B.E.V. NY Virtual Conference
2022-03-29 - 2022-03-31 | NY
B.E.V. NY is New York’s annual conference for the grape and wine industry, combining the resources of Cornell’s Extension Enology Lab, the Finger Lakes Grape Program, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. The conference invites academic and industry experts to present information that addresses important issues for the industry, and to do so in a way that provides practical information to those who attend.
Based on participant feedback, this year’s conference will be fully virtual. This is a great opportunity for wineries and growers from across the state, and beyond, to take advantage of the great material presented. Seminars will take place over the course of the 3-day conference, with time each day dedicated to Business, Enology, and Viticulture topics.
Visit bevny.org to learn more and register today!
Free registration for New York Wine & Grape Foundation Members. NYWGF is offering one (1) FREE ticket to B.E.V. NY for ANY New York winery or grower that joins or renews early and pays in advance for their new membership year starting April 1st. To take advantage of this special offer, simply renew or join online today at www.newyorkwines.org/membership.
After joining, you will receive an email with a link to register your one (1) free B.E.V. NY attendee through NYWGF.
To Register Additional Attendees: Please register and pay for additional attendees separately.

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Member Orientation
2022-04-08 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | NY
All you need to know about joining the New York Wine & Grape Foundation as a winery or grape grower.

Much has changed in the NYWGF Membership program over the last few years, and we know it is hard to keep up with it all! We are pleased to bring you these quarterly Membership Orientations led by Executive Director, Sam Filler, and Membership and Events Manager, Jennifer Cooper. Sam, Jenn, and other members of our team will provide updates on the latest member benefits, help you determine if membership is right for you, and – if so – which tier is the best fit for your budget and needs.
Click Here to Register

Conducting a Winery Financial & Operational Analysis
2022-04-26 10:00 - 11:30 | NY
Learn how to structure, review, and synthesize your winery data to build for success – without sacrificing compliance.
About this event
New for 2022! Record keeping can be cumbersome and overwhelming, but it is necessary for compliance and tax purposes. What else can your sales, inventory, and other records tell you about the health and potential success of your winery? Yes, most bookkeeping revolves around a Chart of Accounts and other ‘presentation’ data designed to make tax returns easy to process. And while this is a great goal, that singular focus can sometimes obscure more practical data points that might help us determine if our winery business is profitable and WHY.
Join Gregg McConnell of Farm Credit East as he lead us through the right questions to ask when reviewing our records, and how to manage the data so that it helps build for success – without sacrificing compliance requirements.
Topics will include:

Profit analysis and cash flow analysis
Cost to produce wine
Gross profit
Business Planning

Presented by Gregg McConnell, Farm Business Consultant, Farm Credit East
Click Here to Register

This enhanced webinar is supported by NYWGF Sponsor, American National Insurance
American National offers a broad variety of life insurance, retirement annuities, accident and health insurance, pension plan products and services, credit insurance, and property/casualty insurance for personal lines, agribusiness and targeted commercial exposures. Products are distributed through career agents, independent marketing organizations and multiple line exclusive agents as well as direct distribution channels.

Tasting Room Best Practices – Essential Tools for 2022
2022-05-03 09:30 - 12:30 | NY
The workshop focuses on the most prudent areas for increasing sales skills.

About this event

The Tasting Room Best Practices Essential workshop from WISE, specifically for NYWGF Members, focuses on the most prudent areas for increasing sales skills in 2022. This includes raising the bar for your entire team with the WISE Triple Score – asking for the order, effectively presenting and selling the wine club, as well as collecting contact data – all in a brand-appropriate way. Give your team members the resources and build confidence in leveraging your brand, winery & wine knowledge into exceptional customer service and sales skills.
Topics will include these sales skills.

Leveraging Your Brand.
Understanding Your Guests
Building Rapport
Noticing Buying Signals
Always Be Selling (wine, clubs and capturing data)
Features & Benefits Selling
Codifying Your Sales Successes
Identifying Buying Signals
More

*Session is open to Wineries and Growers Only.
Click Here to Register
**FREE for Tier 2 and 3 Members; $100 for Tier 1 Members; $150 for Non-Members

OUR PRESENTER: Liz Mercer , VP of Sales & Marketing, Judd’s Hill Winery and WISE Coach & Content Developer
Having grown up in the Napa Valley, Liz always knew it would be her forever home. She spent eight years in the mid-west (Detroit), before coming home to roost. With a unique background having a degree in Finance & Business Management, and 18 years’ experience in Direct to Consumer Experience marketing, she approaches the multiple needs of the business balancing the business and guest needs. Her career includes time with Diageo and Pernod Ricard, followed by nearly six years with Gallo, and to a small family owned luxury brand. Formally the General Manager of Bluxome Street Winery for 3 years, an urban winery located in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco, Liz is now the VP of Sales & Marketing at a small brand in Napa, Judd’s Hill Winery. Liz can relate to the challenges faced by large, publicly traded wineries, corporate family owned wineries, and to smaller family owned brands. That breadth of experience has allowed Liz to see how different strategies work for different brands and implement the right solution. She is also an active contributor and instructor for the WISE Academy, which seeks to grow the skills of DTC professionals and managers at all levels across the country.

New York State of Wine: Chardonnay Show Down
2022-05-03 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtual Event
New York State of Wine is back with a whole new look. This second series spotlights New York’s prized grape varieties alongside examples from top-producing regions around the world.
Crafted in New York, but inspired from everywhere, New York is a unique community of passionate producers who approach winemaking with a multitude of personalities and backgrounds—they’re not alike, and they like it that way. Wine has been made in New York since the 17th century and its unique history of hybrid cultivars paired with an increasing amount of planted Vitis vinifera has positioned the region as one of the most diverse and resilient. In New York wines you’ll find subtlety, depth and nuance; it’s no surprise that they’ve found a place on the global stage, alongside other great wine regions of the world. These sessions will take a look at New York’s star varieties side by side with other great wine regions of the world, exploring the common threads as well as the varied approaches to viticulture and winemaking.

Control Oxygen Ingress at the Closure
2022-06-14 14:00 - 14:45 | NY
Sponsored by Waterloo Container and Vinventions

Today’s modern closures allow a winemaker to control the maceration of their wine in the bottle after bottling. The trick is knowing exactly what can be controlled by the closure. Join our presenters as they examine the process of bottling and the shelf-life expectations for various closures. This session will also include some inside notes on how to audit your bottling line too!
Click Here to Register

About Our Presenters
Don Huffman, Director of Sales and Wine Quality, Vinventions
My history is rooted in agriculture based in Northern California. My father, sister and I currently own a small 80 acre orchard of almond trees – about 9,000 trees. I made my first wine in the basement of my college fraternity house in San Jose, CA (’88 Zin). I graduated with an art history degree and spent 25+ years in marketing, sales and advertising. Nomacorc was one of my clients dating back to 2001. Joined the Nomacorc (now Vinventions) team in 2014 to launch the Greenline, zero carbon emissions line. Am currently the Director of Sales and Wine Quality for North America. Partnered with a friend to open a boutique winery in Suisun Valley California in 2018. I am a firm believer in relationship/socratic selling. I’m an open book and love talking about wine, farming, sustainability practices, family and more.
George Hall, Sales Manager, Waterloo Container
George brings over 30 years of sales experience to the wine bottle and closure industry at the family owned Waterloo Container. In the field, he works closely with customers to identify their needs and to provide long term, competitive packaging solutions. A practitioner of the “servant leadership” marketing philosophy, drawing on the expertise of our world class industry partners

Building A Wine Brand That Sets the Stage for Success
2022-06-23 12:00 - 13:30 | NY
In this advanced 2-part series learn how branding differs from marketing, and how to use both to grow your wine business.

Part 1 of 2-Part Series “Branding” is a word that pops up everywhere. But do you know what Branding means as it relates to the wine industry, and how you can use your Brand as a tool to grow your business? In part one of this two-part webinar series about Branding and Marketing, you’ll learn:

Why every business owner should care deeply about Branding
Why Branding happens before Marketing
An easy 7-step process to help you and your team create or improve your winery’s brand

Click Here to Register
Click here to register for Part 2: How To Leverage Your Wine Brand to Attract and Retain Wine Drinkers on June 30th from 12PM to 1:30PM.

About Our Presenter – Glenn Clark is a brand strategist, a designer, and the founder of Crafting A Brand, a branding and creative services consultancy in Mendon, New York. Glenn helps wineries build long-lasting strategies to differentiate their products and attract consumers to their tasting rooms. He also creates labels, packaging, logos, and other marketing collateral. Glenn has worked at design firms in Boston, Syracuse and Rochester, and in 2001 he played an integral role in launching the Vine Design studio to service Constellation Brands at the Partners + Napier agency in Rochester. Glenn started his own marketing firm in 2003, and in March 2018 he rebranded the firm as Crafting A Brand to serve clients exclusively within the beverage industry.

Leveraging Brand to Attract & Retain Wine Enthusiasts
2022-06-30 12:00 - 13:30 | NY
In this advanced 2-part series learn how branding differs from marketing, and how to use both to grow your wine business.

Part 2 of 2-Part Series Many small businesses fail to see a return on their marketing efforts because they don’t have a repeatable process in place to attract consumers to their products. Glenn will show you how to create strategies to get new people through the front door of your winery, and earn more profits from those who already support you. In part two of this two-part webinar series about Branding and Marketing, you’ll learn:

How to use Marketing to tell the world about your Brand
How to create a simple, one-page marketing plan that will guide your marketing efforts every day of the year
How to improve your website so that it sells more wine
How to build long-lasting relationships with your customers

Click Here to Register
Click here to register for Part 1: Building A Wine Brand That Sets the Stage for Success

About Our Presenter – Glenn Clark is a brand strategist, a designer, and the founder of Crafting A Brand, a branding and creative services consultancy in Mendon, New York. Glenn helps wineries build long-lasting strategies to differentiate their products and attract consumers to their tasting rooms. He also creates labels, packaging, logos, and other marketing collateral. Glenn has worked at design firms in Boston, Syracuse and Rochester, and in 2001 he played an integral role in launching the Vine Design studio to service Constellation Brands at the Partners + Napier agency in Rochester. Glenn started his own marketing firm in 2003, and in March 2018 he rebranded the firm as Crafting A Brand to serve clients exclusively within the beverage industry.

Introduction to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in Wine
2022-07-06 10:00 - 11:15 | NY
Learn how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are impacting the Industry and what impacts the Industry can have on DEI.

About this event

The lack of diverse voices in the wine industry and within the wine consumer base is readily apparent. According to the 2021 Wine Market Council Benchmark Segmentation Survey, 70% of U.S. wine drinkers are White-non-Hispanic, while only 13% are Hispanic, 12% are Black, and 4% are Asian. To encourage diversity in the wine trade, organizations like The Roots Fund, Black Wine Professionals, and Wine Unify promote programs for BIPOC professionals intended to advance their careers. These organizations, along with many others, are shining a light on the issue and making inroads to diversify wine. In this introductory session to the 3-part Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Discussion for New York Wineries, learn how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are impacting the Industry and what impacts the Wine Industry can have on the promotion of DEI.
Click Here to Register

About the Presenter
Cindy Rodriguez is the Co-Founder of Adirondack Diversity Solutions LLC, a Human Resources Consulting Firm dedicated to diversifying the workforce through strategic, sustainable, growth. An experienced Human Resources Consultant with expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), recruitment and retention, strategic planning, as well as, policy and compliance, Cindy’s experience spans a wealth of diverse industries with the list continually growing! With a Master’s in Public Administration from Cornell University, Cindy delivers innovative HR strategies that promote transparency, collaborative engagement all while embracing and embedding diversity and inclusion into organizational values, culture, and practices.

2022 New York Wine Classic Virtual Awards Ceremony
2022-07-12 18:00 | NY
You are invited to attend the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Live Awards Ceremony announcing the Winners of the 36th New York Wine Classic competition on July 12th at 6:00pm/EST. This online event will reveal and celebrate the “Best in Category” winners, as well as the prestigious Governor’s Cup (Best Wine) and Winery of the Year (Best Overall Showing by a Winery) Winners. You will also learn more about our continued partnership with the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) who judged over 600 wines entered into the competition from 96 wineries across the state.
The awards ceremony will be hosted by Master of Ceremonies, Karen MacNeil, author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE and creator/editor-in-chief of WineSpeed, the leading digital wine newsletter in the U.S.
Click Here to Register
About the Host
Karen MacNeil is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language. These include the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, and the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year. In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine.” In 2018, Karen was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Wine.”
Karen MacNeil is the author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE, with over a million copies sold and translated into four languages including Chinese. The Wine Bible has been praised as “The most informative and entertaining book I’ve ever seen on the subject” (Danny Meyer), “Astounding” (Thomas Keller), and “A masterpiece of wine writing…the single best wine book written in years…” (Kevin Zraly).

DTC Metrics & Management Intensive
2022-07-14 09:30 - 12:30 | NY
The workshop will help you create and sustain a comprehensive digital strategy for your winery.

About this event

This intensive course provides a comprehensive overview designed to help winery executives and frontline DTC managers better understand the metrics required to manage their DTC channels. This course, specifically for NYWGF Members, focuses on know how to evaluate team and individual performance in the sales channels to know how to spot problem areas of the business and how to take corrective action.
The three (3) hour session will explore:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) & Tasting Room metrics
Wine Club and Digital (website, e-mail campaigns & social media) metrics

Click Here to Register
*Session is open to Wineries and Growers Only. **FREE for Tier 2 and 3 Members; $100 for Tier 1 Members; $150 for Non-Members

Go Global New York
2022-08-02 10:00 - 11:00 | NY
Would your winery like to explore sales opportunities outside the USA? Discover the programs and services available to your company through Global NY. From market research, partner search and grants to support your marketing and product certification products, New York State Economic Development can help point you in the right direction. Learn about products and services available from other resource partners as well.
Click Here to Register
*Global NY can be a valuable additional resource for NYWGF Export Program participants, though all New York wineries are welcome to avail themselves of the services.

About the Presenter
Kathryn Bamberger is an Industry Development Representative with the Global NY team of ESD. After a private sector career in international sales and marketing, she joined New York State to assist companies in their global sales and marketing efforts. She was previously with the Dept. of Ag and Markets where she led several trade missions, buyer missions, and organized the New York Pavilion at several national food and beverage trade shows. She joined the Global NY team in 2014 to expand her expertise to a wider variety of New York companies. Kathryn has a BA from St. Lawrence University in Canton and an MBA from Sage College of Albany.

Wine Folly New York Region Guide: What You Need to Know
2022-08-05 10:00 - 11:00 | https://newyorkwines.org/event/wine-folly-new-york-region-guide-what-you-need-to-know/
Wine Folly is developing a digital guide to the wines of New York, and you have the opportunity to be part of it.

About this event

Be part of Wine Folly’s next wine Region Guide! Wine Folly is developing a digital guide to the wines of New York, and you have the opportunity to be part of it. The guide features dynamic information provided by you, the wineries, that will be showcased across the Wine Folly site and social media platforms.
This project will exist for years to come and reach millions of wine lovers.
Why Join the Guide? Benefits to having a winery profile when the Wine Folly New York Region Guide launches:

Targeted marketing efforts from Wine Folly will drive traffic to the guide
All activated wineries receive a verified badge–including those on the free plan
Wineries and wines added will be featured throughout the guide
DTC purchase link (with a TradeSite™ plan level)
Onboarding seminar

We’re hosting an online seminar for your region on Friday, August 5 at 10am EST with Wine Folly’s data content expert who can help you set up your winery for the best results.
You can get a head start by claiming your winery profile in preparation for the Wine Folly New York Region Guide and RSVP for this event!
Click Here to RSVP

Recruiting Talented Diverse Teams
2022-08-11 10:00 - 11:15 | NY
In this second of a 3-part DEI series, attendees will take a deep dive into how they can build diverse teams right from the start!

About this event

In this second of a 3-part Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Discussion for New York Wineries, attendees will take a deep dive into how to build diverse teams right from the start. Learn about job posting do’s & don’ts in order to avoid the pitfalls and attract candidates that meet your needs. This session will also cover job description tips which will allow you to craft succinct pieces that can effectively guide performance reviews and evaluations. Lastly, remember, you’re not just selling your job, you’re also selling your business, learn how to present your business in an engaging manner to diverse applicants.
Click Here to Register

About the Presenter
Cindy Rodriguez is the Co-Founder of Adirondack Diversity Solutions LLC, a Human Resources Consulting Firm dedicated to diversifying the workforce through strategic, sustainable, growth. An experienced Human Resources Consultant with expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), recruitment and retention, strategic planning, as well as, policy and compliance, Cindy’s experience spans a wealth of diverse industries with the list continually growing! With a Master’s in Public Administration from Cornell University, Cindy delivers innovative HR strategies that promote transparency, collaborative engagement all while embracing and embedding diversity and inclusion into organizational values, culture, and practices.

Export Program – Western Europe Overview
2022-08-11 11:00 - 12:00 | NY
Our Western Europe team at Think Drink Global has had a very successful few years in the face of great challenges. We are proud to welcome them back to steward 2022-2023 New York Wines programming in target markets within Western Europe. Join us for TDG’s overview and an update on opportunities (on-trade / off-trade) and what wines are selling well in the key markets – the UK, France, and Scandinavian countries will be covered. The team will talk through the planned activities for the year and, as always, please feel free to bring your specific questions!
Click Here to Register
Just a reminder that all wineries are welcome to join us for Export Market Overview Sessions, however, only current Export Program participants can participate in events after July 1st, 2022. If you have not already done so, please join the program or renew your participation today.

Presenters
Eleanor Standen. PR Associate Director
Katie Canfield. Born and raised in California, Katie Canfield earned her B.A. in Spanish and Global Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. During her final year at university, she studied abroad in Santiago, Chile, where her career in the wine industry began. In 2009, Katie moved to Logroño, Spain and then Dijon, France, where she earned her M.Sc. degree in Wine Business. Following her studies, she moved to the UK to join Manchester-based wine retailer Hangingditch Wine Merchants, also contributing articles regularly to leading trade publication Harpers Wine and Spirit. Since her move back to California in 2014, Katie has worked in marketing and communications for the international portfolios of Wilson Daniels, Paul Hobbs Wines, and now O’Donnell Lane LLC, where she drives communications and strategic planning. Katie has worked three grape harvests in Chile, France, and Napa Valley, and holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits.
Michèle Piron. Michèle Piron founded Vinconnexion 25 years ago : « my roots have been living since 1590 in the Beaujolais region on the Colline du Py, home to the very best Morgon wines. For my family, the status of winegrower has always represented a life long commitment. One day I decided to leave the Colline du Py, however wine has never left me ». Qualified in Winemaking (University of Dijon) and Master of Wine studies (London) ; member of professional trade-wine tasting committees, from the Wine Challenge in London to the General Agricultural Competition in Paris, and the Paris Sommeliers Association ; wine-growing field trips in the world (Europe, USA, China, …); vineyard owner

Export Program – Canada Overview
2022-08-12 11:00 - 12:00 | NY
Join us in welcoming a.m.c.c., NYWGF’s newest market representatives based in Toronto. Founders Andrea Backstrom and Melissa Stunden will be on hand to provide a comprehensive overview of the Ontario and Quebec markets, where much of New York wines activities will focus in 2022-2023. Melissa and Andrea have broad knowledge across all provincial markets, along with diverse experience in route to market strategy, educational initiatives, event management and media relations. As with our other market overviews, we encourage you to bring your questions!
Click Here to Register
Just a reminder that all wineries are welcome to join us for Export Market Overview Sessions, however, only current Export Program participants can participate in events after July 1st, 2022. If you have not already done so, please join the program or renew your participation today.

Presenters
Andrea Backstrom. Andrea comes with experience in key regional and national sales and marketing positions for two leading national distributors. She started her career in beverage alcohol in Vancouver with Mark Anthony Brands, where she worked in sales for 3 years, followed by a move to Toronto where she subsequently worked in regional trade and national brand marketing for 4 years. She was then recruited by Lifford Wine & Spirits where she worked as their Sales Director for 2 years. Throughout this experience she gained an in-depth understanding of route to market and commercialization in all markets across Canada. She has strong relationships with liquor boards and retailers nationally where she has built wine and spirit brands with suppliers from around the world. Andrea is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Drinks Ontario, the provincial trade association representing agents, producers, importers and trade offices, offering a credible voice on trade, regulatory and policy issues.
Melissa Stunden. Melissa comes with experience as a certified sommelier and years of managing regional and national restaurant accounts at a leading wine agency. She started her career in beverage alcohol working at a local winery in Niagara and went on to complete her sommelier education to work at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, one of Canada’s largest food and beverage outlets. She worked under Master Sommelier Jennifer Huether as the Assistant Sommelier for 7 years before making the move to the distributor side of the business. Melissa was recruited by Diageo as their Reserve Brand Specialist where she focused solely on developing the high end wines and spirits portfolio. From there, she moved to Lifford Wine & Spirits where she focused on the restaurant side of the business developing key relationships across Toronto and subsequently took that experience to a national scale where she built the Lifford business into national restaurant chains. Melissa also served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers for 8 years and maintains those relationships today.

Export Program – Japan Market Overview
2022-08-17 10:00 - 11:00 | NY
After an exciting and productive first year of activities in Japan, we are pleased to welcome back the Asahi Agency for an update on the market, and details about what is next on the agenda for the New York Wines Export Program! You are invited to come meet this expert team, including wine specialist & educator Takenori Beppu, J.S.A. Sommelier, WSET Diploma. Akiko Kurose, our lead strategic partner at Asahi Agency, will talk about the wine landscape in the market, what wines sell well, and discuss market-specific opportunities and challenges for the coming program year! Have your questions ready.
Click Here to Register
Just a reminder that all wineries are welcome to join us for Export Market Overview Sessions, however, only current Export Program participants can participate in events after July 1st, 2022. If you have not already done so, please join the program or renew your participation today.

Export Program – Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam Overview
2022-08-17 14:00 - 15:00 | NY
Welcome back to our partner FLX International, led by native New Yorker Matthew McFetridge. As pandemic impacts continued to affect in-person programming over the course of last program year, many New York wines activities transitioned online with resounding success – thanks to FLX International’s effort. We invite you to join us for an overview of the Hong Kong, South Korea, and Vietnam markets. Matthew will talk about the wine landscape, what wines sell well, and discuss market-specific opportunities and challenges. We encourage you to bring your questions about these complex markets as they are full of potential for New York wines.
Click Here to Register
Just a reminder that all wineries are welcome to join us for Export Market Overview Sessions, however, only current Export Program participants can participate in events after July 1st, 2022. If you have not already done so, please join the program or renew your participation today.

Presenter
Matthew McFetridge. Matthew is a real Asiaphile, having lived in three different Chinese cities since 2010. While completing his Bachelor’s degree at Keuka College he became well-connected with a group of wonderful Chinese classmates. His friendships encouraged him to complete his first Master’s degree at the prestigious “Harvard of China” Tsinghua University in Beijing. Tsinghua shaped his academic focus on the international relations of the Asia-Pacific, which then led him on to completing a second Master’s degree in London at the famed School of Oriental and African Studies, attached to the University of London. It was his time studying China-Burma relations that helped him discover Asia’s dynamic regional growth and the opportunity for the Finger Lakes to be represented in China. Now living in Shanghai, where he is responsible for China operations of FLX International, Matthew spends his time exploring China, developing FLX International’s relationships, and working to discuss the Finger Lakes as much as possible.

Building Your Winery’s Corporate Holiday Gift Program
2022-09-08 09:30 - 12:30 | NY
This workshop will help you determine what type of Corporate Gifting program is right for your winery – and how to get started

About this event

Having a corporate gifting program for the holidays (and perhaps all year round) is a great way to connect with more consumers on an exponential level. To ensure success, it’s important to think through the details and plan early.
Companies give gifts to enhance their relationships and stay ‘top of mind’ with their clients. What better way to build a lasting, valued relationship than through a gift of wine from New York? It is also good business for your winery. On average, companies spend $44 each for employee gifts and $48 each for client gifts and 25% of companies will spend over $100 on each employee gift. This is a $31.75 Billion business annually.
Join us for this immersive 3-hour webinar specifically for NYWGF members and learn the key elements of building a successful Corporate Gifting program for your winery.
Topics will include:

Developing the offer
Marketing materials
Finding the businesses/contacts to reach out to
Negotiating the details
Closing the sale
Client Management – communication, preparation, and tech/tools
Design & programing of Corporate Virtual Experiences
Operations / Logistics
And more!

Click Here to Register
*Session is open to Wineries and Growers Only. **FREE for Tier 2 and 3 Members; $100 for Tier 1 Members; $150 for Non-Members

#TasteWithKaren LIVE: New York Wine—The Best Kept Secret
2022-09-13 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
Join award-winning author of the best-selling The Wine Bible and online newsletter WineSpeed, Karen MacNeil, as she hosts a series of engaging Live Virtual Tastings with special guest panelists to explore New York wines. In this series on #TastewithKaren LIVE, Karen will delve into New York State wines to discover what makes them compelling—and what makes them “best kept secrets.” If you’ve never yet reached for a New York wine when you’re shopping, you will after this.
Taste along with Karen and discover what makes the wines from this beautiful, historic region perfect for your table from summer all the way to Thanksgiving.
Click Here to Register
Featured guest panelists:
Christy Frank—Copake Wine Works
Yannick Benjamin—Contento NYC
Featured wines:
RAVINES WINE
Dry Riesling 2019
(Finger Lakes)
RED NEWT
Cabernet Franc 2018
(Finger Lakes)
BULLY HILL
“Sweet Walter” Rosé
(Keuka Lake, Finger Lakes)
Wines available for purchase as a bundle here.

Creating a Welcoming & Inclusive Customer Experience
2022-09-15 10:00 - 11:15 | NY
A discussion about “serving with intentionality” to promote DEI through excellent customer service to diverse audiences.

About this event

In this final session of our 3-part Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Discussion for New York Wineries, we will talk about the concept of ‘serving with intentionality.’ This concept aims to promote DEI through excellent customer service to diverse consumers – whether visiting your Tasting Room or your website. We will also cover customer service rules for engagement and how, as Managers, Owners, and Experienced Professionals, YOU can lead by example in creating a more inclusive environment and experience.
Click Here to Register

About the Presenter
Cindy Rodriguez is the Co-Founder of Adirondack Diversity Solutions LLC, a Human Resources Consulting Firm dedicated to diversifying the workforce through strategic, sustainable, growth. An experienced Human Resources Consultant with expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), recruitment and retention, strategic planning, as well as, policy and compliance, Cindy’s experience spans a wealth of diverse industries with the list continually growing! With a Master’s in Public Administration from Cornell University, Cindy delivers innovative HR strategies that promote transparency, collaborative engagement all while embracing and embedding diversity and inclusion into organizational values, culture, and practices.

From Harvest to Bottom Line: The Benefits of Winery Software
2022-09-28 11:00 - 12:00 | https://newyorkwines.org/event/from-harvest-to-bottom-line-the-benefits-of-winery-software/
Ekos, a new Business Partner member, will discuss how winery software can support your company.

About this event

Running a winery involves a lot of moving pieces. Are you still trying to track it all in spreadsheets, notebooks, or with a limited software solution? If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of your business, you need a central hub to track data across inventory, production, sales and accounting.
In this webinar, Ekos CEO Josh McKinney will share some of the challenges wineries are facing and how winery software can help you address painpoints across your business. With the right technology in place, you can spend less time on manual tasks and analysis and more time building a brand that lasts.
Click Here to Register
This session is FREE and open to all wineries and growers in New York state.

About Our Presenter: Josh McKinney, Co-founder and CEO of Ekos
Passionate about the start-up community and craft industry, Josh McKinney co-founded Ekos in 2014 to help craft producers better manage their operations. Josh combined his experience in software with a love of craft beverages to develop a business management software for craft producers of all kinds. He now serves as the company’s CEO and has helped Ekos reach thousands of craft breweries, wineries and cideries in more than 40 countries. Josh is a graduate of Appalachian State University.

#TasteWithKaren LIVE: New York Wine—The Best Kept Secret
2022-10-18 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
Join award-winning author of the best-selling The Wine Bible and online newsletter WineSpeed, Karen MacNeil, as she hosts a series of engaging Live Virtual Tastings with special guest panelists to explore New York wines. In this series on #TastewithKaren LIVE, Karen will delve into New York State wines to discover what makes them compelling—and what makes them “best kept secrets.” If you’ve never yet reached for a New York wine when you’re shopping, you will after this.
Taste along with Karen and discover what makes the wines from this beautiful, historic region perfect for your table from summer all the way to Thanksgiving.
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Featured guest panelists:
Etinosa Emokpae—Skurnik Wine and Spirits
Jamie Harrison Rubin—Southwark and Ambra
Wine details to come soon.

9 Top Wine Marketing Tips for 2022
2022-10-27 11:00 - 12:00 | NY
Each of the 9 tips are things winery owners and marketing teams can begin implementing immediately.

About this event

The environment for selling wine and spirts has changed a LOT in the last 5 years. What’s required now are new methods, new strategies and new ways of thinking. Each of the 9 tips are things winery owners and marketing teams can begin implementing immediately. These are not “warmed over” ideas but, rather, fresh, innovative thinking. Ben includes practical examples and suggestions that will have an impact on sales. If these strategies are implemented immediately, it will not take long to see an increase in sales.
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*FREE for all NYWGF Members and $50 for Non-Members

About Our Presenter: Ben Salisbury, Salisbury Creative Group
Ben Salisbury is a consultant, coach, content creator, public speaker, thought leader, subject matter expert, and entrepreneur for the wine and spirits industry. His expertise in sales and marketing strategy accumulated over four decades working with some of the largest adult beverage companies in the world including Ste Michelle Wine Estates and Constellation Brands. His approach is to disrupt the status quo of how wines and spirits are marketed and sold, to challenge outdated practices, and to provide innovative solutions to help wineries and distilleries sell more products. Ben is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, creates original content on his blog and YouTube channel, and has contributed articles to the Wine Business Monthly.

New York Sustainable Winegrowing Vineyard Certification
2022-11-02 15:00 - 16:30 | Virtual Event
Join us as we discuss the vineyard certification program in more detail including how to get certified and the benefits of certification.

Applications for the 2023 New York Sustainable Vineyard Certification are now open. The New York Sustainable Winegrowing Vineyard Certification is a voluntary third-party certification that ensures vineyards operate under best management practices to conserve natural resources, protect the environment, and maintain a successful and socially equitable business. Join us as we discuss the program in more detail including how to get certified and the benefits of certification. We will also be joined by Tim Martinson, a third-party auditor, to discuss how the audits ensuring the integrity of our program work.
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About the Presenters…
Justin Jackson began his career in wine working under Dr. Justin Scheiner at Texas A&M evaluating cultivars for suitability to the Texas climate. He then went on to study viticulture under Dr. Justine Vanden Heuvel at Cornell where he obtained his Master’s researching alternative vineyard management practices. He is currently the Sustainability Program Manager for the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.
Tim Martinson has been working on Sustainable practices for vineyards since starting his extension career in 1997. One of his first tasks was to produce a series of Agricultural Environmental Management worksheets for vineyards, in cooperation with the Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District. A few years later, they expanded the worksheets into the VineBalance NY Guide to Sustainable Vineyard Practices workbook.

Social Media + SEO for Wineries: Get Found, Connect, Increase Wine Sales
2022-11-03 10:30 - 12:30 | NY
Learn how to navigate new digital marketing features, get found, build connections, and increase your wine sales.

About this event

Businesses increasingly rely on their online presence as the world continues to move into the digital age. This is especially true for wineries, which by nature are “social” businesses.
Think about it — wine is meant to be shared. What good is a fantastic wine if you aren’t able to share it with others?!?!
That’s where digital marketing comes in. SEO can get wineries found by new audiences. Social media gives wineries a unique opportunity to connect with their target audiences and build meaningful relationships. However, it can be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. New features and algorithm changes seem to be popping up every day. But don’t worry, we’re here to help!
In this online workshop, we’ll explore tips on navigating the current digital marketing world as a winery (+ looking into the future).
We will be exploring:

SEO tips that can work for your website AND your social media marketing efforts
Best practices for creating content (ideas, captions + images and short-form video aka Instagram Reels)
Tips for making sure to engage with your audience
Ways to connect with influencers to help your word-of-mouth campaigns
Understanding your goals and looking at your analytics
Where YOU should be focusing your marketing dollars

In addition to the two-hour workshop, Shana will provide some “homework” along with an actionable guide to take notes during the workshop so you can take the lessons learned and put them to use right away.
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**FREE for Tier 2 and 3 Winery Members; $100 for Tier 1 Winery Members; $150 for Non-Members/All Others

About Our Presenter: Shana Bull | Owner, Shana Bull Digital Marketing & Member, DTC Consultant Network
Shana Bull, a Digital Marketing Strategist, Copywriter, Best-Selling Children’s Book Author, and Freelance Writer, has worked in marketing for over 15 years.
Working both in-house, for marketing agencies and as a freelancer, she has worked with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies, like Whole Foods, Xbox Media, Swinerton Renewable Energy, L’Oréal, Hewlett Packard, Scharffen Berger Chocolate, Union Bank, American Ag Credit, Sephora, Microsoft, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates.
She is passionate about helping to normalize conversations around mental health within social media.
Other passions include rosé wines, elaborate cheese boards, and traveling on food adventures with her husband and redheaded son (the co-author of their children’s book – Randall the Blue Spider Goes Surfing).
She is a published writer for regional and national publications on food, social media, parenting, mental health, and travel, and she teaches classes on social media marketing. In addition, she is a children’s book author of a book series about bugs that focuses on bugs, big feelings, coping skills, and friendship. The first book quickly became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in six categories.
She was named one of the top ‘40 under 40’ Young Professionals by the North Bay Business Journal in 2017, Linkedin Marketing Solutions as a ‘Marketer You Should Know: 16 Brilliant Thinkers to Follow’ on LinkedIn in 2021, and was recently featured by Plann (a social media marketing scheduling tool) as one of the top 8 “Funniest Marketers to Follow on Instagram.” #TrueStory
She can be found on Instagram/Twitter at @sharayray, and Linkedin at Shana Bull, or online at shanabull.com or randallthebluespider.com.

Red, White, and New York
2022-11-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Virtual Event
Crafted in New York, but inspired from everywhere, New York is a unique community of passionate producers who approach winemaking with a multitude of personalities and backgrounds—they’re not alike, and they like it that way. Wine has been made in New York since the 17th century and its unique history of hybrid cultivars paired with an increasing amount of planted Vitis Vinifera has positioned the region as one of the most diverse and resilient. In New York wines you’ll find subtlety, depth, and nuance; it’s no surprise that they’ve found a place on the global stage, alongside other great wine regions of the world.
This three-part series, led by wine writer and educator Kelli A. White, takes a look at New York wines side by side with other great wine regions of the world, exploring the common threads as well as the varied approaches to viticulture and winemaking.
Ep. 1 – Red, White, and New York
Back for its second year, New York Wines, Online! is putting its wine to the test, alongside reputable regions from around the world. In this first episode, Kelli A. White will dive into the regions a little closer to home—right here in the United States—with examples from three states that are considered to be amongst the best: California, Washington, and Oregon. Join us as we explore how three New York wines stand up against a Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley, a Riesling from Washington, and a Chardonnay from Oregon.

Kelli A. White
Kelli A. White is the Director of Education for the Wine Center at Meadowood in Napa Valley. Prior to that, she worked as a sommelier, first at New York City’s Veritas and then at PRESS in St. Helena. Between 2017 and 2019 she worked as Senior Staff Writer at the educational nonprofit GuildSomm, where her writing won her two Roederer Awards. Her writing has also appeared in World of Fine Wine, Robb Report, and Vinous, among others. On the book front, she contributed to the most recent additions of the World Atlas of Wine and the Oxford Companion to Wine, as well as the Academie du Vin Press works On California and On Champagne. Wine Enthusiast named her a top 40 Under 40 wine influencer in 2018.

New York Grape Grower and Winery Labor Market in 2022 and Beyond
2022-11-14 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual Event
There is no doubt that increased labor costs, labor shortages, and potential legislative changes have had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on wineries and growers in New York State. In this session you will learn about trends in the New York agricultural labor market, how wineries have already been dealing with those changes, and the potential impact that labor challenges may have on winery margins and production. In addition to existing challenges, the New York Farm Laborers Wage Board recently voted 2 to 1 in favor of the proposal to lower the overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours a week. This session will provide a brief update on the next steps and how some wineries are planning to deal with the phased in Overtime rule if it should come into effect.

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Photo/ROBYN WISHNA 2011
Gregg McConnell is a Business Consultant with Farm Credit East, ACA. Beginning as a Farm Credit East loan officer, Gregg worked with a diverse portfolio of businesses for 15 years, including dairy, crop, equine and winery operations, in addition to specialized lending to sawmill operations and equipment dealerships. Today, Gregg offers his clients expertise in financial analysis and business transition, expansion and management. In addition, Gregg is the director of Farm Credit East’s Winery Benchmarks, a comprehensive program of farm and retail data analysis and financial reporting. A University of Maine graduate with a degree in animal science, Gregg pursues ongoing professional development in his fields of expertise.

New York State of Wine: The Elements (Earth)
2022-11-15 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtual Event
There is an incredible amount of diversity in climate and growing conditions throughout New York: from Long Island, exposed to the Atlantic Ocean, to Hudson Valley, the historic heartland of New York wine, to Niagara and the Champlain Valley on the border with Canada, to Finger Lakes, home to 650 miles of shoreline. New York wine is synonymous with extreme climate—from the influence of water on all sides to the varied soils from retreating glaciers and sea deposits—and with over 60+ wine grape varieties grown here, it’s no surprise this region thrives on diversity.
This three-part series, led by London-based wine writer and author Jamie Goode, celebrates the elements most integral to the wine regions of New York: Earth, Water, and Wine.
Ep. 1 – Earth
In this inaugural episode of the series, New York: Earth, Water & Wine, Jamie Goode will lead a panel of New York winemakers in a roundtable discussion to dig into Earth, namely, the diverse terroirs of New York’s growing regions. From the blue slate of the Finger Lakes to Long Island’s unique glacial soils, New York offers winemakers a dynamic home for countless varieties—find out what winemakers have to say about how soils impact their viticulture and winemaking decisions.
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Jamie Goode
Wine Writer and Author
Jamie Goode is a London-based winewriter, lecturer, and judge, He is currently wine columnist with UK national newspaper The Sunday Express in addition to contributing regularly to a range of publications including The World of Fine Wine, Noble Rot, Wine and Spirits in the USA, Wine Business International, Drinks International, Wines and Vines and Vine Pair. He is also author of the book Wine Science, which won the Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Book in 2006. Jamie has a PhD in plant biology and worked as a book editor before joining the world of wine with his site wineanorak.com, now one of the leading wine websites. He won the 2007 Glenfiddich Wine Writer of the year award.

NY's Shared Work Program: Proven Options to Retain & Recruit your Workforce
2022-11-28 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Event
Keep your talent & explore varied labor pools. This program will discuss benefits such as:

Shared Work saves labor costs when seasonality affects the winery & vineyard that impacts your business
Easily adjust and customize schedules to retain talented staff for the work available
Softens any supply chain, seasonal adjustment or decreased demand issue
No cost recruitment via Career Centers, NYS Job Bank and Jobs Express to position for growth
No cost career fairs (mini/regional/virtual)
Tax saving hiring incentives

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About Your Presenters:
Stephen Ryan currently serves as the Project Manager for the Shared Work Promotional Program at the New York State Department of Labor. In this position, he oversees the delivery of Shared Work services to the State’s business community. Shared Work was a lifeline to businesses during the Pandemic with over 3,500 businesses participating in this Program. To drive awareness of this Program across NYS, Stephen applied for a USDOL Shared Work Promotional grant, and was awarded to NYSDOL in June of 2021. The Department of Labor thus established a Shared Work Unit that focuses on promoting the program to thousands of businesses from Long Island to Buffalo. This service to the private sector is more important than ever, to retain employees (talent) during turbulent times, especially with such a shortage of skilled workers. Stephen has presented virtually and in-person to more than 100 businesses since receiving this grant. His presentations have been submitted on NYS Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations web sites as well as on their social media pages. His continued dedication is to promote the Shared Work Program to every business in NYS.
Prior to his recent role, Mr. Ryan was the Director of Career Center Operations & Business Engagement. In this capacity, he oversaw 97 Career Centers throughout the State and over 900 staff. He has over 38 years in the Workforce Development field overseeing various Governor’s Initiatives while connecting thousands of New Yorkers with new career opportunities.
Susan Moreno is a Workforce Programs Specialist with the Business Engagement Unit within the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions. In her role, she works with a team who oversees and supports the services available to businesses across New York State. Susan has been with the Department of Labor for over 18 years and has experience with many of the programs and initiatives that are offered to job seekers and the business community. Susan has worked on many projects and initiatives, including: assisting with large-scale recruitment events, planning and executing the annual Dr. King Career Fair held in Albany, NY each year and working with regional teams to better educate businesses on the various NYSDOL no-cost services. Susan is a graduate of Siena College, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing/Management. She is passionate about workforce development and assisting those in need.
