HOW TO REGISTER FOR EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS

Educational Seminars are available exclusively to Finger Lakes Wine Alliance winery members, and through partnerships with other organizations. For information on membership, please contact Kyle Pallischeck at kyle@fingerlakeswinealliance.com.

Eligible wineries will receive an invitation to seminars 30 days prior to the event. All registration is done and fees paid via Eventbrite.

DEI OVER WINE

Cohort 1: February 21, March 20, & April 17, 2024

DEI Over Wine is a three-part series taught by NYK’s Beverage Education Manager, Maiah Johnson Dunn (she/her), and Certified DEI Practitioner, Syd Bell (she/her). Maiah and Syd serve up diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts in easily digestible [and actionable] conversations paired with real-world industry examples.

Together, we’ll dissect power and privilege and historical context, explore building inclusive spaces, and create a roadmap toward a more inclusive industry through active allyship. As diversity of perspective is integral to this work, a minimum of two registrants per business is required. Come prepared for honest conversation and good wine.

FLWA winery members receive a 50% discount.

INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE

March & November 2024

The goal of the Roundtable is to bring together wine industry colleagues to share ideas on various topics affecting the industry today.

Past programs have focused distribution/wholesale and hosting trade in the tasting room/at the winery. Roundtables are exclusively available to Finger Lakes Wine Alliance winery levy contributors and NYWGF members.

March 25, 2024: Industry Roundtable: Discussing the Competitive Beverage Market for Wine. 2-4pm, with social hour to follow, at Veraisons Restaurant at Glenora Wine Cellars. Virtual attendance is not available.

The roundtable discussion will focus on wines positioning in the beverage market; competition, increased pressure from zero-alcohol movement, and other market influences. Guest discussion facilitators include Jim Trezise, President of Wine America, Brittany Gibson, Executive Director of the Seneca Lake Winery Association, Donna Schlosser-Long, Past National President of Women for WineSense and Priority Activation Manager of Jackson Family Wines, and Shannon Brock, Co-Owner of Silver Thread Vineyard and FLWA 2024 Board Chair.

MARKETING AND BRAND-BUILDING WORKSHOP

April 2024

New for 2024, the FLWA will host a full day brand-building workshop with two of the region’s marketing leaders; Maureen Ballatori from Agency 29 and Jackie Côté from Flourish Design Studio. Wineries will work on identifying core positioning and audience and build on authentic brand experiences through both print and web.

April 10, 2024: Marketing and Brand Building Workshop, 9am-4pm, including lunch and social hour to follow, at Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel. Virtual attendance is not available.

The workshop is exclusively available to Finger Lakes Wine Alliance winery levy contributors and NYWGF members.

Many thanks to our underwriting partners, Niagara Label and Waterloo Container.

WINE MASTER CLASS

June 2024

Each year the FLWA invites an accomplished winemaker and an expert from the trade/media to discuss a featured varietal. 2024 will feature guest speaker Mary Gorman McAdams for a focus on sparkling wine with 8-10 distinctive wines to help increase familiarity with benchmark cool-climate examples.

The 2024 Masterclass will again be split into two separate sessions; one for staff involved in the production of wine (12 wines featured), and the other for all other winery personnel interested in expanding their knowledge of the grape (8 wines featured). The goal is to help create a better understanding throughout the industry about what makes this grape so well suited for growing and wine production in the Finger Lakes.

June 5, 2024: Sparkling Wine Master Class; Session 1 for non-production winery staff and trade 10am-12pm, Session 2 for wine production staff and winery ownership 2-4pm with social hour to follow, at Ventosa Vineyards. Virtual attendance is not available.

The workshop is available to all winery staff and individuals working in the wine trade.

Email kyle@fingerlakeswinealliance.com to request a link to register. FLWA levy contributors and NYWGF members will receive links with a discount code. Proof of affiliation may be requested upon registration.

Many thanks to our underwriting partner Pinnacle Wine & Spirits.