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Schedule

Welcome to the 12th annual Southeastern United Grape and Wine symposium.

“The Southeastern United Grape and Wine Symposium was created to address the needs of the Grape and Wine Industry. Providing hands-on, technical educational programs and networking opportunities to grow the Southeast.”

Symposium Schedule

Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Time: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

  • 8:00 AM

    Guest sign-in and registration, Grand Hall

    Breakfast bar available.

  • 8:30 AM

    Vendor Display floor opens, Grand Hall

  • 9:00 AM

    Symposium Welcome, Grand Hall

    Dr. David Shockley | President, Surry Community College

    Surry Community College’s president will welcome attendees and kick off the start of the symposium.

  • 9:15 AM

    Speaker One, Grand Hall

    Dr. Deborah Aller | Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University

    Opportunities for Biochar in the Vineyard

    Biochar is a charcoal-like material produced from organic waste materials via a process called pyrolysis. It is a highly stable carbon rich product that acts as a long-lasting soil amendment with numerous potential agronomic and environmental benefits. Biochar is being used in viticulture globally and has been shown to improve productivity through improved plant and soil health without negatively impacting grape quality or wine flavor. The diversity of biochars, however, means it’s not a one size fits all product and must be applied to the right soils to address a resource concern. This presentation will provide an overview of biochar, impacts observed to vineyards across different geographic regions, and practical insights into its application in perennial crop systems.

  • 10:30 AM

    Vendor Break, Grand Hall

    Featuring Scott Labs

  • 11:00 AM

    Speaker Two, Grand Hall

    Eric Patterson | Cultural Anthropology Ph.D student, University of California-Davis

    Bottling Creativity: Artisanal Ethos in Emergent “Winescapes”

    In recent years, emerging wine regions around the world have been making their mark on the industry with their innovative approaches and unique expressions of viticulture and oenology. This talk delves into the vibrant tapestry of creativity and the artisanal ethos that are redefining wine cultures. A “winescape” is more than just a wine region, it delves into untapped explorations at the intersection of local culture, expressions of terroir, economic dynamics, and the global discourses within Viticulture and Enology. By mixing theory from the social sciences with fieldwork done in the Yadkin Valley AVA and regions throughout China, we will map out the importance of creativity as it traverses the entirety of the winemaking process—from the vineyards to the winery, right up to the tasting room.

  • 12:15 PM

    Lunch, Grand Hall

    Featuring Wright Labels

  • 1:00 PM

    Speaker Three, Grand Hall

    Fiona Mak | Owner, SMAK Wines

    TBD

    TBD

  • 2:15 PM

    Vendor Break, Grand Hall

    Featuring Double A Vineyards

  • 2:30 PM

    Speaker Four, Grand Hall

    Reggie Leonard II | Co-Founder, Oenoverse

    Fueling the Future: Wine, Community, and Possibility

    What if we haven't lived in the best version of the world, yet? What if that's because we haven't conspired to build it? What if we did? Join Reggie, co-founder of Oenoverse, for an interactive session that transcends state lines. With a focus on replicable strategies, this interactive session will equip attendees to walk away with actionable ideas to create positive change, build sustainable communities, and be a part of building a more sustainable wine future.

  • 3:45 PM

    Educational Breakout Session

    Breakout Viticulture Speaker

    SBVE 109

    Dr. Alexa McDaniel | Viticulture Research Scholar

    Potential Changes in Pesticide Labels: what that means for grape growers

    The potential delisting of any crucial pesticide for Southeastern grape grower’s pest and disease management program is concerning. Understanding the reasoning behind the proposal and the outcomes will help growers make informed decisions. Proactive solutions such as but not limited to, rotating mode of actions, calibrating sprayers for effective coverage, including biopesticides, or replanting with disease resistant varieties, will be needed regardless of the decisions.

    Breakout Enology Speaker

    SBVE 113

    George Hall | Territory Sales Manager, Waterloo Containers

    Next Level Packaging, Getting Noticed in a Crowded Marketplace

    Proven packaging strategies to generate increased revenue & increase your winery visibility! A hands-on workshop. How can we make scalable investments to our brand? What will move the dial in a positive direction? How long will it take to advance the new look? Why should I even bother trying something new? How much will it cost me? What is the ROI? Act now or get left behind!

  • 4:30 PM

    Networking, Winery

    Featuring Surry Cellars Wine

    Join us for a special networking session to engage with other members of the Southeastern Wine Industry to share ideas, wine, and build valuable connections. This event will be held in the Teaching Winery within the SBVE building and will feature wines made by the students at Surry Community College poured by faculty and staff. Join us for a valuable peer to peer experience.

  • 5:00 PM

    Grand Wine Tasting, Grand Hall

    5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

    Join us in the Grand Hall as the sun sets for featured wines from our Southeastern Partner Wineries. Food pairings will include local cheeses, breads, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, and truffles. We will also have soups and hors d'oeurves. This is a featured networking event for our attendees!

    Featuring 10 great Southeastern wineries and exquisite food.

  • 7:00 PM

    Grand Wine Tasting, Grand Hall

    Closing remarks

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