9:30 – 10:45 a.m.
CALIBRATING WINE EQUIPMENT
J. Richard Sportsman, Ph.D
President, Vinmetrica
Home winemakers take a variety of measurements as they make and condition their wine. From the sugar content of grapes to the amount of sulfite to the volume in a tank, accurate information helps improve the quality of the finished product. However, if you haven’t calibrated your measuring devices, the numbers can be off. Dr. Richard Sportsman of Vinmetrica will show you how to calibrate your most important winemaking tools.
KEYS TO WINE CLARITY
Chik Brenneman
Winemaker and Partner, Baker Family Wines
“Varietal Focus” Columnist, WineMaker Magazine
The first thing you notice when you are handed a glass of wine is its color and clarity. There are several ways to achieve clarity in your finished wine. Learn how fining agents work to remove suspended solids and other haze-causing particles and the proper techniques when using finings in your winemaking. We’ll also take a look at using filtering systems to clear wines.
CANOPY MANAGEMENT
Wes Hagen
Estate Host, Native9 and LXV Wines
“Backyard Vines” Columnist, WineMaker Magazine
Figuring out how much to shade or expose your backyard grapes to direct sunshine will determine the ultimate quality of the fruit you will end up harvesting. Learn about the keys to properly managing your vineyard’s leafy canopy with former professional Vineyard Manager and WineMaker’s “Backyard Vines” Columnist Wes Hagen.
10:45 – 11:15 AM
WINEMAKER EXHIBITS – Check out the latest in winemaking equipment, gear, ingredients, and supplies from dozens of the hobby’s top vendors.
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
MAKING BRANDY
Aaron Hyde
Author, How to Distill
Global Product, Portfolio & Market Strategy Leader, Bevie
Making brandy on a small scale can be a fun extension of your current winemaking. Learn the basic steps and equipment for taking your wine as a starting point to distill into brandy. How to Distill book author Aaron Hyde will walk you through the small-scale distilling process of brandy and answer your questions.
ADVANCED MLF TECHNIQUES
Pat Henderson
Instructor, UC-Davis Winemaking Certificate Program and Santa Rosa Junior College
Malolactic fermentation plays an important role in many wines. Carrying out a malolactic fermentation isn’t difficult, but there are techniques to better manage the process and take full advantage of the end results. Gain a deeper understanding of MLF and how to control it as a valuable winemaking tool to influence the final taste profile of your wine.
AWARD-WINNING KIT WINEMAKING ROUNDTABLE
Moderator: Dawson Raspuzzi
Editor, WineMaker Magazine
A panel of award-winning hobby winemakers of kit wines from the WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition will share their advice and tips for success when making wines from kits. Find out from your fellow kit winemakers about their techniques to help you create your own award-winning wines from kits.
12:30 – 1:45 PM
LUNCH & KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Brent Stone
COO/Winemaker, King Estate
The Willamette Valley area has gained a reputation as a world-class wine region. Learn more about what makes this part of the world such a special place to grow grapes and make wine during this meal’s keynote address with King Estate’s COO/Winemaker Brent Stone.
1:45 – 2:15 PM
WINEMAKER EXHIBITS – Check out the latest in winemaking equipment, gear, ingredients, and supplies from dozens of the hobby’s top vendors.
2:15 – 3:30 PM
BASICS OF WINE ANALYSIS & TESTS
J. Richard Sportsman, Ph.D.
President, Vinmetrica
To make better wine you need to follow the numbers. But running tests to analyze your wine can be confusing and intimidating. Learn the skills and procedures you need to master to conduct accurate tests on your wine with the owner of a wine testing equipment company so you can run tests and analyze your wine confidently.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT PANEL
Moderator: Dawson Raspuzzi Editor, WineMaker Magazine
There’s no doubt that Pinot Noir is the star grape of Willamette Valley. We’re going to find out more about what makes this region especially well suited for producing great Pinot Noir as well as tips and techniques you can take home home to use for making your own Pinot. Listen and learn from a panel of local professional winemakers including Amael Orrego of Benton-Lane Winery, Jonathan Oberlander of J. Scott Cellars, and Brent Stone of King Estate.
5 BIGGEST GRAPE GROWING MISTAKES
Wes Hagen
Estate Host, Native9 and LXV Wines
“Backyard Vines” Columnist, WineMaker Magazine
Growing grapes is hard and plenty can go wrong. But over the years certain mistakes by small growers seem to happen over and over again. Learn the five most common mistakes made by backyard grape growers. From pests and diseases to beyond, make sure you learn lessons from others’ mistakes so you can avoid problems from even taking place.
3:30 – 4 PM
WINEMAKER EXHIBITS – Check out the latest in winemaking equipment, gear, ingredients, and supplies from dozens of the hobby’s top vendors.
4- 5 PM
WINEMAKER WORKSHOP: OAK SIDE-BY-SIDE TRIALS
Chik Brenneman
Winemaker and Partner, Baker Family Wines
“Varietal Focus” Columnist, WineMaker Magazine
When it comes to oaking options for your wine there are so many choices to make. American oak, French oak or Eastern European? Light, medium or heavy toast? But do you know how much real difference these choices make when evaluating the final wine in the glass? Here’s your opportunity to sample multiple wines side-by-side that used different regional sources and toasting levels so you can gain a better understanding of oak.
6:30 – 10 PM
WINEMAKER TASTING & WINE SHARING PARTY
Pack up some of your favorite homemade wines for the conference because here’s a great chance to share wines and ideas with fellow hobbyists from across North America. Bring a bottle of your own wine to pour with fellow attendees and try someone else’s wine at our Wine Sharing area. Plus local Willamette Valley commercial wineries will be pouring wines to sample. Add a buffet highlighting Oregon foods and it is the perfect opportunity to get to know the region’s wine scene and spend time talking wine with speakers, local winemakers, and attendees.
