Welcome from the President of the OIV

Dear Colleague,

After 1929, 1951, 1973, 1992 and 2006, this is the sixth time that the Kingdom of Spain is hosting the world vine and wine community in almost a century, and the OIV always welcomes these invitations with great pleasure. On a personal level, I am truly delighted to be part of a world congress in Spain once again.

Boasting the world’s largest vineyard area and with a winemaking tradition spanning millennia, Spain has undergone a major transformation in recent years, creating a large number of modern wineries producing wines of the highest quality.

The 44th World Congress of Vine and Wine is taking place in one of Spain’s internationally renowned wine-producing jewels. The Province of Cadiz and the city of Jerez provide the backdrop for experts from all over the world to come together and discuss the general theme of ‘Viticulture and Information Technologies’.

In just a few years, the vine and wine world has entered the age of digital technology. Electronic labelling, digital traceability, blockchain, big data, artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, robotics and smart sensors connected to the internet at every stage of production have all become commonplace. These technologies bring extraordinary opportunities that will speed up decision-making and enable the development of increasingly precise and sustainable production processes.

Over the last century, the OIV has planned for and participated in the changes witnessed by our sector. Our task today is to be at the cutting edge of these new information technologies, which must find their proper place in an age-old industry imbued with rich heritage and strong symbolic value.

I am particularly pleased to welcome you to this prestigious event in the wine world calendar, and on behalf of the Member States of the OIV, I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for its kind invitation.

Warmest regards,

Prof. Luigi Moio
President of the OIV