Programs
Hang Time Seminar Series
Hang Time Seminar I
December 3, 2004
Mark your calendars for The Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) "Hang Time" seminar to be held at the Native Sons Hall in St. Helena on Monday, January 10, 2005. The seminar will address the effects of hang time-specifically the delayed harvesting of winegrapes-on vine health, vineyard yields and the grapegrower.
The seminar panel, moderated by longtime Napa winegrower Andrew Beckstoffer, will feature leading viticulturists and academicians including: Dr. Linda Bisson, Professor of Viticulture & Enology at U.C. Davis; Maynard Amerine, Endowed Chair, Department of Viticulture & Enology, U.C. Davis; Nick Dokoozlian, Vice President of Viticulture, E & J Gallo Winery; Dr. Richard E. Smart, "The Flying Vine Doctor"; Robert Steinhauer, Senior Vice President for Vineyard Operations, Beringer Blass Wine Estates; and Andrew Walker, Professor, Department of Viticulture & Enology, U.C. Davis.
"Hang time is one of the most widely debated issues in the industry today," said Jennifer Kopp, Executive Director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. "In gathering experts for this seminar, we are creating one of the first forums for addressing the effect of hang time on grapegrowers."
"The current practice of delaying harvest until grapes reach very high sugar levels is of concern to growers from Mendocino to the Central Valley," concurred Beckstoffer. "They have questions about making harvest decisions based more on psychological factors and less on physiological standards."
Just three days after the Hang Time seminar on January 10, the NVG will address another hot topic in the industry, with its seminar on GMOs in the Wine Industry to be held January 13.
Hang Time Seminar II
March 9, 2005
Mark your calendars for The Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) "Hang Time II" seminar, to be held at the Native Sons Hall in St. Helena on Thursday, May 12, 2005 from 1pm to 5 pm. The seminar will address the effects of hang time-specifically the delayed harvesting of winegrapes-on vineyard health and economics, grape contract terms, winemaking challenges and decision making, and superpremium wine consumer preferences. This seminar is the second in NVG's three part series on Hang Time and follows the highly-successful January NVG seminar on the subject.
The seminar panel will feature a leading viticulturist, grapegrower, winemaker, and consumer researchers. The panelists are: Dr. Andrew Walker, Professor, Department of Viticulture & Enology, U.C. Davis; Andrew Beckstoffer, vineyard owner in Napa, Mendocino, and Lake Counties; Niki Pruess, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars winemaker; and John Gillespie and Christian Miller of the newly-formed Wine Opinions firm. Beckstoffer will moderate the discussion.
"Our January seminar generated useful and constructive conversation regarding hang time," said Jennifer Kopp, Executive Director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. "Now we will provide the forum for expanding that conversation."
"Vineyard economics and the need for heightened flavors in wine to satisfy consumer demands drives our concern for hang time," said Andy Beckstoffer. "This seminar will address those situations and hopefully provide a catalyst for further discussions between grape growers and vintners."
Hang Time Seminar III
October 11, 2005
The Napa Valley Grapegrowers' final "Hang Time" Seminar will be held at the Native Sons' Hall in St. Helena on Thursday, November 10, 2005. The seminar will address the delayed harvest of winegrapes--"hang time." This seminar will present the results of the 2005 UC Davis study on berry weight loss due to hang time, a discussion of winemakers' views for picking decisions for both classically structured wines and the current popular delayed harvest wines and UC Davis research data regarding harvest decisions. Finally, the seminar will explore the combination of the current highly flavored, high alcohol wines and food.
The seminar panel will feature the UC Davis Cooperative Extension Director, two Napa winemakers, a leading UC Davis professor, and a prominent restaurateur and sommelier. The panelists are: Ed Weber, Director, UC Cooperative Extension Service, Napa; John Clews, Winemaker, Clos Du Val Wine Co., Ltd.; Larry Levin, Vice President, Winemaking, Icon Estates (Constellation); Mark Matthews, Professor, Department of Viticulture, UC Davis; Pat Kuleto, Restaurateur, Designer, and Vintner; and John Lancaster, Sommelier, Boulevard restaurant, San Francisco.
"The two prior seminars generated extensive positive and constructive discussion between growers and vintners," said Andy Beckstoffer, seminar moderator. "This seminar will expand that conversation to focus on the winemakers' harvest decisions, and explore wine and food compatibilities."
"This final seminar in our series completes a detailed view of hang time effects by vineyardists, winemakers, consumer researchers, and experts in food and wine combinations," said Eric Titus, president of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers.