Peter Bell
Winemaker
Fox Run Vineyards
Peter, a Canadian native, has been winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards since 1995. He holds degrees in Enology from Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, Australia and in Anthropology from Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He worked as a winemaker in Australia and New Zealand before coming to the Finger Lakes region of New York in 1990 to take a job as head winemaker at Dr. Frank’s. Peter was also an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University for many years. He consults with a number of wineries in the eastern U.S. and lectures to wine industry professionals throughout the world.
Tim Benedict
Winemaker
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
“It is essential for us to get out of the cellar from time to time and expand our horizons. EWE is the best and most efficient opportunity I have found to see advances in tools and technology, hear from industry experts on new tips and tricks, taste different wines, network and socialize, all in one place.” —Tim Benedict
Tim is a native of the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York and grew up around his grandfather’s vineyards. His early formal training was in the field of music but other than an inspired period as a traveling musician, he brought the creative sensibilities of a musician back to the craft of winemaking. In 2019 he celebrates 24 years as a head winemaker with 39 years total experience in the grape and wine industry. Throughout his career, Tim has crafted many award-winning wines from vinifera, hybrid, and native varieties, specializing in dessert wines like port, sherry, late harvest, and ice wines. In recent years he has expanded his portfolio to include flavored wines and hard cider. Tim is an experienced project and production manager and has judged wines in several international competitions.
Jerry Forest
Winemaker
Buckingham Valley Vineyards
Jerry, together with wife Kathy, and sons Jon, Kevin and Chris founded, own, and operate Buckingham Valley Vineyards, a forty-acre, 18,000 case Pennsylvania vineyard and winery. Founded in 1966, they are celebrating fifty years in the business. Buckingham Valley is unique in that the entire production is sold direct to the consumer. Jerry is unique in that after fifty years he still loves what he is doing. In 2017 Jerry and Kathy were awarded the Eastern Winery Exposition Lifetime Achievement Award.
Denise M. Gardner
Winemaking Consultant
Denise Gardner Winemaking, LLC
“The EWE continues to be well attended by industry members and professionals throughout the Eastern U.S. It’s a great forum to hear from industry leaders and suppliers.” —Denise M. Gardner
Patty Held
Proprietor
Patty Held Winery Consulting
Patty Held of Hermann, Missouri, graduated from California State University of Fresno with a B.S. degree in Enology in 1982. She was winemaker for Taylor Wine Company in New York from 1982 to 1988 before returning to her family-owned winery, Stone Hill Winery, in Hermann, MO, where she was director of public relations and special events from 1988 until 2008. Currently, Patty has her own winery consulting business, Patty Held Winery Consulting, specializing in marketing, tasting room evaluations, wine trails and customer service training. Since the 1980s, Patty has judged wine at prestigious wine competitions across the country. In 2004, Patty was instrumental in forming the Hermann Wine Trail, a collaboration among seven local wineries for the purpose of promoting the Hermann area wine country. She serves as president of that organization. Patty is also an adjunct on-line instructor for VESTA, www.VESTA-USA.org, teaching Marketing for Small Wineries and Tasting Room Management. Patty is America’s Wine Trails industry advisor and part of the marketing team for its website and mobile app. She has been in the wine industry since she was five years old and has a grasp of all areas of the winery business.
Lucie Morton
Viticulturist
Morton Viticulture
“For those growing grapes, making and selling wine in the Eastern U.S., it is invaluable to have an educational forum to meet your colleagues and suppliers. As the industry grows and faces new challenges, it is the Eastern Winery Exposition that maintains an undiluted focus on the dynamic integration of the three branches of winegrowing: vineyards, wineries, and marketing.” —Lucie Morton
Lucie is an independent viticulturist based in Virginia. She is an internationally recognized author, ampelographer, lecturer, consultant and research collaborator. Her higher education in viticulture occurred in Europe, while her practical education began as vineyard manager on the family farm along the banks of the Potomac River, Virginia-side. Most recently she has been working with geologists to show the need for revising potassium recommendations based on soil analyses and with plant pathologists to better understand wood fungi that also impact developing fruit clusters.
Tom Payette
Winemaker & Winemaking Consultant
Payette Consulting
“Sharing, collaborating and true face time with fellow wine industry members, and suppliers, at Eastern Wineries has been invaluable for my professional growth and refinement of my skills.” —Tom Payette
Tom is an East Coast pioneering winemaker with a degree in Food Science and over 30 years of wisdom under his hat crafting fine wine. In addition to winemaking, Tom is also one of the premier winery start-up professionals on the East Coast. Flexible streamlined processes have been developed from the 55+ winery start-ups and expansions he has managed. From construction to cork to consumer, Tom’s industry knowledge is highly valuable. He also finds winery rescues to be another fun challenge. More about Tom is available via winemakingconsultant.com.