UK to host 2016 International Cool Climate Wine Symposium

By Richard Siddle

Published: 24 March, 2014

The official launch of the 2016 International Cool Climate Wine Symposium is set to place today at ProWein in Dusseldorf where details of the event, to be hosted in the UK for the first time, will be revealed.

The 2016 Symposium will take place in Brighton between May 26-28 and hopes to attract key producers and wineries involved in cool climate wine production from all over the world. The event is held around every four years and helps set out the agenda and vision for cool climate producers for the years ahead through a series of debates, keynote talks, seminars, tastings and workshops. It attracts winemakers, viticulturists, wine trade, academics, wine educators and members of the international wine media.

Brighton will be the ninth host of the event which has also being held in Tasmania, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington State and Germany.

Key UK wine industry and trade bodies are involved in the Symposium including: United Kingdom Vineyards Association; English Wine Producers; Plumpton College and the Institute of Masters of Wine. A 50-strong International Advisory Panel, chaired by Chris Foss, head of the wine department at Plumpton College, is helping to build up the content programme for the three day event.

Foss said: "We are very proud to be part of a vision for the future of the cool climate wine sector. The ICCWS has a proven track record in putting host locations - all emerging cool climate regions - firmly onto the international fine wine map."

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, consultant to Laithwaite's Wine and a member of the organising committee, will be part of the official launch today at ProWein. He said: "We are extremely excited to be hosting the ICCWS in the UK in 2016. This event is undoubtedly a major platform to bring together the world's leading producers and experts in cool climate viticulture, winemaking, research and promotion."

Topics to be covered will include the latest research on climate variability, sparkling and still wine production and how the latest technologies can assist in the production of cool climate wines, emerging cool climate regions, and new markets and new consumers.

Jancis Robinson MW OBE has been confirmed as the headline speaker to open the proceedings.

More details can be found at www.iccws2016.com and you can keep up to date on Twitter at @ICCWS2016.

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