20th Annual Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers Forum and Trade Show

MARCH 2-4, 2017
Omaha Marriott, Omaha, Nebraska

Conference Wrap-Up

This is a “can’t miss” event that will be both educational and fulfilling. Great speakers will provide cutting edge information to enhance your enterprise, be it growing grapes, making wine or promotion and marketing. Local and regional experienced growers will provide ideas and experiences that will be shared as part of presentations and round table discussions. Trade Show vendors will share up-to-date industry information. And there will be time for great networking opportunities with colleagues and friends, both old and new.

Karen Purves, internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, will address promotion and marketing topics that will be relevant for anyone selling wine and related products. She will present on the following topics.
  • Communicate With Strength – Key Words To Enhance Your Effectiveness, Part 1 – Got the right words? Laugh and learn in this high energy, fun-filled, humorous session offering the latest solutions in effective communication for wineries and growers alike.
  • Communicate With Strength – Key Words To Enhance Nebraska Wineries Marketing and Promotion Effectiveness, Part 2. There’s a lot more to add on to Friday’s session. We’ll have an opportunity to focus on proven communication techniques to respond to tasting room inquiries, get visitors to return, and to help entice people to purchase wine!
  • This is How You Do It – Proven Marketing Email Tips and Tricks – Do you know the four letter word that instantly increases the response rate to your emails? Find out the answer plus laugh as you learn in this cutting edge, jam packed, interactive session filled with proven email tips.
  • Drew Horton, Enology Specialist at the University of Minnesota will bring us up to date on the latest and best practices for making great wines from cold climate grapes.
  • G. Stan Howell, famed Professor Emeritus from Michigan State University and Advisor to the VESTA program, will entertain us with his insights borne of his role in establishing Michigan’s top quality grape and wine industry.
  • Richard Smart, the so-called “The Flying Vine Doctor”, has been involved with viticulture since 1966, as a viticulturist teaching, conducting research and consulting with growers. Consulting has been a full time occupation since 1991. 
  • Ed Swanson, grape breeder and owner of Cuthills Vineyard, Nebraska’s first winery opening in 1994.
  • Marty Fischer, president and CEO of Agrothermal Systems which is pioneering the usage of heat in agriculture as a means to increase yields, reduce pesticide needs, improve crop qualities and manage climatic challenges such as drying off crops after rains and adding sugar late in the season when target maturity slows.
Wine glass dinner

Banquet Menu and Wine Selection

Appetizer – Cranberry Brie in Phyllo – paired with Cellar 426 Blue Jay Edelweiss

Soup – Minestrone – paired with Silver Hills Vineyards & Winery Carriage House Red

Salad – Spinach salad with goat cheese, dried cherries, sunflower seeds with Cherry Vinaigrette – paired with Deer Springs Winery Brianna

Entrée 1 – Grilled Salmon with dill pickle butter served with a blended wild rice – paired with Niobrara Valley Vineyard Boss Cow

Entrée 2 – Flat Iron Steak with Sauce de Chambourcin served with Gorgonzola Dauphinoise and grilled asparagus – paired with Soaring Wings Vineyard Special Reserve Chambourcin

Dessert – Dark Chocolate Crème Brulee – Paired with James Arthur Vineyards Sweet Charlotte

TRADE SHOW VENDORS