Wine producers and other stakeholders in Pennsylvania’s grape and wine industry will gather at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College March 1-2 for the annual Pennsylvania Grape and Wine Industry Conference, hosted by the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Program and Penn State Extension.
Michela Centinari, associate professor of viticulture in Penn State’s Department of Plant Science, Cain Hickey, viticulture extension educator, and Molly Kelly, enology extension educator, helped organize the conference. Beth Williams, project and program coordinator with the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Program, also assisted with conference preparation.
The conference will feature enology and viticulture research updates; grower panels on mechanized harvest and bird deterrence and control measures; winemaker panels on non-Saccharomyces yeast and niche cultivars with tastings; enology presentations on filtration and the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts; and integrated pest management and spotted lanternfly sessions.
A welcome reception will take place at Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery. Organizers ask that attendees bring their wines for sampling. The reception will allow showcasing of Pennsylvania wines.
Registration and conference details are available online. The registration deadline is Feb. 21.
Before the conference, attendees also can learn about herbicide drift by attending a workshop from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Ramada Inn, 1450 S. Atherton St., State College.
The Feb. 28 workshop, “Herbicide Drift Perspectives from the Vineyard,” is free to attend and will cover current research on herbicide damage in vineyards. Industry, academic and regulatory representatives with various areas of specialization will discuss herbicide use and choices. More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/herbicide-drift-perspectives-from-the-vineyard.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
