Old Vine Conference heads to California with Jancis Robinson
A partnership has emerged between the Old Vine Conference (OVC) and various organisations in California, which will culminate in a northern California meeting in late 2025 where Jancis Robinson MW will be the keynote speaker.
Announced at this week's Old Vine Conference 2024, the partnership is spearheaded by the OVC and Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) in collaboration with other notable organisations including California Wines, Lodi Wines and the Historic Vineyard Society.
The annual conference, entitled Meeting of The Minds (31 October to 4 November 2025), will draw an international media and trade audience to discuss the most pressing issues facing the worlds old vines. A series of events, including fieldtrips to multiple California wine regions, will take place in order to highlight California’s old vines and their contribution to wine quality, regional identity and sustainability.
“This milestone event marks a significant recognition of California's role in global wine history and its dedication to preserving old vine vineyards and Zinfandel in particular,” notes OVC co-founder, Sarah Abbott MW.
“The goal of the conference is to highlight and promote the value and preservation of old vine vineyards, which are cultural and genetic treasures of the wine world” she adds.
The Old Vine Conference 2025 is set to be the most significant event for the OVC and will be an in-person coming together of the pioneers and thought-leaders in the realm of old vines from across the globe.
Proceedings will kick off with a gala opening on 31 October 2025 at the CIA at Copia in Napa, which coincides with the closing of California Wines’ Global Buyers Marketplace taking place during the week of 26 October. This annual event brings 100 top buyers from around the world to California to discover new wines and expand their offerings of California wines in their home countries, while also deepening their understanding of the region.
“The involved organisations reflect a strong, shared commitment to preserving and revitalising old vine vineyards across the globe. Together, we are fostering a global movement that safeguards these historic vines, ensuring they continue to produce exceptional wines for generations to come,” Honore Comfort, vice president of international marketing at Wine Institute, said.
The Old Vine Conference is a non-profit organisation which aims to bring together a global network to create a new category for wine from heritage vineyards. It launched with its inaugural online event in 2021 after taking inspiration from the work of Jancis Robinson and Tamlyn Currin, who have been writing about the importance of old vines for around 10 years via the creation of an old vine register.
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