Seminars
WineGB is once again hosting the seminar programme which will take place during the Vineyard & Winery Show on 20 November.
This year, the programme will feature three talks on WineGB’s strategy, frost research, and restaurant wine sales as well as a keynote address from Patrick McGrath MW, CEO of Hatch Mansfield and Co-Founder of Domaine Evremond.
09:10 – 09:20
Mitch Fowler, Founder and CEO of Ferovinum
The programme will be kicked off with a welcome from the seminar programme sponsor.
09:20 – 09:34
Keynote speaker:
Patrick McGrath MW, CEO of Hatch Mansfield and Co-Founder of Domaine Evremond
We are excited to announce that Patrick McGrath MW will be delivering this year’s keynote address. Patrick has spent over 45 years in the wine trade, working for the likes of Champagne Bollinger, Grants of St. James’s, and Victoria Wine. Having passed his Master of Wine examination in 1986, he joined wine distributor Hatch Mansfield as Managing Director a year later. He is the Co-Founder of Champagne Taittinger’s English estate Domaine Evremond alongside his role as CEO of Hatch Mansfield.
Seminar 1 – 10:00 – 10:30
Delivering for Members:
WineGB’s three-year strategy and action plan
Nicola Bates, WineGB CEO
Patrick’s talk will be followed by the launch of WineGB’s three-year strategy and a presentation of the organisation’s work plan by WineGB CEO, Nicola Bates. This follows an extensive member consultation and our first Strategy Day, held at Denbies Wine Estate in September.
Seminar 2 – 11:00 – 12:00
Future Climate Impact on Vineyards:
Insights and updates from Innovate UK’s groundbreaking frost project
Professor Steve Dorling, Head of Innovation at WeatherQuest and Specialist Meteorology Trainer with Capita and the Ministry of Defence
Phoebe French, Communications Manager at WineGB
Dr Alistair Nesbitt, CEO of Vinescapes
Representative from Plumpton College
Ian Beecher-Jones, Founder of JoJo’s Vineyard
This will be followed by a panel discussion entitled: Future Climate Impact on Vineyards: Insights and Updates from Innovate UK’s Groundbreaking Frost Project. The panel will consist of Professor Steve Dorling (WeatherQuest) and Dr Alistair Nesbitt (Vinescapes), who will deliver an update on future climate predictions impacting viticulture. WineGB’s Communications Manager Phoebe French will then provide an overview of the Innovate UK funded frost project, which began earlier this year. A representative from Plumpton College will provide an update on its work on behalf of this project, focusing on different grape varieties and frost resilience. The session will conclude with a summary of how digitisation and technology can help vineyards react quickly to climatic events by Ian Beecher-Jones (JoJo’s Vineyard).
Seminar 3 – 14:15 – 15:00
Restaurant Bottleneck:
Do listings matter?
Tim Wildman MW, Owner and Winemaker at Lost in a Field
Simon Huntington, Client Manager at Itasca Wines
Al Thorp, Director of Wines Under the Bonnet
Further speakers to be confirmed
The final session of the day will focus on sales, specifically the importance of restaurant listings. The discussion, Restaurant Bottleneck: Do Listings Matter? will include conversations about how restaurant listings affect wine sales and how sommeliers decide which wines to include, as well as the challenges and barriers that restaurants and producers face. The panel will be Tim Wildman MW (Lost in a Field), Al Thorp (Wines Under the Bonnet), and Simon Huntington (Itasca).
Photo credit: Thomas Alexander Photography