The Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture Series takes place every two years.
Brock University launched the Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture Series in 2004 to attract and showcase world leaders in the cultivation of premium vinifera grapes. This was made possible thanks to a generous donation by Don and Elaine Triggs to the University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.
In 2011 the lecture series spread its outreach to include the grape and wine regions of both Ontario and British Columbia. The expanded lecture series has helped create an invaluable networking opportunity for the grape and wine industry across Canada. To help ensure that the event could be held in both provinces, BASF Canada, a company that provides crop protection products to the grape industry, stepped in to sponsor costs associate with making it a national event.
The series provides those interested or directly involved in the business of grape growing, viticulture and winemaking, as well as students and faculty, with access to the most current developments in viticulture.
2026 Featured Speaker:
Fritz Westover, Viticulturist, Westover Vineyard Advising, Houston Texas
TOPIC: Improving nutrient strategies for consistency, uniformity, and quality in Vitis Vinifera vineyards
In Ontario we hosted almost 100 people in three Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyards on August 6th. Our goal was to have Fritz speak to vine nutrition based on the age of the vine. Thank you to our three site hosts: Site 1: young (1-3 yrs old); Site 2: developed (4-5 yrs); and Site 3: mature (10+ yrs) to address best practices suited for each.
On August 7th we then hosted 60+ for the Public Lecture held at Brock University. The video recording of the public lecture will be available soon.
Unfortunately, due to the fires in the Okanagan we had to cancel the second leg for our speaker series. We hope to make it up to our friends in the Okanagan when the time is right.
Past Events
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Fritz Westover (MSc), Viticulturist, Westover Vineyard Advising (see bio below)
ONTARIO TOPIC:
Improving nutrient strategies for consistency, uniformity, and quality in Vitis vinifera vineyards
- View the Ontario vineyard site schedule
- NEW! Through AI our speaker took notes at each of our vineyard sites – View his notes
- Watch the Ontario public lecture (COMING SOON)
- View the presentation slides
BRITISH COLUMBIA :
Due to the terrible fires in the Okanagan the BC leg of the lecture series has been cancelled. We hope to get out to the Okanagan when the time is right.
SHORT BIO:
Fritz Westover has been working hands-on in the viticulture industry since 1999, assisting growers in the eastern, southern, and western United States. He began as a vineyard worker for the Chaddsford Winery in southeastern Pennsylvania, while obtaining his BS in horticulture from Penn State University. Fritz completed his MS in 2003 from the Penn State Department of Plant Pathology, where he worked on projects including grapevine decline in replanted vineyards, grape disease management, and the science of compost application in vineyards.
Fritz has worked internationally as an assistant winemaker for the 2004 harvest at Caiarossa Vineyards and Winery in Pisa, Italy. From 2005 to 2007, Fritz served as Virginia Tech’s Viticulture Research-Extension Associate at the Alson H. Smith Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, Virginia. From 2007 to 2013 he served as Viticulture Extension Program Specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service where he worked statewide on developing viticulture education and research programs. Fritz worked in California from 2013 to 2015 as Technical Program Coordinator with the Vineyard Team, a leading grower group in the Central Coast of California, where he developed hands-on educational programs and applied research demonstrations to enhance vineyard sustainability. Fritz continues to consult for vineyard clients in more than five states in the southeastern US, serving as a leading resource for growers of Pierce’s disease tolerant and vinifera winegrapes.
Fritz contributes to several national viticulture education projects in the United States including content contribution to the national eXtension web page for commercial grape production. He has been a member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) since 2005 and served on the board of directors and as chair of the board for the eastern section of the ASEV.
**To be placed on an eblast list for future information (for either Ontario or British Columbia) please email [email protected]
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Markus Keller (Ph.D), Professor of Viticulture, Washington State University, Research and Extension Centre (see bio below)
ONTARIO TOPIC:
Adapting vineyards to a changing climate
Watch the Ontario public lecture
View the presentation slides
BRITISH COLUMBIA TOPIC:
Vineyard recovery after a severe weather event
View the presentation slides (click here)
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule
READ ABOUT IT IN THE BROCK NEWS:
The Brock News: Triggs Lecture Series growing vineyard resiliency across Canada
Seen & Heard: Lecture series digs into vineyard resiliency
SHORT BIO:
Markus Keller is the Chateau Ste. Michelle Distinguished Professor of Viticulture at Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in the Pacific Northwest. He received his MS in plant science and PhD in natural science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, and has conducted viticulture research and taught in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. His research focuses on how environmental factors and management practices influence crop physiology and production of wine and juice grapes. He is the author of the textbook “The Science of Grapevines” and currently serves as the science editor for the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.
To be placed on an eblast list for future information (for either Ontario or British Columbia) please email [email protected]
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Vaughn Bell (Ph.D), Senior Scientist, New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research.
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
A pathway towards leafroll virus management: The New Zealand experience
Watch the Ontario public lecture
View the Ontario presentation slides
View the British Columbia presentation slides
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Stefano Poni (PhD), Professor of Viticulture and Chair of the Instituto of Frutti-Viticoltura of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Piacenza, Italy.
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Canopy management—Making it work
Canopy management takes many forms with different outcomes from different practices. Stefano Poni will address the impacts of different practices on managing overall crop development, methods to delay or enhance fruit maturity and timings that will influence final crop quality. Best timing + best practices = Quality and vine health!
Watch the Ontario public lecture.
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule.
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule.
READ ABOUT IT IN THE BROCK NEWS:
In 2017, Triggs Lecture Series hits a milestone and goes global
Vineyard tours a big draw for Triggs Lecture Series
Record turnout as national lecture series turns 10
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Glenn McGourty
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Cover crops for premium winegrape production: Finding the right mix.
Cover crop management is a critical component of a premium vineyard system. This influences crop development, vine health and fruit quality for long term productivity, survival, soil structure, nutrient uptake etc.
The 2015 vineyard tour will focus on cover crop strategies including selection (diversity and impact), drought tolerance, durability and machinery compatibility, nutrition and floor management for pest control.
Watch the Ontario public lecture.
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule.
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Kobus Hunter
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Ways to manage quality under erratic environmental conditions.
“The grapevine is an extremely forgiving entity, but with great potential for product excellence – achieving the latter requires understanding and skill from both viticulturists and winemakers,” says Hunter.
Watch the Ontario public lecture.
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule.
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Glen Creasy, from Lincoln University in New Zealand.
Read his biography here.
TOPIC:
Vine Balance: Ways to accelerate fruit maturity.
CCOVI announced in the spring of 2011 that it would b be expanding its program to include both Ontario and British Columbia grape growing regions.
“The enhanced lecture series as part of CCOVI’s outreach community programs will create an invaluable networking opportunity for the grape and wine industry across Canada,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “New linkages between the Ontario and British Columbia grape growing regions will be established and existing ones strengthened.”
Read the media release here.
AGENDA:
View the Ontario vineyard site schedule.
View the British Columbia vineyard site schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Mark Greenspan
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Vineyard Nutrient & Water Management: When Less can be More
AGENDA:
View the Ontario Schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Daniel Roberts
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Rootstock, ripping and water: Using soil water to reduce vineyard variability
AGENDA:
View the Ontario schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Alain Sutre
Viticultural & Winemaking Consultant, Bordeaux, France
TOPIC:
Optimizing Vineyard Performance: The Road to the Future
AGENDA:
View the Ontario schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Diane Davidson
Read her bio here.
TOPIC:
Cool Climate Winegrape Production -What Price Quality?
AGENDA:
View the Ontario Schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
David Jordan
Read his bio here.
TOPIC:
Could Niagara be the next New Zealand? Premium Wine Growing in a Cool Climate
AGENDA:
View the Ontario Schedule.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Pascal Marchand
Regisseur du Domaine / Estate Manager, Domaine de la Vougeraie, France
TOPIC:
Understanding Pinot Noir via Terroir
AGENDA:
View the Ontario Schedule.
