During this discussion, the Director General highlighted the involvement of the Executive Agency on Vine and Wine, represented by its Director, Mr Krasimir Koev, and made reference to various avenues that would enable Bulgaria to position itself as one of the leading viticultural countries in the Black Sea area. Among the activities envisaged, two areas could be given priority, namely the organisation of a regional scientific and technical forum in Bulgaria and the involvement of the country's university and professional sector in the OIV's Master's programme (the MSc OIV in Wine Management).
In addition, H.E. Mr Anguel Tcholakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria in France, supported the idea of organising a presentation of his country's wines at the OIV headquarters during the exhibition of Thracian treasures from Bulgaria, a cultural event that is to be held at the Louvre in spring 2015.
The Minister for Agriculture also stressed the importance she attached to strengthening the contribution of Bulgarian expertise within the OIV as part of the rural development programme, certain aspects of which particularly affect native table grapes and wine grapes.
Ms Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Director General for Agricultural, Agri-food and Territorial Policies in the French Ministry of Agriculture, stressed the importance that France is attaching to the OIV's activities by awarding the Order of Agricultural Merit to the scientists elected to the highest positions in the Organisation.
Knights of the Order of Agricultural Merit
Mr Vicente Sotés Ruiz – Spain – President of Commission I "Viticulture"
Nationality: Spanish
Qualifications: Doctor in Agronomic Engineering, specialised in viticulture and oenology.
Professional career: Teacher and Researcher, currently a Professor of Plant Production (viticulture) at the Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering of Madrid.
Specialised in vine physiology and wine production. Director of 15 doctoral theses. Author of 165 publications.
OIV career: Spanish delegate within the "Viticulture" Commission since 1991, Vice-President of the "Vitivinicultural Zoning" Expert Group from 2004-2007, President of the "Viticultural Environment and Climate Change" Expert Group in 2007.
Other achievements: Member of the European Group for Vine Training Systems, of the Italian Academy of Vine and Wine, and of the Consultative Committee of the Spanish Wine Federation.
Mr Ahmet Altindisli – Turkey – President of the "Table Grapes, Raisins and Unfermented Vine Products" Sub-Commission
Nationality: Turkish
Qualifications: Doctor of Viticulture.
Professional career: Teacher and Researcher, Professor of Viticulture at the Faculty of Agriculture of Ege University in Izmir.
Specialised in organic production and canopy management. Author of 20 scientific publications.
OIV career: Turkish delegate within the "Viticulture" Commission since 2007, Scientific Secretary of the "Table Grapes, Raisins and Unfermented Vine Products" Sub-Commission in 2007, then President of this Sub-Commission since 2012.
Other achievements: Member of the Turkish Horticultural Society, member of the Scientific Committee for the World Congress of Vine and Wine (2012).
Mr Valeriu Cotea – Romania – President of Commission II "Oenology"
Nationality: Romanian
Qualifications: Doctor of Agronomy, specialised in viticulture and oenology.
Professional career: Teacher and Researcher, Professor of Oenology, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ia?i. Director of 7 doctoral theses.
OIV career: Romanian delegate within the "Oenology" Commission since 1998, President of the "Specifications of Oenological Products" Expert Group (2007-2012), President of the "Oenology" Commission since 2012.
Other achievements: Member of the Romanian Office of Vine and Wine Products, member of the Romanian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, President of the National Vineyard Growers and Wine Producers Association.
He is receiving the Order of Agricultural Merit 19 years after his father, Valeriu Cotea, who also received this award as President of the "Oenology" Commission in 1996.
Mr Paulo Barros – Portugal – President of the "Methods of Analysis" Sub-Commission
Nationality: Portuguese
Qualifications: Graduate from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Porto.
Professional career: Assistant Professor in Pharmacy, Technical Director of the Porto laboratory for wine analysis, Adviser to the Board of Directors at the Port and Douro Wine Institute. Author of over 50 publications.
OIV career: Portuguese delegate within the "Methods of Analysis" Sub-Commission since 1989, for which he became Scientific Secretary in 2009 and President in 2012.
Other achievements: Organisation of the OIV World Congress in Porto, member of the OIV National Committee in Portugal.
Mr Eugenio Pomarici – Italy – President of Commission III "Economy and Law"
Nationality: Italian
Qualifications: Doctor of Mathematics.
Professional career: Teacher and Researcher, Professor at the University of Naples and at Padua University in Conegliano.
Specialised in supply analysis in the fruit and wine sector. Author of 74 scientific publications.
OIV career: Italian delegate within the "Economy and Law" Commission since 2004, President of the “Markets and Consumption” Expert Group (2007-2012), President of the “Economy and Law” Commission since 2012.
Other achievements: Member of the National Committee for the protection and promotion of designations of origin.
Ms Creina Stockley – Australia – President of Commission IV "Safety and Health"
Nationality: Australian
Qualifications: Master's in Business Administration, Master's in Clinical Pharmacology.
Professional career: Teacher and Researcher; Lecturer at the University of Adelaide School of Agriculture, Food and Wine; Health and Regulatory Information Manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute. Author of more than 30 publications.
OIV career: Australian delegate within the "Safety and Health" Commission since 1999, Vice-President of the "Nutrition and Wine" Expert Group (2000-2006), President of the "Food Safety" Expert Group (2007-2012), President of the "Safety and Health" Commission since 2012.
Other achievements: Member of the various working groups on additives and allergens; consultant on health, nutrition and food safety for different vitivinicultural organisations.
Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit
Ms Claudia Quini – Argentina – OIV President
Nationality: Argentine
Qualifications: Chemical engineering degree from the National Technological University (Regional Faculty of Mendoza)
Professional career: built within the National Vitiviniculture Institute, in particular, as coordinator of oenological studies and sensory analysis, in the analytical and technical departments, and in conducting research and monitoring duties. Professor of Wine Technology and Sensory Analysis.
OIV career: expert and delegate within the "Oenology" Commission since 2004, qualified personality within the OIV Scientific and Technical Committee (2009-2012), elected President of the OIV in June 2012 in Izmir.
Other achievements: Head of the Vinandino national wine competition, member of the Argentine delegation for international negotiations regarding wine.
From Paris to Mendoza, going via Porto, Madrid, Verona, Bucharest, Izmir and Adelaide, over 30,000 kilometres stand between the above recipients of the Order of Agricultural Merit, yet they are all brought together as part of the OIV.
Several major contributors enabled to explore different approaches to this topic. Christophe Riou, Scientific and Development Director of the French Vine and Wine Institute showed what oenologists had done for innovation; Bernard Praz, Director responsible for wine buying at the Grand Chais de France Group, presented their contribution to the development of marques; Hubert de Boüard, co-proprietor of Château Angelus and consultant oenologist, dealt with the enhancement of terroirs and vine varieties which oenologists have done so much to bring about; while Gérard Bertrand, proprietor of the wines that go by that name, spoke of the serenity that comes of the skills, values and the art of living defended by oenologists.
Closing the morning’s proceedings, Yann Juban, Assistant to the Director General of the OIV, traced the evolution of the international definition of the oenologist between 1976 and the definition adopted by the OIV in 2013, from a collaborator ensuring respect for fair practice to an expert able to carry out duties in all fields.
Referring to the different phases of the oenologist’s profession, as defined by the OIV, he listed all the different aspects of the work, showing how they correspond to the international view of the oenologist. Innovation, especially in regard to vineyards, “with the aim of adapting the raw material to the demands of […] production and consumer requirements” (phase I of the profession); the marque, formulating “recommendations in the field of marketing on the designation and presentation of the product […] in order to improve the response to the consumer preferences identified” (phase IV); enhancement, “consider the ethical, including potential effects on consumer health, economic, social, environmental and technical aspects and develop proposals for measures in order to adapt production to needs and demands”(phase V) and last but not least, serenity, ensured by means of controls, traceability, quality management, food safety and respect for the environmental balance (phase III).
“Wine is also a major sales item and it matters that people should know what it is, and what it is not – thus so much hangs on its correct definition,” said the French President, adding that “this is not only the responsibility of producers; consumers too need to be part of the process, and that is why an intergovernmental organisation was set up in 1924, the Organisation of Vine and Wine, which has its headquarters in France.”
Affirming that he wants “the OIV to be able to play its fullest possible part”, François Hollande noted that the Organisation brings together almost 50 Member States “and does a truly remarkable job.”
Addressing the representatives of the world vine and wine sector, the French President concluded: “We must widen the scope of the OIV – it is in our interest to do so – to include big countries like China or the United States.”
The 18th Vinexpo brings together in Bordeaux some 2400 exhibitors from 45 countries.
This salon, which is among the world’s foremost, strives to encourage international trade in wines and spirits, to foster knowledge of these products and to promote them.
Speech by François Hollande at the opening of the Vinexpo Exhibition (OIV Speech from 10’18 to 11’06).
Monika Christmann elected as President
Having been involved in the activities of the OIV for around 20 years, Prof. Dr. Christmann was unanimously elected by the States present. An oenology teacher and researcher at the Geisenheim Research Institute, she was formerly President of the OIV "Oenology" Commission and OIV Vice-President for 3 years, after being elected by the Scientific and Technical Committee.
Monika Christmann will be supported in her new role by a new Steering Committee, since the General Assembly also elected the following as:
President of the "Viticulture" Commission: Benjamin Bois (France)
President of the "Oenology" Commission: Luigi Moio (Italy)
President of the "Economy and Law" Commission: Tony Battaglene (Australia)
President of the “Nutrition and Health” Commission: Nuria García Tejedor (Spain)
President of the "Methods of Analysis" Sub-Commission: Ondrej Mikeš (Czech Republic)
President of the "Table Grapes, Raisins and Unfermented Vine Products" Sub-Commission: Luis Peres de Sousa (Portugal)