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Faces& Forums NEWSMAKERS Napa Growers N Still Perplexed Experts review 2011's unusual harvest at expo apa, Calif.—Harvest 2011 was unlike any veteran winemakers and growers had ever witnessed. That was the sense at the Napa Valley Grape- growers' Wine and Grape Expo held Nov. 16 at the Napa County Airport. Throughout the day, a broad range of in- dustry insiders mingled at the trade show in a spacious hangar, listened to educational seminars and kicked the tires of massive viticulture equipment parked outside next to sleek private jets. Steve Price, a phenolics specialist with ETS labs and an Oregon Pinot Noir grower, began his seminar about grape sampling by saying that he just had to speak about tannin—or its pronounced lack of it—in the 2011 grape harvest. "We really haven't seen anything like it in at least the past 15 years," he said. Napa Valley Grapegrowers executive director Jennifer K. Putnam said more than 1,000 people attended the expo, which featured 80 exhibitors inside the airplane hangar and 10 more on the tarmac. "I think the expo was a categorical suc- cess in bringing colleagues and friends together after harvest," she said. The Napa Valley Viticulture Fair will take place at the county fairgrounds next year; Putnam said the expo may return to the airport in 2013. —Andrew Adams 34 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2012 Bill Hanna pours selections from Muir-Hanna Vineyards at an industry wine reception. Celia Welch moderates a session about classic and high-tech grape-sorting methods. Trefethen family Vineyards' Jon Ruel social- izes at the trade show portion of the event. Opus One viticulturist Nathalie Jure moderates a session about ideal grape maturity. Sam Turner of T&M Ag Services serves as treasurer for the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci participat- ed in the comparative wine-tasting seminar. QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1004g PARTNERS 2 MEDIA