Virginia Wine Trade Intensive: Full Schedule

The Virginia Wine Trade Intensive is a high-impact professional development experience built for the trade to taste, learn, and sell Virginia Wine with confidence.

11:00am EDT

Blends with Intention: How Virginia Builds Balance and Style

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

The Jefferson Hotel

Blending is one of Virginia wine’s most effective tools for achieving balance and consistency in a climate that rewards thoughtful composition. This session explores blend styles where Virginia consistently excels, highlighting how intentional blending helps producers manage vintage variation and results in wines that perform well on the list and in the market.

Moderators

Sebastian Zutant

Primrose & Lightwell Survey, Owner

Sebastian began his career in wine in 2003–2004 as the opening sommelier at Komi in Washington, DC. Early on, he developed a strong interest not just in service, but in the culture, history, and craft behind wine, setting the foundation for everything that followed.

In August 2006, he moved to Sonoma, California, where he spent a year working alongside several winemakers during the 2006–2007 harvest. This hands-on experience in both vineyard and cellar work gave him a deeper understanding of the process and proved to be a defining moment in... Read More →

Speakers

Nate Walsh

Walsh Family Wine

Nate Walsh is the founder of Walsh Family Wine, focusing on vineyard-designate wines in Loudoun County, VA. He has worked for vineyards and wineries in Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Luca Paschina

Estate Director, Barboursville Vineyards

A third generation winemaker , born in Torino he graduated at the School of enology in Alba in 1981 and then worked in grape-growing and winemaking in Piemonte, Puglia, Napa Valley, Finger Lakes NY and Switzerland.He has been managing the Barboursville Vineyards Estate since July... Read More →

Chelsey Blevins

Winemaker, Fifty-third Winery & Vineyard

Virginia Native, Chelsey Blevins, is a first generation winemaker that has been diligently crafting in the Virginia Piedmont since 2014. “My role in this world is to make wine, not just any wine but Virginia Wine. The same minerals and water that flows through our soils, and the... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
The Jefferson Hotel

Morning Breakout

11:00am EDT

Rooted in Resilience: Viticultural decisions shaping Virginia’s winemaking future

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

The Jefferson Hotel

Explore how Virginia’s winemakers and growers are making deliberate viticultural choices to meet the challenges of a changing climate. It examines how decisions around variety selection—including the increasing role of hybrids—along with farming practices and vineyard management are shaping both sustainability and wine quality in the state. Attendees will gain practical tools for framing “resilience” in clear, credible ways and for understanding how these choices translate into commercially relevant wines.

Moderators

Lee Campbell

Speakers

Karl Hambsch

mondayCRM 1 Desiree Harrison-Brown Sequences Quotes and Invoices Mass email tracking AI Sidekick Vibe AI Workflows AI Agents AI Notetaker Board Planning Calendar Board Tasting Pass Application Planning Notes Governor's Cup Board Governor's Cup Tickets Board Judges Feedback Board 2026 Gold Medal Wine Trail Assets Trade Intensive Board Wines_Intensive Wine Summit Notes Board Submissions: The Virginia Wine | Trade Intensive Board Intensive To-Do List Board Flights_Vetting Board Trade Intensive Panelist Submission Form Completed Virginia by the Glass Landing Pages Norton Trail Board New Form Board New Board Board New Form AI Sidekick Vineyard Manager and Winemaker, Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery

Karl Hambsch is the owner, vineyard manager, and winemaker of Virginia's only certified-organic vineyard and winery. Karl has worked in the wine industry for 25 years, has been making wine for 20 years, and has begun his 15th vintage year at Loving Cup.
Karl endeavors to farm with humility and attempts to work with nature, rather than against it. "Do no harm" is the standard against which all farming practices at Loving Cup are measured. Biodiversity and soil health are protected and encouraged, adding layered resilience in V... Read More →

Matthieu Finot

Winegrower, Domaine Finot

Domaine Finot is a bi-national viticultural bridge between the French Alps and Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Winemaker Matthieu Finot brings a "garagiste" soul to Turk Mountain Vineyards, championing minimalist intervention: natural yeasts, no added SO2, and sustainable farming. By blending... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
The Jefferson Hotel

Morning Breakout

11:00am EDT

Today’s Industry: Trends & Virginia’s Role

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT

The Jefferson Hotel

The wine industry is navigating one of its most dynamic periods in recent history. In this session, we’ll examine the trends reshaping wine consumption and what they mean for Virginia. This conversation explores what consumers are buying, how regional identity influences purchasing decisions, and why education, storytelling, and stewardship are more critical than ever. We’ll take a candid look at Virginia’s strengths, headwinds, and strategic opportunities to elevate its presence.

Moderators

Frank Morgan

Frank Morgan has been writing about the wines, wineries and winemakers of Virginia for over 15 years. He serves as Director of Judging for the Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition and organizer of the Monticello Cup Wine Competition and the Shenandoah Valley Wine Competition... Read More →

Speakers

Aileen Servier

Marketing Director, Winebow

Lisa Granik MW

Managing Director & CEO, Master of Wine, Tastingwordks

Lisa Granik MW entered the wine trade following an earlier career as a lawyer and law professor. Having worked in both the importing and distribution channels, she currently advises European wineries, regions, and importers on strategies for the US market. As a specialist in Russian... Read More →

Jason Wilson

Wine Writer

JASON WILSON is senior correspondent for The New Wine Review. He also writes Everyday Drinking, a newsletter about the world of wine & spirits (awarded Substack’s Food Intensive Fellowship).
He is the author of Godforsaken Grapes, which The New York Times named one of “The Bes... Read More →

Lisa Katic

Wine Gallery 108, Owner

Lisa started her career in hospitality while she was in college studying for her Dietetics and Nutrition degree. She spent 20+ years working in many different capacities as a nutrition professional while expanding and cultivating her knowledge of wine. With her artistic abilities... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
The Jefferson Hotel

Morning Breakout