Cabernet – The King of Grapes (tasting session)
January 27, 2026
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Cabernet – The King of Grapes (tasting session)
This session takes a holistic look at how different regions produce Cabernet Sauvignon, including the influence of climate effects like heat domes, lack of rainfall and frost on its quality and character.
Includes tasting of wines from Napa, Paso, Lodi and Washington.
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Moderator
Alisa Jacobson
Turning Tide Wines, California
Sessions:
Clarity In the Smoke: Integrating Wine Sensory to Chemical Analysis and Predictive Modeling for Wildfire Smoke Events, Cabernet – The King of Grapes (tasting session)
Owner, winemaker, environmentalist, and outdoor enthusiast Alisa Jacobson “AJ” founded Turning Tide Wines in 2018 under her company name, Wines by Alisa Jacobson, with the goal of showcasing the true essence of the grapes she harvests, respecting the elements each vineyard site provides, and helping Turn the Tide toward more sustainable and eco-friendly practices in vineyards and winemaking round the globe.
Her first Turning Tide wines were released in December of 2020, all showcasing eco-friendly farming and business practices. A year later, Jacobson (who goes by “AJ”) added “AJ”, “Rare North” and “Avec Moi”, all high-quality, sustainable, and value-driven wine brands.
A graduate of UC Davis with a degree in viticulture and enology, AJ has produced California sparkling wine, made Shiraz in Australia (while diving along the Great Barrier Reef), and worked at Joseph Phelps where she met Joel and Sarah Gott. Jacobson rose to the rank of VP of Winemaking, overseeing a team of 35, and managing all winery and vineyard operations throughout California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as international projects all over the world. She passed the baton back to Joel and Sarah Gott in 2020 and set out to forge her own path with a renewed and passionate focus on making wine from organic and sustainably farmed vineyards in coastal regions of California and Oregon.
AJ assumed a lease on an iconic winery in Santa Ynez Valley in August of 2022. This is now where AJ makes her “Made with Organically Farmed Grapes” Avec Moi and Turning Tide wines, both labels certified organic. The winery project has been named Milestone for its commitment to regenerative and organic farming and winemaking practices. She adheres to strict organic and vegan only winemaking practices at Milestone and makes wine from her two vineyards she owns in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Dedicated to her cause of trying to help the wine industry become more sustainable and climate-forward, AJ also serves as Co-Chair of the Unified Grape and Wine Symposium Program Development Committee, the Chair of the Research Committee of the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force and a number of wine industry advisory boards, all to further her passion for education outreach and to raise awareness for global climate change impacts —and of course, to help Turn the Tide on how vineyards are farmed around the globe by way of outreach and education. AJ believes that by demonstrating the success and quality of wines made by organically and sustainable vineyard practices, she can inspire and provide examples to others on how to be more climate pro-active.
Hillary Sjolund
Aperture Cellars & Devil Proof Vineyards, California
Sessions:
To be announced.
Speakers
Jim Harbertson
Washington State University, Tri-Cities
Sessions:
Jim Harbertson is a Professor in Viticulture and Enology Department at Washington State University’s Wine Science Center in Richland, Washington. He received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and doctorate in agricultural chemistry from the University of California at Davis.
Jim’s research focuses on the phenolic compounds found in grapes and wine and their biochemical and chemical changes during grape ripening, winemaking and aging. Though of late his research has strayed into the impacts of ethanol on wine flavor and “Frost Taint.”
Jim serves as an associate editor for the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research and the MDPI journal Beverages. Jim is a past president of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and currently serves on both the Unified LLC managing committee and the Unified Program Committee.
Darren Klein
Delicato Family Wines, California
Sessions:
To be announced.