At the invitation of the President of the Saint-Yves conference (the oldest association of legal professionals in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), Mr William Lindsay Simpson, and of the Director of the Vine and Wine Institute and also Luxembourg OIV delegate, Mr Robert Ley, Jean-Marie Aurand gave a conference in the capital on 15 March dedicated to the regulatory role of the OIV and its impact on the global vitivinicultural sector.

This conference was open to a diverse audience: representatives of the vitivinicultural sector, ambassadors, members of European Union institutions working in the Grand Duchy, legal professionals... It also played host to the Minister for Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection, Mr Fernand Etgen.

During his introduction, the Minister gave a presentation on Luxembourg viticulture, emphasising the substantial efforts made by grape growers to improve the quality of wines, supported by public policies that have been put in place.

1250 ha of vines along the banks of the Moselle

The Grand Duchy has 1250 ha of vines along the banks of the Moselle, with an average annual production of 110 000 hL of wine – 90% of which are white wines, and 25% of these crémants.

Mr Fernand Etgen reminded those present that Luxembourg was one of the eight founding members of the OIV in 1924 and assured the Director General of his country’s full commitment to the Organisation.

Jean-Marie Aurand gave a panorama of the state of the global vitivinicultural sector, highlighting the major issues for the future and the role of the OIV within this context.

He also praised the high level of involvement of Luxembourg in the work of the OIV and the unfailing support that the Grand Duchy has given the Organisation.

Tony Spawton dedicated his career to the marketing of wine as an expert for the Australian delegation to the OIV, teacher, consultant, writer and ambassador of a discipline he helped to create.

Originally from the country of Wales, he was an OIV delegate and expert for Australia between 1990 and 2008; in particular, he was the President of the “Market Analysis” Expert Group, and as such a member of the OIV Scientific and Technical Committee.

During long periods in Europe as an associate professor, Tony Spawton undertook research on risk reduction and changing consumption trends.

As Professor of Wine Marketing at the Roseworthy Agricultural College of the University of Adelaide, then at the School of Marketing of the University of South Australia, he was very active in different groups of the “Economy and Law” Commission and took part in the congresses in Cape Town, Paris, Lisbon, Bratislava, Budapest, Adelaide, Mainz and Buenos Aires.

His collaboration with numerous universities and schools led to him teaching in France, Spain, South Africa, Austria, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Hungary, Italy, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Portugal.

The author of a great many publications and of a reference book on wine marketing, he was an active member of the International University Association of Wine.

The OIV has highlighted and recognised his career dedicated to a new aspect of the field and the importance of wine marketing, which undoubtedly contributed to the significant development of the knowledge of markets and thus to the progression of the international wine trade, awarding him the OIV Merit Award in 2011.

To attend this press conference, journalists are kindly asked to send an email with their name and their professional contact details to press@oiv.int.

Date: Tuesday 24 April 2018

Time: 11:00am

Location: International Organisation of Vine and Wine, (OIV), 18 Rue d'Aguesseau, Paris 75008 - Metro station Madeleine or Concorde [see map]

This meeting allowed to follow the various topics covered by the Codex Alimentarius, but also to consolidate relations with the Codex Alimentarius secretariat, and in particular with Tom Heilland, secretary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

In parallel of the session, the President and the OIV Scientific coordinator have discussed with different national delegation members or non-members of the OIV regarding different issues.

Among the technical issues, the CCFA has endorsed different decisions in particular regarding the specifications of microcrystalline cellulose. In addition the Joint Expert Committee of Food Additive (JECFA) has reported its works on tentative specifications on oenological tannins, metatartaric acid and yeats mannoproteins. In addition a safety assessment of potassium polyaspartate has been included in the work programme of the JECFA.

For more technical information, please consult the enclosed document

Mexico, which joined the OIV in 2016, embarked upon a bill in 2017 for the development of its national vitivinicultural industry, which is expected to be adopted several weeks from now. It was at the time of introduction of this bill and during the OIV Director General's visit to the Mexican Senate that the Undersecretary of Agriculture announced his intention for his country to organise a presentation of Mexican wine in Paris.

First Mexican wine tasting at the OIV headquarters

It was with great pleasure that Jean-Marie Aurand welcomed this first tasting of Mexican wines at the OIV headquarters, highlighting the strong and rapid growth of the sector and the synergy between the Mexican professional and public sectors. Mr Guillermo Garza García, Director of PROMÉXICO, representing H.E. Mr Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo, Mexican Ambassador to France, was proud to be able to present, with the Mexican Wine Council, a selection representative of the high quality of Mexican wines.

A production of 260,000 tonnes of table grapes per year

With a production of 260,000 tonnes of table grapes per year, an increase of 25% since the year 2000 with more than 60% exported, Mexico is becoming a significant player on the world market. Its production is well rewarded as it arrives on the market out of season (May to July). As for raisins, since 2000, production has increased by 225% to reach 14,000 tonnes in 2015. Driven by strong domestic demand (an annual increase in consumption of 12% for the last 10 years), wine production has experienced remarkable growth. A large number of wine companies established in 11 Mexican states produce nearly 200,000 hectolitres of a wide variety of high-quality wine every year.

Three Mexican regions represented

Mr Gabriel Padilla, Director of the Mexican Wine Council, presented historical, geographical and economic data on the sector, and this data was illustrated by oenologists from wineries in the regions of Lower California (Monte Xanic), Coahuila (Casa Madero) and Aguascalientes (Vinícola Santa Elena). The wines were presented to 100 or so professionals, amongst different wine-tapas pairings illustrating the perfect marriage between wines of character and recognised gastronomy.