The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is dedicated to helping its member wineries raise the bar and strive for excellence in all areas. To that end, we host a number of educational opportunities throughout the year. Some are open to non-member wineries (for a fee). Details for our scheduled 2026 Educational Opportunities are provided below.
Educational opportunities are free for members. Recordings are made available to those who register, when possible.
Presented by Tara Good, Trellis Collaborative
Wednesday, February 18 @ 9am EST
Session Structure: Zoom. 20 minute program, ~20 minute for Q&A
Music is a value-add to any hospitality experience. But when the middlemen, the Performance Rights Organization (PRO), start contacting small businesses to collect hefty fees while threatening legal consequences, many wineries reconsider their music program altogether. Know your rights, understand music licensing structure, and have a plan when the PROs start calling.
This session has already passed. If you are a member winery and would like to receive the recording, please contact Executive Director Brittany Gibson: 607-535-8080.
Presented by Derek Ross, StreetSense
Tuesday, April 7 @ 9am via Zoom
Session Structure: Zoom. 40 minute program. ~20 minutes for Q&A.
What Google, ChatGPT, and AI-Powered Search Mean for Winery Visibility, Tastings, and Direct Traffic
As artificial intelligence becomes a core part of how travelers plan trips and discover experiences, wineries are facing a quiet but significant shift in how potential visitors find tasting rooms, events, and wine trails online. This presentation breaks down how AI-driven search results – such as Google’s AI summaries and conversational tools like ChatGPT – are influencing which wineries get seen, mentioned, and visited.
Designed specifically for winery owners, marketers, and tasting room managers, the session explains how wine-related searches are changing, when travelers still click through to winery websites, and how wineries can improve their chances of appearing in both traditional search results and AI-generated recommendations. Attendees will gain practical insight into content, search visibility, and paid search strategies that help protect direct bookings, tasting reservations, and brand awareness in an AI-driven travel landscape.
For Members Only
To register, please email: brittany@senecalakewine.com.
Tuesday, June 2 • 9am-12pm • Veraisons Restaurant at Glenora Wine Cellars
This training, designed specifically for Finger Lakes winery tasting rooms will go well beyond service basics and cover these five core areas:
Registration:
Free for Members • $100 for Non-Members
To register, please visit: https://forms.gle/4ZubHziL4aKTkTBV8
About Our Presenter
Cheryl Stanley is a food and beverage senior lecturer at Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration within the SC Johnson College of Business. With over 30 years in the food and beverage industry, she has worked in operations and consulting before teaching.
At her alma mater, Stanley teaches Introduction to Wines and Beverage Management where she combines theory with practice. A 2017 Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 40 under 40 Tastemakers, Stanley is certified through multiple wine organizations and is the faculty advisor for Cornell Cuvée, the blind wine tasting competition team.
Hospitality in a tasting room is not just “being nice” or pouring wine with a smile. It’s about intentional guest experience design, emotional connection, and consistency.
The final quarter of the year presents unique opportunities—and challenges—for wineries. This educational panel will explore how to strategically leverage OND across email marketing, off-premise distribution, and the tasting room to maximize sales and visibility.
Panel discussion will include:
Ideal for owners, managers, and marketing teams looking to refine their year-end sales strategy.
For Members Only
Registration coming soon!
