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CONFERENCE INFORMATION

From Chambourcin blending and pest management to social networking, the 2009 Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Conference offered a bounty of information for the 350 people attending the workshops Feb. 19-21 in Springfield.
Yet it was the people who made the conference a success. Taking the limelight at the annual banquet on Saturday night were these award winners:

	Guy Renzaglia Lifetime Achievement Award Paul Renzaglia, Alto Vineyards, Alto Pass.
	John McFarland Enologist of the Year Award Denny Franklin, Pheasant Hollow Winery, Whittington.
	Rusty Baehr Viticulturist of the Year Award Gene Meyer, Bay Creek Vineyard.
	IGGVA Friend of the Industry Award Cindi Fleischli, Illinois Bureau of Tourism, Springfield.

Kicking off the conference was an intense all-day workshop on Feb. 19 with the venerable Ann Noble, teaching the finer techniques for use of her Wine Aroma Wheel. Now retired from the University of California at Davis, Noble showed neophytes and experienced noses how to “listen to your nose.”

Conferees had a choice between enology, marketing or viticulture program tracks. For the enology programming, Finger Lakes winemaker Steve DiFrancesco led a bubbly discussion on sparkling wine production while State Enologist Bradley Beam showcased Chambourcin’s blending qualities and Jason Heiligenberg of Indiana’s Huber Winery shared his insights on fruit wine making. There also were workshops on wine labeling, barrel management and wine faults.

Viticulture was well rooted in the program, too. Naturally, the U of I Extension team was on hand: spray guides were handed out with Elizabeth Wahle’s pesticide presentation, Bill Shoemaker shared the best IPM approaches and Mosbah Kushad talked about fruit quality at harvest. Formerly Illinois’ and now Ohio’s state viticulturist, Imed Dami talked about cold hardiness and frost protection methods. Other grape growing presenters included Jeff Wheeler and Rob Brase. There also was a roundtable discussion.

Marketing ideas exploded from energetic presentations from Ross Ament about event planning, inspirational speaker Keith Powell and his “hats” of tricks, Donald Coe of Michigan’s Black Star Farms about destination tourism and several live demonstrations on the ease of social networking by Emma Douglas and Anna Fernatt.  Cindi Fleischli and Bonnie Heimbach provided a wealth of information on tourism partnerships and opportunities.

To cap off the festivities, outgoing President Paul Hahn cheerfully handed over the gavel to incoming President Larry Hanold at the Saturday evening banquet.

> Check Out the pics from this year’s conference

> Check Out the Pics from last year's Wine Reception