We are pleased to announce the 2016 WIGA Viticulture and Oenology Conference, to be held on Saturday April 9 at the OceanFront Suites at Cowichan Bay – please save the date!
A great list of speakers and topics are lined up:
– Willem Semmelink (Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Kelowna) will present practical aspects of organic growing – costs, vine health, fertility, water stress issues, comparisons to non-organic growing.
– Elizabeth Tomasino (Oregon State University) will discuss the development of a regional identity for the Wine Islands, including which wine styles will work best with the varietals that thrive in our climate.
– Val Tait (Bench 1775 Winery, Naramata) will present how to harvest based on flavour rather than numbers, and how crop load relates to wine quality.
– Alan Marks (Scott Laboratories) and Chelsey Peterson (Cellar-tek), who both attended WIGA’s recent blind tasting of 2015 whites and rosés, will each address winemaking issues of special importance to Wine Islands wineries. If you have a specific winemaking topic you’d like them to discuss, please let us know!
– Mark Hicken (Winelaw.ca) will give us another update on BC’s rapidly changing wine laws and make some thought-provoking predictions for the future.
– Mark Wachtin (Storied Wines and Spirits) will discuss the challenges of marketing Wine Islands wines, against a tide of strong competition from the Okanagan and the rest of the wine world.
We expect to have an excellent Suppliers Showcase as usual, displaying their vineyard and winery equipment and services. After the conference, there will be a WIGA Social, with a delicious appetizer buffet prepared by the Oceanfront – a great chance to enjoy some local wine and chat about the day.
The cost to attend the conference will remain at $50 for WIGA members, $100 for non-WIGA members, including coffee & baked goods for our breaks and a buffet lunch – a superb value! Details regarding registration and payment for the conference and social will be emailed to you soon.
The OceanFront will be a spectacular venue for the conference, and is offering discounted room rates of $119+tax for economy suites and $129+tax for ocean king suites.
If you haven’t yet become a 2016 WIGA member, it’s easily done – instructions can be found on our website here.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at the conference!
WHEN: Saturday, April 9th. 8:00am – 5:00pm
(continental breakfast and lunch will be provided)
WHERE: OceanFront Suites at Cowichan Bay
( 681 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cowichan Bay, BC )
COST: $50 for WIGA Members / $100 for non-members
Methods of PAYMENT:
1. Bring payment to a meeting
2. Mail a cheque made out to “WIGA” (memo line: Conference) to:
WIGA
4795 Timber Pl.
Victoria, BC
V8Y 2L6
3. Pay by credit card through secure’ PayPal’ system below:
