists but what microorganisms play a part, where they come from, and if the wine ultimately expresses sensory characteristics that can be considered ‘microbial terroir.’ After a quick refresher on ‘wild’ vs. ‘domesticated’ Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we’ll meet the most common non-Sacc yeasts found in spontaneous fermentations and compare their likely origins and sensory contributions to wine. (includes tasting)

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4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

How to use the living technology of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast

Speaker: Laura Cypress

Description: This presentation explores how selected non-Saccharomyces yeasts can be used as practical bioprotection tools on the crush pad and in the cellar. We’ll cover how they influence early fermentation microbiology, help reduce volatile acidity and reliance on heavy SO₂ additions, and share practical applications that can be implemented in any winery.

Viticulture Track – Session C

Lake Front Grand Ballroom

3:15 PM - 5:00 PM

Pesticide credits will be available for these sessions

IPM in Transition: New Tools and Realities for Vineyard Pest Management

Description: The pest management landscape is shifting quickly, with new challenges like fungicide resistance, shifting regulatory pressures and invasive pests coming to the game lately. This session will cover some of the emerging challenges and potential options to manage them. From new disease management materials and techniques, to learning how to “co-exist” with the newly arrived Spotted Lanternfly, this session will give growers to information on how to adapt to these new realities.

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3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

The Future of Disease Management

Speaker: Katie Gold

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3:45 PM - 4:15 PM

The Compatibility Quest: Biological and Conventional Fungicide Tank Mix Interactions

Speaker: David Combs

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4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

SLF Update/Grower Experiences with SLF in Other States

Speakers: Kyle Bekelja, Larry Shrawder, Ben Sedlins, Matthew Spaccarelli

Speaker: Maureen Ballatori

Description: The wine market is facing undeniable headwinds, including shifting consumer behavior, generational changes, and increased competition for attention and share of wallet. For New York wineries and growers, the pressure is real. But tightening markets do not only create risk; they create separation.

In this keynote, Maureen Ballatori, Founder and CEO of Agency 29, will explore how wineries can move from interchangeable to unmistakable in a crowded landscape. Attendees will examine the power of brand differentiation, the importance of choosing where and how to compete strategically, and why experience has become a critical revenue driver beyond the bottle itself.

The session will also address the role of disciplined focus by simplifying portfolios, clarifying positioning, and protecting profitability in a more selective marketplace. Rather than waiting for conditions to improve, wineries will leave with a practical framework for strengthening their business and competing with confidence in the season they are in.

Speaker: Christian Miller

Description: This presentation will discuss the various sources of data on supply and demand, sales and market trends, and consumers. The goal is to provide viewers with a better understanding of which data and information sources are most useful to them when making product and marketing decisions for their winery.

It will include a research-based review of the state of the current market and consumers, and a review of sources of data and what they do and don’t represent. Some examples of applying them to real world situations such as product and packaging choices, marketing decisions and sales presentations will be included.

Business – Session A

Canandaigua Room (2nd floor)

Data Collection, Interpretation, Action: Key Financial Metrics for Wineries

Speaker: Emili Ponte

Description: When setting production targets or pricing levels, wineries are told to make data-driven decisions. But what’s the right data to select, and what is it saying? This panel will identify key business metrics and suggest ways to track and then respond to this information.

Viticulture & Enology – Session A

Lake Front Grand Ballroom

Vineyard Nutrition from Grapes to Glass

Speakers: Terry Bates, Amanda Stewart

Description: The High Resolution Vineyard Nutrient Management project brought together researchers from across the country in 2020 with the goal of trying to improve our understanding of vineyard nutrient management not just in the field but in the cellar as well. The five-year project covered everything from researching sensor technologies to improving precision in nutrient management to understanding how this all influences wine quality. At a time when it’s even more important to justify every input that goes into the vineyard, this session will highlight some important findings for both growers and winemakers.

Business – Session B

Canandaigua Room (2nd floor)

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Legal Issues in Wine Labeling and Advertising

Session sponsored by Waterloo Container

Speaker: Megan Krebbeks

Description: Selling wine is very different from selling any other consumer packaged good. The laws applying to wine labeling and advertising are often complicated and difficult to understand. This session will strive to explain the foundations of these laws and provide basic information regarding legally compliant wine labeling and advertising with an emphasis on practical tips for wine brands.

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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

The NY Wine Landscape: what’s up, what’s down, and where the opportunity is

Speakers: Amy Navor, Nicole DeCicco, Stephanie Rudat

Description: This session will feature an industry panel discussing a range of topics, including what products are currently selling, how New York wines are performing compared with broader category trends, and potential opportunities NY producers may want to explore.

Viticulture & Enology – Session B

Finger Lakes Grand Ballroom

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

The Impacts of Drought in Vineyard and Cellar

Description: Water stress rarely tops the worry list for New York growers — until a year like 2025 comes along. Vineyards with shallower soils or younger vines were dropping leaves before veraison, ripening was hindered in some cases, and the effects didn't stop there. What happens in the vineyard during a drought carries through to the cellar as well. This session draws on data from the Veraison to Harvest project and direct industry experience to examine how drought conditions affect vine physiology, fruit, and finished wines — and what to watch for if we face another dry year.

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1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Drought Impacts: What the Veraison to Harvest Data Tells Us

Speaker: Chris Gerling

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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Industry Panel on Impacts of Drought in the Vineyard and Cellar

Speakers: Fred Merwarth, Thijs Verschuuren, Lise Asimont, Shawn Kime

Speakers: Maddy Oravec, Alice Wise,

Description: New varieties offer promising solutions to today’s production challenges. Join us to explore the how and why behind their development. Learn how disease-resistant selections and cultivars are being evaluated for performance, quality, and resilience across New York, and how these new varieties can support more sustainable, economically viable production—then taste the potential for yourself.