Gastronomy and Wine Portal

London Wine Fair – Official Exhibition Partner of the Wine Travel Awards has announced the registration for the London Wine Fair 2023. It is now open and you can register here.

London Wine Fair invites over 10,000 drinks industry professionals at the UK’s biggest live and digital drinks trade event. The event will traditionally take place at Olympia, London on 15-17 May 2023. 

The organizers premise: “This progressive fair will be rich with inspirational content, feature outstanding wines to taste from around the world and will have an abundance of networking opportunities taking place in person and on the Fair’s intuitive digital platform. There will also be products from over 400 top exhibitors, plus a packed schedule of impactful industry sessions, masterclasses and tastings.”

Moreover, this year’s London Wine Fair will put sustainability front and centre, creating an event which addresses and challenges the issues and opportunities around all things green in the wine industry.

After winning the 2022 WTA Award for the Most Effective Wine Event, and with inspirational plans, a fresh new look and an exceptional digital offering, the London Wine Fair can once again hold claim to be ‘the most intelligent wine event in the world’.

It is important to add that in this upcoming season, the WTA and LWF teams continue the fruitful collaboration! In May 2023, the WTA will hold a special event as part of the London Wine Fair presenting the WTA nominees, sponsors, jury members and will do a grand wine tasting.

Date: Wednesday 17 May, from 10 am to 12 pm

Location: Industry Briefing Room at Olympia London, LWF.

The event is open to sommeliers, retailers, importers, HoReCa, media, experts, critics and influencers from all over the world to be attended. WTA offers its partners a wonderful opportunity of presenting their businesses to top-notch decision makers of the wine industry without spending a tremendous amount of money. 

Interested in joining us as nominee, partner or sponsor? Need more details on the WTA 2022-2023 activities and offers? Please feel free to contact us at partnership@winetravelawards.com

London Wine Fair – Official Exhibition Partner of the Wine Travel Awards has announced the registration for the London Wine Fair 2023. It is now open and you can register here. London Wine Fair invites over 10,000 drinks industry professionals at the UK’s biggest live and digital drinks trade event. The event will traditionally take place at Olympia, London on 15-17 May 2023.  […]

The Drinks+ and WTA team was invited to take part at the virtual ProWein Media Summit 2023. This year, our media resources traditionally became the Information Partner of ProWein while ProWein got engaged in the WTA as its Exhibition Partner. So, we would like to shed light on some issues presented by the ProWein Press team in an-hour conference moderated by Monika Kissing.

The ProWein Media Summit began with the presentation of the press conference participants – Prof. Dr. Simone Loose, Head of the Institute for Wine and Beverage Business at Geisenheim University, Executive Director of ProWein Michael Degen, new Project Director of ProWein Peter Schmitz. They gave their review and conclusions on the post Сovid-19 ProWein 2022 and their rather positive evaluation of the results.

As Mr Michael Degen mentioned in his introduction speech, the focus of this year’s ProWein is going to be on alternative packaging, sustainability, rising costs on the glass and bottle production, impact of the alternative packages on the wine taste, design, low and the non-alcohol wines – the “World of 0” was specially created at ProWein.

Following ProWein Project Director Peter’s Schmitz presentation, Dr. Simone Loose, Geisenheim University, brought the Current ProWein Business Report 2022 to the table. The industry reaction, trends and a long list of challenges caused by rising costs and disrupted supply chains were among dominant topics.

Commissioned by ProWein, Geisenheim University polled experts from throughout the world across the entire value chain of the wine industry in late 2022, for the sixth time now. Participants include wine producers from the most important wine-growing countries in the Old and New World. Those are exporters, importers, specialist wine merchants as well as representatives from the food service, hospitality and hotel industries.

The ProWein Business Report 2022 follows on from ProWein unique, regular “Marktbarometer” (Market Barometer) for the international wine industry produced since 2017 and assesses the significance of the challenges facing the industry during the current economic crisis. This year, again 2,500 international experts from 47 countries have shared their insider knowledge.

Prof. Dr. Simone Loose commented: “Interesting to note here is that industry leaders are proactively responding to the economic crisis. They tap into new markets with their products and react to traders’ and consumers’ needs with very innovative solutions. These include – according to the survey – alternative wine packaging and low-no alcohol wines.”

The most important results

The industry entered 2022 with positive expectations. Producers and traders hoped for a recovery from the negative impact of Covid-19.

Like in the previous year, rising costs and disruptions to supply chains rank top in the list of threats and challenges for the wine industry. The degree to which the industry is affected has clearly increased.

The global economic upturn after Covid-19 already led to a greater demand for energy and rising energy prices in 2021. With the war in Ukraine and sudden collapse in energy supplies in 2022, prices in many parts of Europe have therefore often more than doubled compared to 2020. Due to their higher energy consumption, producers are significantly more affected by this than wine traders.

Almost all producers were affected by transportation issues and supply chain disruptions. From the industry’s perspective, transportation and supply issues will continue to present a major challenge for their business

Further information as well as the complete ProWein Business Report 2022 can be found on the website of ProWein at www.prowein.de

Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards continue their fruitful cooperation in the field of information partnership with the world’s leading trade fair for wine and spirits ProWein 2023, which opens its doors in Dusseldorf again to thousands of wine professionals from all over the world from 19 to 21 March 2023.

Do you fancy discovering Ukrainian wines? Join the wine tasting of 6 WTA nominees: Family Winery SHABO, Beykush Winery, 46 Parallel Wine, Stakhovsky Wines, Villa Tinta, Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz) organized by the WTA team at ProWein on Tuesday, 03/21/2023 – 16.00 pm/hall 13 (Forum 13.2).

Big Wines (Ukrainian branch of Vinos de La Luz) – at ProWein on Tuesday, 03/21/2023 – 16.00 pm/hall 13 (Forum 13.2).

Moreover, the Wine Travel Awards Guide Special Edition (print & digital) will be distributed at ProWein exhibition hall and at the newly online trade press stand, a new digital platform of Messe Düsseldorf with extending the presence using the ProWein Portal.

The Drinks+ and WTA team was invited to take part at the virtual ProWein Media Summit 2023. This year, our media resources traditionally became the Information Partner of ProWein while ProWein got engaged in the WTA as its Exhibition Partner. So, we would like to shed light on some issues presented by the ProWein Press […]

If you’re looking for an experience that takes you to the heart of the authentic spirit of an Italian winemaking region, you simply must visit the birthplace of Asti and Moscato d’Asti.

Situated in Piedmont, in the northwest of Italy, only a few kilometers from the foothills of the Alps, the shores of the Mediterranean and the flatlands of the Po valley, made fertile by Italy’s most important river, the areas of Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti have for centuries been the home of the Moscato Bianco varietal. This is an ancient vine found in many parts of the world, but which shows a particular predilection for the climate and soil of Piedmont, yielding aromatic grapes that express rare and unique scents and flavors that lie dormant when the varietal is grown in other places.

The Moscato Bianco varietal, whose golden bunches are the only ones destined to become Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, thrives on about 10 thousand hectares of vineyards stretched atop rolling hills in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo.

The origins of the local soil are stratified sediments of a primordial ocean basin, giving this area a special geological profile and resulting in a variegated environment that man’s hand has shaped without infringing on its beauty.

A land of ancient hamlets and towns, dotted with castles and period residences, where cellars and tunnels dug into the earth are still in use, aging wines and spumante of excellent quality, appreciated worldwide. After all, it was here that, over a hundred and fifty years ago, the first Italian sparkling wine was born: an Asti Spumante, naturally.

Among the marquee attractions in the land of Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, which in 2014 was the first of Italy’s premier winemaking regions to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the 50^th Italian site, there are Canelli’s Cantine Storiche, in the province of Asti, amazing underground cathedrals of wine, winding for kilometers under the city.

Another must-see are the breathtaking panoramas of the hills, geometrically blanketed by the rows of grapevines, and the medieval towers and strongholds that are scattered throughout the countryside, as well as the natural splendors waiting to be discovered by excursionists.

Last but not by any means least, there is the famously delectable cuisine of the area, which pairs artisanal cold cuts and cheeses and Asti Spumante or Moscato d’Asti, as well as healthy, farm-fresh meat and vegetables and classic Piedmont dishes like vitello tonnato, cold slices of roast veal in a creamy tuna sauce; agnolotti with “plin”, a traditional filled pasts in the shape of a classic candy, or old-time cakes like hazelnut torte and homemade pudding, made with eggs and cocoa.

Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti are therefore the ideal ambassadors for a land that boasts so many excellences and that fully meets the demands of eco-tourism: green, sustainable, up to date and mindful.

If you’re looking for an experience that takes you to the heart of the authentic spirit of an Italian winemaking region, you simply must visit the birthplace of Asti and Moscato d’Asti.

Paris once again becomes the capital of sommellerie and welcomes candidates from 68 countries claiming the title of best sommelier in the world.

The ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) Best Sommelier of the World 2023 will take place in France from February 7 to 12. Organized under the auspices of the Union de la Sommellerie Française (UDSF) and its president, Philippe Faure-Brac (best sommelier in the world in 1992), this international competition will bring together 68 candidates for four long days of competition. The final will take place in the performance hall of Paris La Défense Arena on Sunday February 12 and will be, for the first time in the history of the competition, open to the public.

A unique opportunity to attend a remarkable sommelier demonstration. This year, Ukraine will be represented by Maryna Revkova, Best Sommelier of Ukraine 2020, ASI certified sommelier. Her command of English at a high level and her solid knowledge of the world of wine make her an excellent candidate. The candidates for the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023 represent a collection of people that have sacrificed immense amounts of time and energy to reach this level of competition. The full list of candidates can be found here.

Drinks+ Editor, Oleksandra Hryhorieva will be reporting on the d-day of the big final from Paris to keep our readers updated. Meanwhile, we wish Maryna an excellent performance and to bring a new victory to Ukrainian wine history.

Paris once again becomes the capital of sommellerie and welcomes candidates from 68 countries claiming the title of best sommelier in the world. The ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) Best Sommelier of the World 2023 will take place in France from February 7 to 12. Organized under the auspices of the Union de la […]

Today, when it seems that a new wave of the pandemic is approaching, we are once again convinced of how opportune the concept of the Wine Travel Awards (WTA) was. Hybrid advertising media and flexible marketing programs do not lose their relevance today. In particular, the WTA team announces the start of preparation of a special issue of an exclusive PR catalogue – the WTA Guide.

The WTA Guide Special Edition is a unique PR catalog which will be issued in March 2023 and distributed both in the digital and paper formats at:

• ProWein Dusseldorf, Germany, March 19-21
• WST – Wine & Spirit Tourism International Trade Fair, Reims, France, March 12-14
• IWINETC, Tarragona, Spain, March, 23-24
• Vinitaly, Verona, Italy, April 2-5
• London Wine Fair, Great Britain, May 15-17
• Wine & Gourmet Taipei 2023, Taiwan, May 26-28

It will be in our traditional style, and will include information about wineries and other interesting locations of several wine-producing countries. The WTA Guide Special Edition provides you with an opportunity to be introduced to the target audiences of the most powerful world’s exhibitions where participants will get a printed copy of the Guide. Visitors to ProWein and WST will also be able to scan a QR-code from the posters which will lead to the digital WTA Guide. The digital version will be available on the WTA, Drinks+ and our partners’ websites all year long. An example of a similar WTA Guide can be found on the ProWein website.

Besides, the WTA Guide Special Edition will become part of the email marketing campaign through our own databases of international wine and tourism professionals and operators to increase global awareness and attract new partners, distributors as well as tourist flows to your business or region.

The WTA Guide Special Edition – a special opportunity to take part in six strongest wine exhibitions at the beginning of 2023!

 To become part of the Guide, please contact us via contact@winetravelawards.com

Today, when it seems that a new wave of the pandemic is approaching, we are once again convinced of how opportune the concept of the Wine Travel Awards (WTA) was. Hybrid advertising media and flexible marketing programs do not lose their relevance today. In particular, the WTA team announces the start of preparation of a […]

We are delighted to announce that WTA continues cooperating with the International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC) as the Information Partner in 2023.

IWINETC, organised by Wine Events Worldwide, is considered one of the most respected global events for the wine and gastronomic tourism industry. Over the years, the event was held in Portugal, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Georgia, and Croatia.

The 14th edition of Conference & Exhibition 2023 will be held in the Hotel Cuitat Tarragona, Spain. The conference begins at 09.00 on Thursday 23rd and ends at 13.00 on Friday 24thMarch. The program includes a guided walking tour of the UNESCO Tarragona World Heritage Site, insightful discussions and conference talks, time at the exhibition area, tasting tours, etc.

This year, the WTA team will give a conference talk “Shine Bright Like a Diamond. Add Value to your Wine Tourism Brand: What Wine Travel Awards can Offer” where we will present the project. In the competitive wine & spirit world, businesses, brands and personalities look for cutting-edge tools to differentiate themselves, to promote their services and raise awareness about their products. The Wine Travel Awards – an innovative PR and marketing project in the field of wine tourism – perfectly respond to this demand.

Let us remind you that IWINETC participated in the Prize Fund for WTA winners of the first edition. Pago de Carraovejas, the WTA public voting winner in Must Visit, Frank John winery, the WTA winner in Progressive Approach, and Miguel Leal, who became the public voting winner in the Guide of the Year and received the Judge’s Choice Award, are invited to attend the 14th edition of IWINETC free of charge.

We are delighted to announce that WTA continues cooperating with the International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC) as the Information Partner in 2023. IWINETC, organised by Wine Events Worldwide, is considered one of the most respected global events for the wine and gastronomic tourism industry. Over the years, the event was held in Portugal, Italy, Spain, […]

The new year brings exciting opportunities to the Wine Travel Awards project. The WTA is selected as a successful start-up for the new international program at the Bernard Magrez Start-Up Win incubator for 2023.

Our team is honored to join the unique place and prominent people that cherish valuable ideas and projects contributing to the development of the wine and wine tourism industry. Now we are part of a proactive environment which will help the WTA and its community grow and become stronger. So, congratulations to all of us – it is our common achievement! 

Bernard Magrez, CEO at Bernard Magrez Group, mastermind and founder of Bernard Magrez Start-Up Win, opens the doors of wine, vines, wine tourism and digitalization to the most promising start-ups in the sector. “Unlike many city centre incubators, the Relais du Château Pape Clément offers a serenity and proximity to nature and the vines that are essential to driving innovation in the sector. We see the progress made by early start-ups. We are going to strengthen our assistance to these entrepreneurs, in accordance with the Mission that I have given myself to Help the Other, Help Others,” says Mr. Magrez.

He also notes: “To remain a leader, it is essential to innovate… Supporting young start-ups today in order to reinvent the world of wine tomorrow is the continuity of this approach, and it is an exciting experience! Transmitting the keys to excellence to young entrepreneurs in order to help them succeed in life, teach them to hold on and never give up, it will also be a very strong moment.”

As a start-up at the Incubator, WTA gains access to its two locations – in Bordeaux and Strasbourg, benefits from the expertise of its experts and consultants, and enters the professional and innovative network. This year, we plan to participate in numerous insightful seminars, workshops, conferences and exhibitions organised and supported by Bernard Magrez. We aspire for interesting common projects and fruitful cooperation to promote the WTA and develop its community. Let’s not hide it – to be in the orbit of such a great personality as Bernard Magrez is an amazing gift of fate for our team’s own ambitions, as well as for all current and future WTA nominees!

The application process for the international program at the Incubator in Strasbourg is open. The BM Start-Up Win Strasbourg incubator will share the premises of the AIVA – Académie Internationale des Vins in Landersheim and join forces with the local incubation expert “Quest for change” to best support the new projects that will be selected.

The new year brings exciting opportunities to the Wine Travel Awards project. The WTA is selected as a successful start-up for the new international program at the Bernard Magrez Start-Up Win incubator for 2023. Our team is honored to join the unique place and prominent people that cherish valuable ideas and projects contributing to the […]

Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards continue their fruitful cooperation in the field of information partnership with the world’s leading trade fair for wine and spirits ProWein 2023, which opens its doors in Dusseldorf again to thousands of wine professionals from all over the world from 19 to 21 March 2023. 

At the ProWein international trade press stand, the Wine Travel Awards Guide. Special Edition will tell the world about the most proactive and innovative wine & spirit businesses, brands, personalities and projects that joined the WTA second edition. In addition to the print version, the Guide will be presented at the newly online trade press stand: a new digital platform of Messe Düsseldorf with extending the presence using the ProWein Portal. Our readers can get acquainted with the WTA Guide. Special Edition two weeks before the trade fair and also three months after the end of ProWein. The catalog is going to be presented on ProWein’ website at Exhibitor, Visitor and Press pages.

The Wine Travel Awards (WTA) Guide is a special advertising edition that is published by Drinks+ Communication Media Group in English (print and digital), and read by over 150,000 members of the wine community globally. Wine enthusiasts and professionals read the WTA Guide for keeping abreast of trends, established and growing producers and regions, brands, as well as wine tourism offers around the world.

The WTA Guide will be issued twice a year: in March 2023 in the format of a Special Edition and in June 2023 as a final catalog of the WTA 2022-2023 community members.

We invite innovative companies to become part of these issues as a participant or sponsor in order to promote your business initiatives, brands, products, services and regions.

For more details, contact us via partnership@winetravelawards.com

The very first issue of the WTA Guide 2021-2022 experienced a similar path at the ProWein Dusseldorf 2022 where the public awareness was raised about many talented personalities and progressive businesses operating in the wine & spirit tourism field. In 2023, WTA is ready to share a new portion of authentic experiences in its special edition. 

The ProWein 2023 will follow on from the success story of the past 28 years and confirm its leading role as the world’s biggest and most relevant trade fair for wines and spirits once again.

Communication Media Group Drinks+ has been operating within the Eastern and Southern Europe markets since 1993, and have been successfully working as a media partner with the ProWein exhibition for 15 years. 

Drinks+ & Wine Travel Awards continue their fruitful cooperation in the field of information partnership with the world’s leading trade fair for wine and spirits ProWein 2023, which opens its doors in Dusseldorf again to thousands of wine professionals from all over the world from 19 to 21 March 2023.  At the ProWein international trade […]

London Spirits Competition Entrants may now enter their cocktails with 2023 submissions. All entrants who submit their products for the 2023 competition will now also be able to submit cocktails for each of the products they enter in the entry portal. 

The competition prides itself on being one step ahead by thinking like the consumers who are potential buyers for the top award-winning spirits at the event. In doing so the organizers are creating a bridge to connect brands with consumers in multifold ways.

The competition developers constantly strive to listen and adapt their offer to give producers, suppliers and importers distinct and added benefits to enter their spirits.

World’s top bartenders and spirits buyers will be judging the 2022 London Spirits Competition.

This new feature will not only help consumers but will also help bartenders and mixologists to preview cocktails of winning products which they can implement in their bars when they stock the winning products.

In addition to the competition page showing the cocktails, Beverage Trade Network’s London Drinks Guide, UK’s On-Trade magazine will also select cocktails from the submissions and display them on the London Drinks Guide and the Bartenders Business portal. These cocktails will also be shown in BTN’s other global consumer drinks guides like the Los Angeles Drinks Guide, Chicago Drinks Guide, New York Drinks Guide and the San Francisco Drinks Guide.

“This is a substantial feature benefit enhancement we are implementing for all the 2023 spirits entrants by offering them a platform to showcase their cocktails to end consumers and to the trade,” says Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Trade Network, organizer of the London Spirits Competition.

Entries for the 2023 competitions are now open. Brands looking to get reviewed by world class judges can take advantage to enter now with the special pricing that is on offer right now. During the entry process, make sure you also enter your cocktail recipes.

London Spirits Competition Entrants may now enter their cocktails with 2023 submissions. All entrants who submit their products for the 2023 competition will now also be able to submit cocktails for each of the products they enter in the entry portal.  The competition prides itself on being one step ahead by thinking like the consumers […]

November 4, 2022, Mexico, at the General Assembly of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), the restoration of Ukraine’s membership in this authoritative international organization was officially announced.*

The return of our country to the ranks of the OIV today is perceived by everyone not only as support for our people during the terrible war, but also as recognition of Ukraine as a competitive wine producing state. However, not everyone knows that this significant event for the development of Ukrainian winemaking, as well as for the entire world community, had a rather stormy background. Yet, we are sure, it will have a glorious future. Therefore, according to the editorial team, it is important to know what difficult diplomatic path the Ukrainian ambassadors had to overcome for that. The team would also like to strengthen who should be personally thanked for making the comeback happen.

So, according to the facts, Ukraine was represented – and, according to the  data,for some time performed a supervisory function – in the OIV for more than 10years, from 1997 to 2008. But due to unfortunate circumstances lost its membership – above all,the short-sighted leadership of the industry at thetime. However, as a signatory to the April,  3, 2001 renewal agreements, the country had the right to apply for re-admission to the OIV. And this year, despite the war, we used that right. On September, 30 the Ukrainian government ratified the legal document to launch the recovery process and formalize its legal acceptance. For Ukraine’s entry into the OIV “Ukrsadvynprom” was the driving force, as well as significant support was provided by the leadership of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine, employees of the Department of Viticulture and Winemaking of the Department of Agriculture and Seed Production of the Department of Agrarian Development, as well as the press service of the Ministry. The renewed membership became effective on October 30.

Family picture of OIV delegates and authorities. On the right the Ukrainian Delegation, and on the left with the flag the President of the OIV, Luigi Moio, Director General Pau Roca and behind Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez, owner of Vinos de La Luz, businessman and philanthropist.

There is no doubt that it is individuals who create history. And the history of Ukraine’s relations with the OIV was no exception. Against the background of the victorious Ukrainian winemaking returning fact to this powerful international organization, one does not want to overshadow the joy with the mention of past gestures and the recent ill-advised interventions of some domestic industry figures, due to which this important event could not have happened. Although everything went to that…

At least the team of activists who took care of this process on behalf of Ukraine had to make considerable diplomatic efforts not only to carry out the returning procedure, but also to overcome the negative consequences of previous clumsy communications. In fact, the generally inconspicuous work on the preparation of Ukraine’s new accession to the OIV lasted more than a year and ended with the triumphant participation of the Ukrainian delegation in the OIV General Assembly in Mexico City.

Perhaps it will surprise someone (but certainly not Drinks+ editors, because we have been following the progressive activities of this outstanding personality for a long time) that in the process of Ukraine’s return to the OIV, Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez, the owner of the international group of companies Vinos de La Luz, who has already played a leading role has been helping our country to take its rightful place among the world wine-producing countries for many years. Dr. Nunez has dedicated his many years of experience, strong international connections and communication talents to this.

Drinks+ editors are preparing a special interview with Ricardo Nunez who put a lot of effort into this important event. Allow us to announce this conversation and quote one of Dr. Ricardo Nunez’s phrases: “Finally, Ukraine is once again a member of the OIV, and a part of not only this international organization. Such integration steps are extremely necessary for the development of the entire wine industry – from agriculture to international trade, they also strengthen the world’s trust in Ukrainian wine. In addition, they mark a powerful opponent of the ideas of the enemy, who is trying to deny the very right to the existence of the nation and the sovereign state. That is why today Ukraine should be on an equal footing with other civilized countries in all international organizations in all spheres of activity, which is carried out by this infinitely brave and worthy nation.”

In parallel, the return mechanism was worked out by a team led by the head of the Public Association “UKRSADVYNPROM”, Volodymyr Pechko, and the international affairs consultant of “UKRSADVYNPROM”, Nataliia Burlachenko (known to our readers as a Drinks+ columnist and the author of the blog @nataliiawines.com.ua for a number of topical articles on world winemaking).
The result of this competent and long-term collective activity was the invitation of the Ukrainian delegation to Mexico, where during the General Assembly, Ukraine was readmitted to the OIV.

The President of the OIV, Luigi Moio, gives the OIV flag to the Ukrainian Official Delegation.

Note that all other 48 members of the respected organization (which, by the way, has more than 100 years of existence) welcomed the return of Ukraine to the world wine family. And as a sign of special respect and solidarity, the leadership of the OIV provided our representatives with an unprecedented opportunity for a large-scale speech at the plenary session, which concluded the 43rd Annual Congress of the OIV. Ukrainian ambassadors – Nataliia Burlachenko and Volodymyr Pechko – expressed their gratitude to the world wine community and hope for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The head of the official delegation of Ukraine, Volodymyr Pechko, delivered a meaningful speech, which included the following words: “Our land is currently going through difficult times, but I can assure you that the spirit of our winemakers is stronger than ever. We brought greetings from all Ukrainian wine-growing regions, from all wine professionals who are now unable to do their life’s work because they are protecting their country.”

From the left  to the right: Volodymyr Pechko, Head of the Public Association “Ukrsadvynprom”, the Ukrainian Official Delegation Lead to the OIV and Nataliia Burlachenko, Wine International and National Specialist, member of the Ukrainian Official Delegation to the OIV, before the historical speech to the Assembly.

Nataliia and Volodymyr, in their address to the OIV leaders and the delegates of the assembly, spoke about the terrible blow that the war had inflicted on the Ukrainian wine industry. After all, many vineyards were damaged, destroyed or ended up in the occupied territories. Ukraine has hundreds of destroyed and looted wineries, broken supply chains, destroyed warehouses with finished products. And most importantly, people suffered. There are wounded and dead among grape growers and winemakers…

By the way, in Mr. Pechko’s speech, the following figures are given: at the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine ranked 31st in the world in terms of the area of vineyards – 41,800 hectares. In 2021, the country produced 660,000 hectoliters of wine. The wine import market was also actively developing, where the level of consumption showed growth against the background of sometimes negative global trends. Of course, after the Victory, Ukraine faces a difficult period of industry recovery. So today, more than ever, is the time to take care of the future.

Nataliia Burlachenko commented on the relevance of Ukraine’s return to the world organization: “Although the war is still going on, we are working for a better future for our country and the Ukrainian wine industry. This is undoubtedly facilitated by the restoration of OIV membership, thanks to which Ukraine benefits from important channels of information and cooperation with winemakers from other countries. This is an important support for the wine industry, which is struggling with serious economic and structural problems. In the long term, membership will also allow Ukraine to access important resources for a full recovery and give the country a chance to play its role in shaping the evolution of the wine sector.”

We will also cite a quote from a speech on behalf of Ukraine made by Volodymyr Pechko during the assembly in Mexico City (the transcript was kindly provided to the Drinks+ editors by Nataliia Burlachenko):«…Not many years have passed since the last time we were part of the Assembly of the International Organization of Vine and Wine. During these years a lot of things have happened in the world but more in our country.

The world has changed.  It is no longer the same world as it was a few years ago and the challenges are much more serious. We have witnessed the great work done by the OIV to protect the important fundamentals of the industry, to teach the frames we must all take to meet our friends – modernity and its technology, but also to confront the great enemy created by ourselves – climate change. Ukraine once again joins this international forum of nations, with the conviction that united we are much more than the simple sum of all its members. We are a part of the Old New World, the one that created wine, and the one that has resurrected with all its energy in the last 20 years. We all know that our land is experiencing violence, but I assure you that on this damaged land, the wine morale of the Ukrainian people is as strong as ever.

We bring greetings from the Ukrainian wine regions, from Odesa, from Crimea, from Transcarpathia, from Kherson, from Mykolaiv, and from every vineyard planted on our Ukrainian soil. We also bring greetings from many men and women of wine, viticulturists, oenologists, sommeliers, and all those who today cannot dedicate themselves to their work because the Homeland demands them to defend it. We bring the aromas of our native vines.

We come to learn, because we need to learn from all of you and from the more than one thousand experts of the OIV, how to modernize our industry to take our place in the world, to welcome knowledge and investments to Ukraine! Also we come to offer our scientific knowledge and our research, hand in hand with our institutions, including the Tairov Research Center in Odesa region.

And we also come to show, without any doubt, our territorial integrity and our will of steel to save wine in Ukraine, which is like saving the world’s wine.

I would like to dedicate my final words to thank the OIV, and fundamentally, its General Director, Mr. Pau Roca, and the Chief of Staff, Rodrigo de Casas, for having guided us on the way back home. The commitment of Mr Roca and Mr de Casas to OIV and to the wine community has been able to overcome not only the obstacles along the way, but even a war.  Thank you dear gentlemen! And thank you all for welcoming us back to our family.

Glory to Ukraine.”

OIV President Luigi Moyo and OIV General Director Pau Roka congratulated Ukraine on its return and emphasized the deep symbolism and importance of the event in this difficult time for our country.
After all, this return is actually a step into the future.

Watch the video of the speech here:

November 4, 2022, Mexico, at the General Assembly of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), the restoration of Ukraine’s membership in this authoritative international organization was officially announced.* The return of our country to the ranks of the OIV today is perceived by everyone not only as support for our people during the […]