4/14/2026
Clear, well-structured contracts are essential to protecting both growers and wineries—especially in today’s challenging market environment. Yet many agreements still rely on informal terms, leaving both parties exposed to unnecessary risk.
This webinar will break down what a strong grape purchase or custom crush agreement should include—and the common pitfalls to avoid. We’ll explore the differences between verbal and written contracts, what makes an agreement enforceable, and how unclear terms can lead to costly disputes.
Key topics include pricing structures, tonnage commitments, quality specifications, payment terms, and penalties, as well as how to address weather events, crop loss, and winery refusal clauses. We’ll also cover how to clearly define roles and responsibilities in custom crush arrangements, including timelines, intellectual property, and bottling.
Participants will gain practical guidance on risk allocation, working with co-ops and brokers, dispute resolution options, and New York-specific compliance considerations. The session will also highlight best practices for negotiating new agreements—or revisiting existing ones—to ensure they reflect current realities and protect your business.
Whether you’re entering a new agreement or rethinking a long-standing one, this session will help you ask the right questions—and avoid the mistakes that can cost you.
Location: Live Virtual
5/12/2026
As non-alcoholic wines and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages continue to gain traction, producers face a complex and evolving regulatory landscape. Understanding how these products are defined, classified, and regulated is critical to bringing them to market successfully—and compliantly.
This webinar will break down the key legal and regulatory considerations for producing non-alcoholic wine and RTDs, with a focus on federal requirements and New York-specific implications. We’ll clarify how “non-alcoholic wine” is defined under federal rules, when a product is no longer considered wine, and how that shift impacts oversight—whether through the TTB or FDA.
Participants will gain practical guidance on labeling requirements, including what must be disclosed versus what is optional, as well as when formula approvals are required and how to prepare for submission. The session will also explore state-by-state considerations, common compliance pitfalls, and real-world examples of both compliant and non-compliant products.
We’ll also cover approval timelines, available regulatory resources, and key marketing and advertising dos and don’ts to help ensure your product positioning aligns with current rules.
Whether you’re exploring new product lines or already in production, this session will help you navigate the regulatory landscape with greater clarity and confidence—so you can innovate without missteps.
Location: Live Virtual
6/11/2026
As consumer interest in ingredients, nutrition, sustainability, and wellness continues to grow, wineries are getting more questions than ever about what can legally be shared on labels, websites, and social media. This webinar will break down the real rules behind wine labeling and marketing so your team can communicate with confidence while staying compliant.
We’ll walk through what the TTB allows when it comes to labeling information such as sugar content, sulfites, calories, and ingredients, and explain where the lines are drawn around common “better-for-you” or wellness-focused claims. The session will also clarify what qualifies as a health claim under TTB and FDA guidance, and what types of statements may require disclaimers or be avoided altogether.
In addition to claim language, we’ll cover practical compliance considerations, including how to talk about sustainability, transparency, and production practices in a way that is both compelling and legally sound. The program will also address allowable revisions to approved labels, including when seemingly minor changes—such as adding descriptive marketing text—can trigger the need for a new label approval.
Because marketing today extends far beyond the bottle, the session will include guidance on website and social media do’s and don’ts, helping wineries understand how compliance applies across digital platforms where messaging can sometimes feel less regulated.
To bring the topic to life, the webinar will feature real-world examples and case-style scenarios that highlight compliant versus problematic language in labeling and marketing copy. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to promote their wines effectively while avoiding common regulatory pitfalls.
Location: Live Virtual