July 18, 2013
Wine industry conference is July 20
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Summer Viticulture Day 2013, set for Saturday, July 20, at SIU Carbondale, will feature presentations on increasing profits for wine growers, managers, and technicians from established vineyards and wineries. The program, “Preparing for the Viticulture Challenges of the Next Decade -- Part II,” is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Lawson Hall, room 131, 1075 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale.
Participants will examine the goals, directions and methods for producing and marketing high-quality grapes for the local wine industry. Those in the process of establishing a vineyard or who are planning to do so will learn about the costs, problems, solutions and options ahead. The event will also highlight various grape varieties as well as harvest decisions with a focus on promoting a regional identity for wines.
Fritz Westover, viticulturist and technical program manager at Central Coast Vineyard Team from El Atascadero, Calif., will deliver the keynote presentation. He will discuss management of profitable vineyards and production costs.
The event also includes presentations by wine growers, specialists, viticulture and wine experts, and panels featuring experienced growers and winemakers. Brad Taylor, project director and an associate professor of plant, soil and agricultural sciences at SIU, along with SIU graduate students, will also make presentations.
Registration fees range from $65 to $295, depending upon the size of the participant’s winery or vineyard or affiliation. Registration includes lunch, supper, educational materials, and 2014 membership in the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association.
To register, or for more information call 618/536-7751, or look online at https://www.dcsde.siu.edu. Registration is also available the day of the conference.