ICCWS moving to Canada after UK event

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 31 May, 2016

Canada has been announced as the successor to England as the next host of the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium.

The 2016 event took place over three days, finishing on Friday last week in Brighton.

Around 600 international delegates from 30 different countries gathered for the 9^th four-yearly event, which encourages and supports global cool climate wine production.

The 10^th ICCWS will now move to Ontario in 2020.

Winning the bid in 2012, the event in Brighton has helped to cement the UK's reputation as a serious wine producing nation.

Keynote speaker Jancis Robinson MW said in her opening speech: "It is no coincidence that Britain is hosting this hugely significant event that effectively celebrates the coming of age of England and Wales as wine-producing countries. Perhaps the end result of all the knowledge shared...will be to encourage wine producers in many more cooler vineyard settings around the world - not least in the new wine regions of northern Europe."

Speaking of the growing UK wine industry, Sam Lindo, chairman of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association and winemaker at Camel Valley Vineyard, said: "We are approaching the size that deserves proper coordinated research. Now would be a good time to have more openness."

For Chris Foss, head of Plumpton College's Centre of Wine Education and chair of the ICCWS Programme Committee, it's about widening horizons. "Going forward, England needs to go beyond Champagne, to make contacts with the whole world of wine," said Foss, who was also one of the original three who won the bid to host the ICCWS 2016.

Brock University in St Catherine's, Ontario - home to the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) - will host the next ICCWS in 2020.

Commenting on the news, director of the CCOVI, Debbie Inglis, said: "We are excited for the opportunity to provide our international colleagues with an engaging conference programme. With ever-changing conditions within the grape and wine industry, the conference will examine how adversity drives innovation to achieve success."

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