Montana Grape & Wine Association's Virtual Annual Conference
Event Information
About this event
The Montana Grape and Winery Association is excited to announce that our annual conference in 2021 will be presented in a virtual format!
The event will take place over two weekends — March 19-20 and March 26-27 — and registration is open now!
Our planning team has been working hard to provide the quality and camaraderie you've come to expect from our association's conference. Once again, we will be offering world-class speakers for presentations that will be available in live sessions and recorded formats for registrants to observe later. There will also be opportunities to meet growers and winemakers and catch up with old friends.
Speakers will cover important topics for Montana grape growers and winemakers, including what to plant, irrigation and fertility, pruning and canopy management, and weed control; and for the winemakers, a crash course on making wine from kits for beginners, advanced talks on finishing cold-hardy grape wines, stories of success in marketing and licensing wineries in Montana, and more! You can find the full, evolving agenda on this event page.
For more information regarding MTGWA's mission, membership, and more, please visit www.montanagrapeandwine.com.
MTGWA Annual Conference Agenda
The following agenda will continue to be updated as speakers and content are confirmed.
FRIDAY, MARCH 19
2:45 - 3:00 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks - Bob Thaden (President of Montana Grape & Wine Association; Owner of Tongue River Winery/Vineyard, Miles City, MT)
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.: Yield Potential and Fruit quality of Cold Climate Hybrids Grapes - Dr. Amaya Atucha (Assistant Professor/Fruit Crop Specialist, University of Wisconson-Madison)
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.: Variety Selection and an Update on New Varieties - Dr. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti (Professor High Value Crop Production at NDSU), Dr. Matt Clark (Assistant Professor in Grape Breeding and Enology, University of Minnesota), and Tom Plocher (Renowned Cold Climate Grape Breeder, Hugo, MN).
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.: MTGWA Social Hour
SATURDAY, MARCH 20
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.: Insurance Options for Montana Grape Producers - Marni Walter (USDA Risk Management in Billings, MT)
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.: Weed Management Practices in Vineyards - Dr. Sushila (Sushi) Chaudhari (Assistant Professor in Edible Specialty Crops/Weed Science Program, Dept. of Horticulture, Michigan State University)
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Nutrient Management for Cold-hardy Grapes - Dr. Carl Rosen (Dept. Head and Professor, Dept. of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota)
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.: MSU Fruit Research Updates - Dr. Zach Miller (Superintendent at Western Agricultural Research Center [WARC] and Asst. Professor of Horticulture, Montana State University), Patrick Mangan (Missoula County Extension Horticultural Agent, Montana State University), Katrina Mendrey (Apple Program Manager, WARC), Amy Darling (Vineyard Program Manager, WARC).
FRIDAY, MARCH 26
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.: How to Manage Phenolic Compounds in Grapes and Wines - Dr. Aude Watrelot (Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Enology, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University)
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.: Practical Barrel Use, Selection, and Maintenance - Drew Horton (Enology Specialist, Grape Breeding and Enology Project, University of Minnesota)
5:00 - 5:30 p.m.: Establishing and Maintaining Relationships Between Growers and Wineries - Bob Thaden (President of Montana Grape & Wine Association; Owner of Tongue River Winery/Vineyard, Miles City, MT)
SATURDAY, MARCH 27
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.: Establishing a Winery, Panel Discussion - Ben Griffith (Owner/Winemaker at Watchdog Winery/Vineyard, Dixon, MT), Bob Thaden (President of Montana Grape & Wine Association; Owner of Tongue River Winery/Vineyard, Miles City, MT), Brian McGuire (Owner/Vineyard & Business Manager at Willow Mountain Winery/Vineyard, Corvallis, MT), Dan Murphy (Owner/Winemaker at White Raven Winery, Columbia Falls, MT)
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.: Considerations in Establishing an American Viticultural Area (AVA) - Dr. Greg Jones (Linfield University - Evenstad Center for Wine Education, McMinnville, OR)
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: MTGWA Annual Meeting
