2025 Hill Country Wine Symposium

9am: Welcome - Main Ballroom

9:30am: Opening Keynote: Vintage Growth: The History of Texas Wine - sponsored by Moss Adams - Dr Richard Becker, Becker Vineyards - Main Ballroom

10:30am: Exhibitor Break

11am: Breakout Sessions & Tasting Session

- BUSINESS: Understanding Neo-Prohibition: A Call to Action for Wineries -
Amy Gross, Founder & CEO VineSleuth/Wine4.Me & National President, Women for WineSense

The Neo-Prohibitionist movement is gaining traction and reshaping public perceptions of alcohol consumption, with far-reaching implications for the wine industry. For wineries and wine professionals, staying informed and prepared is no longer optional—it's essential.
In this seminar, Amy Gross will delve into the movement’s roots, motivations, and tactics, and share proactive strategies for addressing the challenges posed by the movement. This session will equip you with tools to protect and elevate your business during these headwinds. Don’t wait for others to shape the narrative. Whether you're a winery owner, marketer, or professional,
this seminar provides the knowledge and inspiration you need to champion your craft confidently.

Main Ballroom

- TASTING: Viognier - Mike Batek/Hye Meadow Winery, Rogelio Orocio/Bingham Family Vineyards, Brent Pape/Perissos Vineyard, Tyler Wolz/Slate Theory & Panel - F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

- VINEYARD: Jackie Mancuso, Atlas Vineyard Management - Operational and development costs of a vineyard - sponsored by Texas Tech University - Limestone

12pm: Lunch sponsored by Berlin Packaging & Texas Hill Country Wine Industry Scholarship Awards & Non-Profit Spotlight: Women for WineSense & Grafted - Main Ballroom

1:30pm: Breakout Sessions

- BUSINESS: Navigating Demographic Changes: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Fresh Audiences - Susan DeMatei, WineGlass Marketing - Main Ballroom

By now you’ve noticed a change in the age of consumers coming into your tasting rooms – and they aren’t always the same consumers that are buying online. This seminar will share the latest research on how different generations shop for, consider and repurchase products while highlighting what you can apply at your winery. A special emphasis on younger generations will ensure that your strategies are future proof and will appeal to audiences for the next decade.

- WINERY: Enhancing Winery Operations Panel - Michael Barton, Signor Vineyards + Kim McPherson, McPherson Cellars - sponsored by Texas Tech University - Limestone

- VINEYARD: From Tending Vines to Selling Wines - Making the transition from being a grapegrower to making and selling wine is a huge journey that has been undertaken by several prominent growers in Texas. This panel will weigh in on the good, bad, and ugly of deciding to open a winery based on one’s experience in viticulture. Please join us for a conversation with Katy Jane Seaton, Nolan Newsom, Rob Parr, and Akhil Reddy moderated by Dr. Julie Kuhlken.

Moderator - Julie Kuhlken, Pedernales Cellars. Panel - Nolan Newsom - Newsom Vineyard, Katy Jane Seaton - Farmhouse Vineyard, Robb Parr - Parr Vineyard & Akhil Reddy - Reddy Vineyards.

F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

2:30pm: Exhibitor Break

3pm: Breakout Sessions & Tasting Session

- BUSINESS: Pouring the Perfect Pitch: How Wineries Can Shine in City Magazines - Jennifer McInnis, San Antonio Magazine - Main Ballroom

One size does not fit all when pitching the media. Learn how to craft your pitch to resonate with a regional publication’s audience and align with its editorial interests.

- TASTING: Cabernet Sauvignon: Jon Leahy/Becker Vineyards, Tim Drake/ Michael Ros Winery & Farmhouse Vineyards, Michael Barton/Signor Vineyards, Tony Offill/William Chris Wine Company - F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

- VINEYARD: Breaking the Perception of Quality: John Rivenburgh/Kerrville Hills Winery, Craig Tevis/Tevis Vineyard Management, Doug Lewis/Lewis Wines - sponsored by Texas Wine Growers - Limestone

4pm: Exhibitor Break

4pm-6pm: Scott Lab Reception, Cedar Ballroom

4pm-6pm: Texas Wine Growers Reception, Travertine Ballroom

6pm: Winemaker Dinner (separate ticket)

8am: Breakfast Tacos & Networking

9am: Breakout Sessions

- BUSINESS: TABC Updates from the Executive Director - Thomas Graham, Executive Director & Jared Staples, Director of Public & Government Affairs - sponsored by Texas Wine Growers - Main Ballroom

Hear about the latest agency activities and compliance issues impacting the wine industry and discuss with TABC’s leadership the issues that are important to you.

- WINERY: Current Topics in Texas Grapes & Wine: Maureen Qualia & Kirk Williams, Texas Tech University

Phenolics: Can targeted leaf thinning improve phenolics/ color in grapes and wine while also preventing sun damage?  Results from year one.

Microbial concern:  Lactobacillus kunkeei (Ferocious lactobacillus) : What is it?   What is its prevalence in Texas?  How is it impacting grapes and wine?  Spoiler alert: It’s a real spoiler!

Limestone

- BUSINESS: Allocation Programs and Multi-Channel Sales: Austin Pitzer, Noblemen Wines

Many wineries take their own approach when developing their sales program. After 16 years in the wine industry, Austin Pitzer has seen several different sales models - and learned along the way which ones are successful and which require some reworking. Join us to discuss building a multi-channel sales program and explore how adding an allocation program can boost sales.

F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

10am: Exhibitor Break

10:30am: Breakout Sessions & Tasting Session

- BUSINESS: Free the Grapes, Thea Schlendorf - History of winery to consumer direct shipping, What is Free The Grapes?, State of the States and What You Can Do - Main Ballroom

- TASTING: Picpoul Blanc: Bob Young/Bending Branch Winery, Jason Centanni/Llano Estacado Winery, Ned Murphy/Seventh Son Vineyard, Ron Yates/Ron Yates Wines & Spicewood Vineyards - F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

- BUSINESS: Sammy Lam, Wanderlust Wine Co - Wine Marketing: best practices in harnessing social media for driving traffic - Limestone

11:30am: Lunch sponsored by Comerica Bank & Hill Country Industry Awards & Non-Profit Spotlight - FlavoryTX & Texas Wine Auction - Main Ballroom

1pm: Breakout Sessions

- BUSINESS: Distribution from a Winery Point of View Panel - Karen Bonarrigo, Messina Hof Winery & Jennifer Syma, Ask For Texas Wines + More TBA - Main Ballroom

-WINERY: pHine tuning your wines: Controlling Malolactic Fermentation for Quality and Stability - Andreea Botezatu, Texas A&M University

This presentation will discuss the complex relationship between pH management and wine quality, with a particular focus on the role of malolactic fermentation (MLF). Attendees will gain insights into how pH impacts microbial stability, sensory attributes, and aging potential, and briefly explore strategies for optimizing pH in winemaking. Participants will also learn how MLF in high-pH environments can lead to undesirable outcomes, including further reduced acidity, and increased risk of spoilage. The session will highlight best practices for inhibiting MLF when desired, such as sulfur dioxide management, sterile filtration, pH adjustment, and the use of antimicrobial agents for maintaining wine quality.

Limestone

- BUSINESS: Beyond Basic Training – How to Empower Your Staff and Create a Work Environment That Employees Take Pride In - Daniel Kushnir, Ironstone Vineyards - F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

Trying to hire and retain staff that are knowledgeable, personable and versatile at the average industry pay rate is a TR Manager’s equivalent to trying to squeeze water from a stone. But there are ways to hire and keep quality employees without having to pay outside of your budget. This topic focuses on how to empower your staff in a way that they take pride in their position and enjoy coming into work, rather than just punching in to punch out. 

2pm: Exhibitor Break

2:30pm: Breakout Sessions & Tasting Session

- BUSINESS: James Tidwell, TEXSOM - Authenticity, a sense of place, how Texas wine is represented in restaurants and with Sommeliers - Main Ballroom

- TASTING: Teroldego: John Rivenburgh/Kerrville Hills Winery, Nikhila Narra Davis/Kalasi Cellars/Narra Vineyards, Janet Miertschin/Portree Cellars, Bret Gorman/Pepper Jack Vineyard

F Ballroom/The Tasting Room

- BUSINESS: Maximizing Sales: Turning Fewer Visitors into Greater Revenue - Liz Mercer, WISE Academy - Limestone

In this session, WISE will reveal insights from recent Texas Hill Country mystery shopping, focusing on how wineries can maximize sales from existing visitors in times of reduced traffic. By comparing current practices and trends with other regions facing similar challenges, we’ll highlight strategies to boost revenue and optimize visitor engagement both in and beyond the tasting room. Attendees will walk away with practical tools and actionable ideas to enhance their sales performance, ensuring they thrive even during slower periods by maximizing each visitor interaction.

3:30pm: Exhibitor Break

4pm: Closing Keynote: Modern Growth - Morgen McLaughlin, Willamette Valley Wines - Main Ballroom

CLICK HERE to see Speaker Bios