New York Wines

Funding Opportunities through the New York Forward Loan Fund
2020-11-24 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Learn how to access low interest loans specifically designed to help businesses reopen for business after the Covid-19 shutdown.

About this Event

This webinar will present information on acquiring capital for small businesses trying to recover from the COVID-19 and information for small agribusinesses looking for capital to expand.
The New York Forward loan fund can offer small businesses working capital loans of up to $100,000 to help fund their recovery and the JDA Agriculture Loan Fund supports Small NYS Agribusiness firms, including value added processors, food distribution companies, wineries, breweries and distillers; gain access to the capital they need to grow, expand and thrive in New York State.
*This webinar is free and open to all!
? CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

About Our Presenter: Matthew Kennedy

Matthew Kennedy is an Economic Development Program Specialist with the Empire State Development Division of Small Business and Technology Development. He is an alumnus of Potsdam College and Clarkson University with a degree in Economics, and a lifelong resident of Halfmoon, NY. His primary focus at ESD is promoting the growth of small businesses through access to capital with the New York Forward Loan Fund, JDA Agriculture Fund and Bridge to Success MWBE lending programs. Prior to joining ESD, he was a successful small business owner and real estate developer in Saratoga County. He has also worked as a loan officer at several banking institutions, spent over ten years as an Internet Sales and Marketing Manager, operated a successful retail computer store for a decade

New York Wines for the Thanksgiving Table with Dan Belmont
2020-11-20 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
After the year we’ve all had, the upcoming holidays will be an even more special time to give thanks. There is no better pairing for your Thanksgiving feast, from appetizers to dessert, than New York wines. Perhaps a sparkler to kick things off, and a crisp dry Riesling or a playful Cabernet Franc to compliment rich foods – each part of your day can be accentuated with wine. Celebrate our local bounty, learn about our winemaking community, and see just how these wines can make your cherished holiday traditions even more memorable.
? Register for this FREE Seminar using the form below! ?
Featured Wines:
▸ Swedish Hill Blanc de Blanc NV ▸ Chateau LaFayette Reneau Seyval-Chardonnay NV▸ Hosmer Winery 2017 Single Wheel Riesling▸ Nostrano 2019 Estate Pinot Noir▸ Keuka Spring Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Franc▸ Lenz Winery 2014 Estate Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
? Taste along with us!We encourage participants to register early and purchase wines at BuyNewYorkWines.com for delivery, direct from the winery, or from your local retailer.
About the Moderator:
Dan has spent hundreds of classroom hours thrilling guests with wine & cheese education on both sides of the Atlantic. From the restaurant floor to festivals, television & radio – Dan shares his passion and curiosity for the world of wine and aims to inspire his guests to start their own life-long journey of wine appreciation. He fell in love with wine visiting the Finger Lakes wine region in New York State and has since worked as a brand ambassador and hospitality consultant for several notable Finger Lakes producers and the statewide industry, as well as a judge at the New York State Wine Classic in 2019.
Dan is a certified American Wine Expert and holds the Level 3 certification in Wines & Spirits from the WSET. He led the education departments of NYC’s famed Murray’s Cheese, the largest artisan cheese retailer in the US, and Bedales of Borough, a trio of London wine bars inspired by market-driven fare. Dan currently lives in London with his wife, where he is the Wine Ambassador for Liebherr UK, and proudly supports a variety of international trade associations and producers as a presenter, educator & judge. His decade-plus of experience is the engine behind his latest work – goodwinexgoodpeople.com – now shipping personalised mixed cases UK-wide!
You can find him on Instagram @dbcheesynyc & @goodwinexgoodpeople

An Update on New York's Paid Sick Leave Regulations
2020-11-20 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Learn how to use HR best practices to comply with the new regulation and get your questions answered live!

About this Event

Beginning in 2021, almost all employers in New York State will be required to provide up to forty hours of paid sick leave to every employee. Now is the perfect time for employers to review and adjust their time-off policies, accrual schedules, and employee communications to better comply with the law.
Join Jason Banuski of HR One, NYWGF Business Associate Member, on this webinar as he provides human resources support to wineries and growers. Jason will be helping you think through how to comply with the new regulation with HR best practices while answering your questions.
As a bonus, participants will also receive access to HR One’s library of required regulatory posters, HR administration forms, and a free review of their employee handbook.
*Basic Webinars are free to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Members; $50 for Non-Members.
? Click Here to Register

About Our Presenter: Jason Banuski, PHR, HR One President & Sr. Human Resource Consultant

Mr. Banuski has extensive experience as a consultant for employers of all sizes and industries. His responsibilities at HR One include analysis of human resource best practices; wage and salary administration; development of employee handbooks, performance appraisal systems, job descriptions; one-on-one mentorship and team training.
Mr. Banuski has been nationally certified as a Professional in Human Resources by the Society of Human Resource Management. As a Human Resources Consultant, he has extensive experience in the areas of human resource planning, employee relations, performance management, employment regulation compliance, benefit plan design, recruitment and training.
Mr. Banuski’s achievements include the 2005 CNY Sales & Marketing Executives Distinguished Sales & Marketing Award; in 2012 Mr. Banuski was honored as a 40 Under Forty recipient for his professional success and community involvement; in the same year he was voted valedictorian of the US Small Business Administration e200 graduating class.
Mr. Banuski has been a highly sought after speaker and trainer. He has presented at numerous SHRM, Chambers of Commerce, trade association, private employer, and national events.

New York State of Wine: Boldly, individual. with Essi Avellan MW
2020-11-19 12:00 - 13:15 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Diverse and bold, with a long history stretching back hundreds of years, New York is reinventing itself as an epicenter of dynamic winemaking. The state is home to the first winery in the United States, and producers are drawing on that background to produce some of the most exciting wines in the country. Wine has been made since the 17th century and since the 1950s a successful focus on quality has taken hold to the point that New York is gaining a well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most transformative regions. There is an incredible amount of diversity in climate and growing conditions: 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, which has established itself as a region that can compete with Germany, Austria, and the Loire Valley. Think cool climate, expect the unexpected.

New York Winter Whites with Cha McCoy
2020-11-19 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
There is no mistaking that New York produces some refreshing, high-acid, white wines like Riesling. However, for this seminar, Cha McCoy shines a spotlight on the diversity and warmth of other white wines being produced across the state, just in time for colder weather. As the season has officially changed, so have our palates. For Cha, this means craving hearty gastronomic experiences with wines to match. Before consumers give up on white wine for the season, join Cha and winemakers from across New York for a deep dive into the Winter White wine that we should be serving and selling now.
Featured Wines:
▸ Suhru Wines Brut NV
▸ Palmer Vineyards 2019 Pinot Blanc
▸ Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Chenin Blanc
▸ Anthony Road Wine Company 2019 Skin Ferment Pinot Gris
▸ Sheldrake Point Winery 2017 Chardonnay
This event is for Trade & Media only.

Sparkling Wines of New York with Lenn Thompson
2020-11-17 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Diversity is the greatest strength of New York wine country. There is so much more to it than Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay. Sparkling wine – made in myriad styles of styles using myriad grapes is the unappreciated star of the state’s wine industry. And it’s made in every corner of the state’s cool-climate wine regions. Join writer Lenn Thompson for this tasting of five wildly different sparkling wines from the Finger Lakes, Hudson River Region, and Long Island.
Featured Wines:
▸ Milea Estate Vineyard 2017 “Proceedo” Sparkling Rosé
▸ Pleasant Valley Wine Company NV Gold Seal Blanc de Blanc
▸ Glenora Wine Cellars 2013 Brut
▸ Lenz Winery 2014 Cuvee
▸ Channing Daughters Winery 2019 Gewürztraminer Pét Nat
This event is open to Trade & Media only.

Developing and Managing Winery Loyalty Programs
2020-11-11 10:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join Sandra Hess for this hands-on seminar that will include one breakout session – so be ready to join in!

About this Event

Free for NY Drinks NY Participants; Limited space available for NYWGF Tier 2 Members for $50.
This session will begin by defining what “Loyalty Management” means to your unique wine brand by asking:

How does your winery reward customers for their loyalty?
What are your members asking for more of when it comes to recognizing loyalty?

When it comes to the question of why Loyalty Management is so important, Sandra will share case studies and member retention statistics for a variety of wine brands. Examples from complimentary industries will also be shared, as well as cost conscious tools and ideas that smaller producers can implement affordably. Sandra will present a deep dive on things that winery teams at small wineries can begin doing to better retain and build long-term relationships such as:

Methods for better engaging based on interests and preferences
Getting outside of the box to deliver the unexpected
Use of customer contact records and CRM notes to stay better connected
Outbound member management services
Building communities within membership programs.

Sandra will provide insight on why staff training is critical and also touch on conversion metrics and measures of success based on winery size and business model and more.
Time will be built in for Q&A and a whiteboard session on how to measure success.
Click Here to Register

NY Drinks NY participants now have access to two new virtual workshops, as well as individual coaching sessions with a member of the DTC Consultant Network. Participants will be provided with a 1.5 hour online coaching session to address a challenge or opportunity of their choice. These new resources are designed to support NY Drinks NY participants in their marketing efforts and to empower us to achieve our collective, strategic objectives of building a robust online, educational, customer service driven, and sales focused community for New York wines and wine enthusiasts.

NY Drinks NY participants can contact Jennifer Cooper to learn more and receive their Coaching Session Questionnaire to get the process started.

Digital Mastery for Wineries: Websites in 2020
2020-11-03 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Part of the WISE Digital Series, these workshops are designed to work together to support a comprehensive digital strategy for your winery.

About this Event

Websites in the year 2020 – November 3rd / 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Now that your website has to do some heavy lifting – when’s the last time you looked at your Google Analytics? This class will review metrics you should be reviewing and current best practices on website design. We will also cover SEO basics and get into Google Ads, or SEO. You will leave this 3-hour workshop with some tools to evaluate the efficiency of your website and clear ideas and plans on how to drive traffic to it. Appropriate to any level marketing or ecommerce manager.
? Click Here to Register

New York Wines: Best Buys with Dan Belmont
2020-10-30 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
It is always a great time to get more for your money, and these New York wineries deliver the goods. New York wineries produce a myriad of world-class, quality wines that are impressive on their own, but even more remarkable when paired with food. For those looking to score a great bottle of wine at a great price, just in time to ‘taste test’ before the holidays, these New York Wine ‘Best Buys’ are for you. The wines featured on this seminar are all priced under $30 (many under $20) per bottle, highlighting some of the best value wines that New York State has to offer.
Featured Wines:
▸ Brotherhood Winery, B Sparkling Rose▸ Chronicle Wines, 2016 As If “Courage” Rosé▸ Fox Run Vineyards, 2018 Lemberger▸ Lamoreaux Landing, 2018 Dry Riesling▸ Lieb Cellars, 2019 Bridge Lane Red Blend▸ Swedish Hill Winery, 2019 Blue Waters Gewurztraminer
? Taste along with us!We encourage participants to register early and purchase wines at BuyNewYorkWines.com for delivery, direct from the winery, or from your local retailer.
About the Moderator:
Dan has spent hundreds of classroom hours thrilling guests with wine & cheese education on both sides of the Atlantic. From the restaurant floor to festivals, television & radio – Dan shares his passion and curiosity for the world of wine and aims to inspire his guests to start their own life-long journey of wine appreciation. He fell in love with wine visiting the Finger Lakes wine region in New York State and has since worked as a brand ambassador and hospitality consultant for several notable Finger Lakes producers and the statewide industry, as well as a judge at the New York State Wine Classic in 2019.
Dan is a certified American Wine Expert and holds the Level 3 certification in Wines & Spirits from the WSET. He led the education departments of NYC’s famed Murray’s Cheese, the largest artisan cheese retailer in the US, and Bedales of Borough, a trio of London wine bars inspired by market-driven fare. Dan currently lives in London with his wife, where he is the Wine Ambassador for Liebherr UK, and proudly supports a variety of international trade associations and producers as a presenter, educator & judge. His decade-plus of experience is the engine behind his latest work – goodwinexgoodpeople.com – now shipping personalised mixed cases UK-wide!
You can find him on Instagram @dbcheesynyc & @goodwinexgoodpeople

Fireside Chat with Sam Filler & Special Guests
2020-10-29 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join us for a sneak peek at our new marketing plan and an update on how the new membership model and virtual seminars are progressing.

About this Event

Join us in October for a sneak peek at our new marketing plan and an update on how the new membership benefits and virtual seminars are progressing. You can also learn more and ask questions about the New York Wine Classic “Call for Entries.” We invite you to join in – perhaps with a glass of your favorite New York wine – for this informal but informational online chat.
While we are eager to see you all in person soon, for now we invite you to join us online to have the discussions we might have had in your offices or your tasting rooms. We look forward to talking about issues affecting your businesses and our community. Let’s share challenges, innovations, best practices, and ‘feel good’ stories. Let’s share ways we can help each other and ways the New York Wine & Grape Foundation can continue to best serve you.
We invite you to join in – perhaps with a glass of your favorite New York wine – and ask questions during this informal but informational online chat.
? Click Here to Register

Digital Mastery for Wineries: Social Media
2020-10-29 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Part of the WISE Digital Series, these workshops are designed to work together to support a comprehensive digital strategy for your winery.

About this Event

Social Media – October 29th / 1:00PM to 4:00 PM
Social media is today’s awareness platform – but it’s confusing where to go and how much to pay. The first part of the class will walk through content strategy and how to meet the sometimes overwhelming demand for new things to continually post. The second part of the workshop will walk through advertising on social media channels with some suggested formats and costs. This 3-hour workshop will leave you with ideas you can immediately consider and implement for your social media strategy. Appropriate for marketing managers who are beginners or intermediate at both posting and advertising. Also good for managers confident in this area to pick up some new ideas and tips.
? Click Here to Register
Upcoming Events in the Series
Websites in the year 2020 – November 3rd / 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Now that your website has to do some heavy lifting – when’s the last time you looked at your Google Analytics? This class will review metrics you should be reviewing and current best practices on website design. We will also cover SEO basics and get into Google Ads, or SEO. You will leave this 3-hour workshop with some tools to evaluate the efficiency of your website and clear ideas and plans on how to drive traffic to it. Appropriate to any level marketing or ecommerce manager.

Digital Mastery for Wineries: Email Marketing
2020-10-27 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Part of the WISE Digital Series, these workshops are designed to work together to support a comprehensive digital strategy for your winery.

About this Event

Email Marketing – October 27th / 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Learn the elements of a strong email campaign including database, essential metrics, targeting and design tricks; this workshop also includes how to work with new considerations such as dark mode. This 3-hour workshop will leave you with a list of ideas you can implement right away with industry benchmarks to help you evaluate your campaigns. Appropriate for marketing managers to coordinators that are already creating emails with a goal to take you campaigns to the next level.
? Click Here to Register
Upcoming Events in the Series
Social Media – October 29th / 1:00PM to 4:00 PM
Social media is today’s awareness platform – but it’s confusing where to go and how much to pay. The first part of the class will walk through content strategy and how to meet the sometimes overwhelming demand for new things to continually post. The second part of the workshop will walk through advertising on social media channels with some suggested formats and costs. This 3-hour workshop will leave you with ideas you can immediately consider and implement for your social media strategy. Appropriate for marketing managers who are beginners or intermediate at both posting and advertising. Also good for managers confident in this area to pick up some new ideas and tips.
Websites in the year 2020 – November 3rd / 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Now that your website has to do some heavy lifting – when’s the last time you looked at your Google Analytics? This class will review metrics you should be reviewing and current best practices on website design. We will also cover SEO basics and get into Google Ads, or SEO. You will leave this 3-hour workshop with some tools to evaluate the efficiency of your website and clear ideas and plans on how to drive traffic to it. Appropriate to any level marketing or ecommerce manager.
? Click Here to Register for the Full Series

New York State of Wine: Boldly, redefined. with Felicity Carter
2020-10-21 12:00 - 13:15 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Diverse and bold, with a long history stretching back hundreds of years, New York is reinventing itself as an epicenter of dynamic winemaking. The state is home to the first winery in the United States, and producers are drawing on that background to produce some of the most exciting wines in the country. Wine has been made since the 17th century and since the 1950s a successful focus on quality has taken hold to the point that New York is gaining a well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most transformative regions. There is an incredible amount of diversity in climate and growing conditions: 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, which has established itself as a region that can compete with Germany, Austria, and the Loire Valley. Think cool climate, expect the unexpected.
In the second episode of the webinar series, focused on the rich history of grape growing and winemaking in New York State, Felicity Carter of Meininger’s Wine Business International will host a panel of New York winery representatives to explore important milestones in the wine regions past: from its pre-prohibition beginnings, to the renaissance of quality winemaking in the 1960s, to the new trends emerging today. Joining Felicity are benchmark producers from the historic region of the Finger Lakes: Cameron Hosmer and Julia Hoyle of Hosmer Winery, Meaghan Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Scott Osborn of Fox Run Winery.
Featured wines:

2019 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes
2018 Hosmer Chardonnay, Cayuga Lake (Finger Lakes)
2018 Fox Run Lemberger, Finger Lakes

WISE Community Forum – Tasting Room COVID-19 Challenges
2020-10-08 10:00 - 11:30, 2020-09-24 10:00 - 11:30, 2020-09-10 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join the New York Wine & Grape Foundation and the Wine Industry Sales Education (WISE) Academy for a special Community Forum Series designed to help New York wineries optimize the guest experience as they grapple with different, and ever-changing COVID-related challenges. Things are constantly evolving, and we want to quickly share what we are learning and identify best practices – which promises to be a fluid process. While many associations are hosting Town Halls focusing on compliance, WISE and NYWGF will complement their efforts by helping wineries deal with Tasting Room hospitality issues. NYWGF is pleased to be offering this as an opportunity for our community to learn, engage, and problem solve. Staff and board members of Wine Trails or Regional Association partners are also invited to participate.
Registration for this course is for all 3 sessions in the series. Three, 90-minute conversations in a problem-solving forum to help optimize the guest experience as wineries reopen. If you can’t make all three, you will still have access to the resources compiled from each meeting.
Dates: September 10th, 24th and October 8th
Time: 10:00AM EST to 11:30AM EST
Participation is Free and Open to All New York Wineries. (Approved registrants will receive a follow up email with the meeting links.)
Click here to register online.

The Value of Premium Experiences in Today’s Times & Beyond
2020-10-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
This workshop is designed to help attendees learn key facets to consider when creating premium experiences at their wineries.
“Experiences” has been the buzzword in tourism for the past 10 years, and the New York State wine industry has recognized the importance of experiential tourism for creating brand loyalty and driving wine sales at its wineries. While a number of wineries had been moving toward offering more enhanced wine tasting experiences, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the tasting room experience of all NYS wineries being reshaped by required health and safety regulations. An unexpected result of compliance has been a more elevated tasting experience with seated tastings in un-crowded tasting rooms, and curated wine flights with accompanying food. For a number of wineries, this elevated tasting room experience has resulted in higher per customer wine sales and overall satisfaction.
This workshop is designed to help attendees learn key facets to consider when creating premium experiences at their wineries, so they can further develop premium tasting room offerings, and incorporate them into their post-COVID operations. Attendees will learn to identify the Who, What, When, Where and How of effective premium experiences. Real examples will be used that demonstrate how premium experiences have created measurable returns on investment in the Finger Lakes region. Attendees will receive a tool to start creating their own premium experiences, or to evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs.
This is a Basic Webinar: Free to NYWGF Winery Members, and accessible to all other NYS wineries for $50. Not a member yet? Join Now!

Click Here to Register

About the Presenter:
Dr. Laura Winter Falk is co-owner of Experience! The Finger Lakes, recognized as one of the top wine tour companies in the country. Founded in 2007, Laura and her husband and co-owner, Alan, understood the potential of elevated wine tourism in the region when the started their first experiential wine tours on Cayuga Lake. Thirteen years later they have tours with elevated tasting programs established on all three wine lakes, with over 35 mutually-vetted top winery and craft producers in the Finger Lakes region. Her background as a researcher, educator, certified sommelier, and small business owner gives Laura a unique perspective on the Finger Lakes wine business. She uses a data-driven approach to evaluating experiences, through years of collecting customer evaluation and purchasing data on Experience! The Finger Lakes tours. By using a combination of comparative analysis and the evaluation of customer data, Laura has been able to work side-by-side with wineries throughout the region to create premium experiences that have drawn tens of thousands of visitors to the Finger Lakes region.

New York Wines From Corner to Corner
2020-09-30 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join Yannick Benjamin, one of the stars of Esquire TV’s “Uncorked” and “the new star of New York’s gastronomic firmament,” as he takes you on a vinous journey from the far east end of Long Island to the western pocket of the Niagara Escarpment, visiting the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes along the way!
Get ready to experience the breathtaking diversity of New York wines in just one hour. Beginning with the sparkling, crisp acidity of an elegant Blanc de Blanc from the Finger Lakes family who helped create the New York wine industry as we know it, to the lush and intense Bordeaux blend from the Long Island family championing fine winemaking in the Hamptons, we promise this will be a virtual tasting that will pique your senses and your interest in the New York State of wine.
Featured Wines:

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2014 Blanc de Blancs
Wagner Vineyards 2018 Caywood East Riesling
Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Sauvignon Blanc
Fjord 2019 Albariño
Arrowhead Spring 2017 Cabernet Franc
Wölffer Estate 2017 Fatalis Fatum

Taste along with us: We encourage participants to register early and purchase wines by September 15th at BuyNewYorkWines.com for delivery, or from your local retailer.*
*For those in the Capital Region of New York, wines can be found at Exit 9 Wine And Liquor.
Questions: Please contact Jennifer Cooper at the New York Wine & Grape Foundation
We look forward to having you join us for the first-ever virtual tasting hosted by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation!

Click Here to Register

About the Moderator:
Yannick is the Head Sommelier at the University Club and Proprietor of Contento Restaurant located in NYC. A proud New Yorker, born into a family of French restaurateurs, Yannick knew that hospitality was his calling from a young age.
Yannick worked at Le Cirque, Oceana, JeanGeorges, and Atlas before becoming a sommelier at Felidia and Atelier at the Ritz-Carlton. In 2003, a car accident left Benjamin paralyzed below the waist and he quickly adapted, outfitting his wheelchair with a table that allows him to work the floor as a sommelier.
Yannick has been recognized among Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 and was named Person of the Year by New Mobility Magazine in 2017. He was the resident sommelier on the hit radio show “On the Town with Michael Riedel” on AM 970 The Answer and has made multiple appearances on ABC, NBC, and CBS.
In 2015, Yannick starred in “Uncorked,” a documentary series about sommeliers on Esquire TV. Jancis Robinson of the Financial Times calls Benjamin “the new star of New York’s gastronomic firmament” and The Wine Spectator talks about Benjamin revealing a “kinder, gentler side of the profession.”
Yannick created Wine on Wheels – one of New York City’s largest and most exciting wine events which has also been expanded to other cities in Chicago, Portland, and Washington DC. Wine on Wheels brings together hundreds of esteemed sommeliers volunteering to pour over 250 wines from around the world for charity. Yannick is also a para-athlete and competes in marathons to raise money for Wheeling Forward.
Sponsored by: American National Insurance and Cadus Cooperage, Inc.

New York State of Wine: Boldly, authentic. featuring Richard Siddle
2020-09-24 12:00 - 13:15 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Diverse and bold, with a long history stretching back hundreds of years, New York is reinventing itself as an epicenter of dynamic winemaking. The state is home to the first winery in the United States, and producers are drawing on that background to produce some of the most exciting wines in the country. Wine has been made since the 17th century and since the 1950s a successful focus on quality has taken hold to the point that New York is gaining a well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most transformative regions. There is an incredible amount of diversity in climate and growing conditions: 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, which has established itself as a region that can compete with Germany, Austria, and the Loire Valley. Think cool climate, expect the unexpected.
■ 24 Sep @ 12:00 PM EDT – Episode 1: Boldy, Authentic with Richard Siddle
In this inaugural episode focused on New York wines and their place in the world, Richard Siddle of The Buyer, the UK’s leading online publication aimed at the premium on-trade.
Panelists:
Aimée Lasseigne New, Lieb Cellars
Christopher Bates MS, Element Winery
Rick Rainey, Forge Cellars

Best Practices for Winery Websites
2020-09-16 10:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join Sandra Hess for this hands-on seminar that will include one breakout session – so be ready to join in!
About this Event
Free for NY Drinks NY Participants; Limited space available for NYWGF Tier 2 Members for $50.
This two-hour session will be a deep dive into the building blocks of the best winery websites. Join Sandra as she audits some existing sites to illustrate best practices in “calls to action”, including effective mobile and opt-in tools. Learn how to turn first-time visitors into buyers with engaging stories and videos of various lengths on your events, membership, and ‘about us’ pages.
Participants can also expect to learn:

How to use website landing pages to increase conversion from digital marketing and social
How to develop a Holiday Case Promotion landing page using Wine Direct
How to develop a corresponding email campaign using Wine Direct that includes all elements to convert at a higher level
How to Leverage Winery Website Chat Tools
How to establish Reasonable Goals and Track Results, including how to dedicate time, staff and budget

Time for Q&A will be included. Participants will leave with a wealth of knowledge and a checklist review handout.
Click Here to Register
NY Drinks NY participants now have access to two new virtual workshops, as well as individual coaching sessions with a member of the DTC Consultant Network. Participants will be provided with a 1.5 hour online coaching session to address a challenge or opportunity of their choice. These new resources are designed to support NY Drinks NY participants in their marketing efforts and to empower us to achieve our collective, strategic objectives of building a robust online, educational, customer service driven, and sales focused community for New York wines and wine enthusiasts.
NY Drinks NY participants can contact Jennifer Cooper to learn more and receive their Coaching Session Questionnaire to get the process started.

Fireside Chat with Sam Filler & Special Guests
2020-08-27 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
We invite you to join Sam Filler, members of our board of directors, and special guests – perhaps with a glass of your favorite New York wine – for an informal but informational online chat each month.
If there is a silver lining as a result of recent events, it is that many of us have become more comfortable with connecting on platforms like Zoom. While we are eager to see you all in person soon, over the next few months we invite you to join us online to have the discussions we might have had in your offices, your tasting rooms, or even at Kindred Fare after hours. We look forward to talking about issues affecting your businesses and our community. Let’s share challenges, innovations, best practices, and ‘feel good’ stories. Let’s share ways we can help each other and ways the New York Wine & Grape Foundation can continue to best serve you.
Each month will have a general theme to start us off, but we look forward to an open and engaging conversation with you all!
Click Here to Register

Virtual Tasting: Hermann J. Wiemer & Standing Stone Vineyards
2020-08-21 17:00 UTC | Hermann J. Wiemer, 3962 Rte. 14, Dundee, NY, 14837, United States
New Release Tasting & Pre-Harvest Check-in
Join Fred & Oskar for a virtual tasting that will focus on a 3-pack of wines that features our 2019 Gewürztraminer, the new release of our Field White, and the much anticipated Standing Stone Blanc de Blanc from 2017.
In a recent review from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Mark Squires writes of the Blanc de Blanc, “This is the first sparkler made from the 1974 vines at Standing Stone, recently purchased by Hermann J. Wiemer. One of the underrated glories of both the Finger Lakes and Wiemer is sparklers. This is an impressive start to a new single-vineyard bottling. It has enough fruit, but it is still dominated by its acidity. Powerful, pointed and intense…” From the very beginning of our journey at Standing Stone, we have been anxiously awaiting the release of this wine. After 20 months resting on the lees and 0 g/L dosage, this is a zippy sparkler, and the start of something quite special. We can’t wait to share it with you!
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Budget Best Practices in a Struggling Economy
2020-08-13 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Exploring ways that wineries can identify opportunities to reduce expenses and increase cash flow.

In these stressful times businesses are reviewing all expenses and revenue sources to figure out how to stay afloat. Join Liz Miranda, of Miranda Tax & Consulting for this hands on webinar. Liz will help us walk through an example of a winery and vineyard budget to identify opportunities to reduce expenses and increase cash flow.
About our presenter: Liz Miranda is an experienced CPA who is driven by the evolving needs of her clients. Miranda Tax & Consulting, LLC serves closely-held businesses and individuals in various industries with a specialization in the wine and craft beverage industry. ​Liz Miranda received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The College at Brockport, State University of New York in 2008. Additionally, she has her Bachelor of Arts in Music Management from Baldwin Wallace University. Liz spent 10 years with a large regional firm, and then 2 years at a small, local firm before deciding to start her own business. Liz is a member of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and enjoys speaking at the annual B.E.V. NY conference hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension. She has served on various not-for-profit boards, most recently the Canandaigua Wine Trail, as well as Madrigalia and Webster Theatre Guild.
Click Here for the Presentation Slides

Fireside Chat with Sam Filler & Special Guests
2020-07-23 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | Virtual Event
On July 23rd, we invite you to join Sam Filler, Executive Director, and Charlie Marshall, Board President – perhaps with a glass of your favorite New York wine – to learn more and ask your questions about the changes coming to membership.
Thursday, June 23rd, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Times have changed, to say the least. In response to the changes we saw coming, and those that we couldn’t possibly have anticipated, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation has restructured our membership model to better meet your needs.
We’ve listened, we’ve surveyed, we’ve planned and kicked the tires on our ideas. After gathering your input, we have updated our decades old dues structure and integrated new benefits and services never offered before. Now, we’d like to share that new membership model, benefits packages, dues structure, and our plans for rolling them out, with all of you!

Telling Your Winery's Brand Story with Video
2020-07-10 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Virtual Event
Learn about the importance of video and how to create moving and effective pieces, even while following social distancing protocol.
Video is a strong storytelling tool. In a time of limited contact, it has been our view into the outside world, harking us back to a pre-COVID life while giving us hope for a post COVID future. The sight, sound and motion, even in :15 or :30 second snippets, conjures up memories and emotions and moves people to act. As wineries are a travel and tourism related industry, video plays a critical role in inspiring potential travelers to visit you. It makes them excited and sets the stage for time and money while spent. In this session we will touch on the importance of video to your industry and guide you on how to create moving and effective videos, even while following social distancing protocol.
This session is presented by Lindsay Marlenga, Senior Marketing Director and Matt Sourwine, Manager of Creative Services at Advance Media NY, a Business Associate Member of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

New York Wines Export Program 2020 Overview
2020-07-09 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Virtual Event
A comprehensive look at the benefits of the NYWGF program, including information from successful exporters.
Have you ever wondered how some New York wineries are selling their products successfully in international markets and garnering worldwide press? Much of the behind the scenes work is done by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Export Program. Through a grant from the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) and the Market Access Program (MAP), we assist New York wineries seeking to explore opportunities in markets abroad.
The Export Program for 2020 is about to begin and all New York State wineries are invited to participate. Export participants do not have to be current members of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. Even as we are wrapping up initiatives from the last program year (July 1st, 2019 – June 30th, 2020) our team is already working in partnership with our consultants on developing a schedule of marketing activities for the upcoming Export Program year beginning on July 1st, 2020.
This webinar was recorded by the New York Wines Export Team (Valerie Ross, Sam Filler, and Sarah Gelpi) on July 9th from 11 AM to 12 PM as a comprehensive program overview. We also welcomed Kelby James Russell of Red Newt Cellars, a long time program participant, to share Red Newt’s experience and give you practical insight on how to make the Export Program work best for you!

Fireside Chat with Sam Filler and Special Guests
2020-06-11 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | Virtual Event
We invite you to join Sam Filler, members of our board of directors, and special guests – perhaps with a glass of your favorite New York wine – for an informal but informational online chat each month.
If there is a silver lining as a result of recent events, it is that many of us have become more comfortable with connecting on platforms like Zoom. While we are eager to see you all in person soon, over the next few months we invite you to join us online to have the discussions we might have had in your offices, your tasting rooms, or even at Kindred Fare after hours. We look forward to talking about issues affecting your businesses and our community. Let’s share challenges, innovations, best practices, and ‘feel good’ stories. Let’s share ways we can help each other and ways the New York Wine & Grape Foundation can continue to best serve you.
Each month will have a general theme to start us off, but we look forward to an open and engaging conversation with you all!
Thursday, June 11th, 2020 @ 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Special Guests: Charlie Marshall, NYWGF Board President and Chef & Owner of The Marshal Restaurant in NYC, Oskar Bynke , NYWGF Board Treasurer, Co-Owner of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, and Hans Walter-Peterson, Viticulture Extension Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension and additional guests to be announced!
Join us to meet the new Foundation Board President and Treasurer, and talk about regional reopening of winery tasting rooms across the state, and the grape market outlook for New York’s growers.

Financial Strategies for Wineries & Vineyards After the Impact of COVID-19
2020-06-04 11:00 - 12:00 UTC | Virtual Event
Join Tony Sandonato, from Mengel Metzger Barr & Co. LLP, as he discusses important financial strategies to consider in the wake of COVID-19.
About Anthony G. Sandonato
As a partner in our tax department in the Rochester office, Tony specializes in a variety of areas, including corporate tax, business valuations and superior client service. A native of Perinton, Tony joined Mengel Metzger Barr in 1997 after earning his bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. John Fisher College and his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University’s College of Law. Tony is the lead partner in charge of our firm’s Agribusiness and alcoholic beverage practice group. He is the tax committee chairman of the Rochester chapter of the New York State Society of CPAs, as well as a member of the Estate Planning Council of Rochester, the Financial Planning Association of Greater Rochester and the former chairman of the tax section of the Monroe County Bar Association.
Professional Affiliations

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants
New York State and American Bar Association

Top 5 Wine Consumer Engagement Strategies for 2020
2020-05-20 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | Virtual Event
Join Sandra Hess of DTC Wine Workshops, as she discusses Tasting Room & Direct-to-Consumer tactics to help your winery excel.
This webinar is brought to you in partnership with our friends at the New York Wine & Grape Foundation and is sponsored by American National Insurance.
Topics to be covered will include:

Pre-Visit: Reaching new audiences with bundled wine/virtual experience offers through social ad campaigns, top website conversion tools, types of tickets and experiences that convert from social and email campaigns
At the Visit: Hospitality service training tips for front-line staff, mapping out visitor spaces, leveraging a Greeter on busiest days, when to offer club lounges, when to offer tours/tastings VS private experiences and replacing newsletter invitation with high converting invitations Hands-on Exercises Include: Leveraging tools from topic #2 above. What to do and what not to do.
Post Visit: Top tools for encouraging revisit within 60 days, on-boarding checklist for new members, assigning a private client manager for VIPs, etc
Re-engagement/Retention Strategies: including new member on-boarding checklist, bundling virtual tasting experiences with new Phone and eCommerce orders, case loyalty program
Referral Business Strategies to Keep the Funnel Full– new qualified visitors monthly, large groups, corporate groups, private events, etc.

Help Design this Webinar!…We want to know how Covid-19 is impacting your business in terms of customer engagement and sales. Your answers to the survey will help Sandra Hess build the content for the above Webinar. We thank you in advance for taking the time to share your feedback with us.
Sponsored for Garden State Wine Growers Association by:
