2025 Oregon Wine Symposium | Advanced Wine Analysis: Updating the Classics

This seminar provides a comprehensive and cutting-edge exploration of contemporary winemaking techniques, tracing the intricate journey from grape to bottle. This seminar will examine critical innovations across multiple production stages, offering participants an in-depth analysis of emerging methodologies in cold soak processes, fermentation dynamics, and wine stabilization. Through detailed discussions on non-Saccharomyces yeasts, advanced phenolic analysis, innovative fining techniques, smoke taint remediation, extraction strategies, and modern filtration approaches, attendees will gain insights into how emerging technologies can enhance wine quality, improve operational efficiency, and support sustainable production practices. Designed for enologists, winemakers, and technical professionals seeking to integrate the latest scientific advancements into their workflow, this seminar bridges traditional winemaking knowledge with current research and practical applications that are transforming how winemakers approach their craft.

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Joanna Engel, Associate Winemaker, Union Wine Company
Joanna Engel is the Assistant Winemaker at Union Wine Company. An Ohio native with a background in Animal Science, she earned a PhD focusing on Laying Hen Behavior and Welfare from the University of Melbourne in 2016. Realizing academia was not her future, she dropped everything with 2 weeks’ notice and drove cross-country to experience harvest in California. Following multiple harvests in New Zealand and Oregon, Joanna joined Union Wine Company as Enologist in 2020 drawn by the innovation and diversity of product produced.

Alex Nichols, Winemaker, Jackson Family Wines
A native Oregonian, Alex grew up in a family surrounded by food and wine at every gathering. He decided at a young age to pursue a career in winemaking, and worked his first harvest at Belle Vallée Cellars Cellars while attending Oregon State University. Upon graduating with a degree in enology and viticulture, he joined Adelsheim Vineyard in 2009. Alex traveled to the southern hemisphere to work the 2010 harvest in Marlborough, New Zealand. Upon returning to Oregon, he established his own wine brand in the Willamette Valley and continued to build his résumé through positions at Chehalem Winery and Argyle Winery. Alex particularly valued his time with each of these respected wineries with long histories in the Willamette Valley.

In 2017 Alex joined Jackson Family Wines as Assistant Winemaker at JFW – McMinnville to help complete the winery construction and oversee day-to-day operations in the winery. Alex later joined the team at WillaKenzie Estate (after it was acquired by JFW) to help re-envision the winery and understand the full potential of the vineyard. Alex continued to support the winery operations at JFW- McMinnville in various capacities and began developing Banke Wines in 2021, a sparkling-led brand within Jackson Family Wines. He moved back to JFW – McMinnville full time as Winemaker after the 2023 harvest.

Alex lives in the Willamette Valley with his wife, son, and daughter and enjoys cooking, gardening, and exploring the outdoors with his family.

Kate Payne Brown, Partner and Winemaker, Vinovate Wine Services
Kate Payne Brown brings her passion and expertise to Vinovate Wine Services as Winemaker and Partner. Raised in Salt Lake City by New Yorkers, Kate’s wine journey began a couple of years before deciding to pursue a Master’s degree in Oenology from the University of Adelaide, where she discovered her love for sparkling wine. She honed her skills both abroad and in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, working with esteemed wineries like Archery Summit and Stoller Family Estate, where she developed acclaimed vineyard-specific wines and a sparkling wine program. Known for her commitment to sustainability and respect for the land, Kate’s winemaking philosophy focuses on creating wines that embody the unique terroir of their origins. At Vinovate, she oversees winemaking, client relationships, and innovative strategies, ensuring the company’s dedication to quality and growth.

James Osborne (moderator), Director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute, Oregon State University
James is the Director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute and a Professor and Enology Extension Specialist in the Food Science and Technology Department at Oregon State University. He received his PhD from Washington State University in 2005 researching interactions between wine yeast and bacteria after which he spent time in his native New Zealand working at the University of Auckland. His research focuses on the impact of wine lactic acid bacteria, Brettanomyces, and non-Saccharomyces yeast on wine quality James provides outreach programs for the Oregon wine industry such as technical workshops and seminars to aid in the transfer of relevant research results to winery application. In addition, James teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in support of the enology and viticulture program at Oregon State University.