Bolivian winery among the winners at Old Vine Hero Awards 2025
The winners of the Old Vine Hero Awards 2025 have been announced, with five champions being recognised across categories including ‘Next Generation’, ‘Best Viticultural Team’ and ‘Communication & Education’. The awards are organised by the Old Vine Conference, a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of the work being done to nurture old vines around the world.
The prize of ‘Best Viticultural Team’ went to Bodegas y Viñedos Yokich of Ciniti Valley in Bolivia. The estate has been working closely alongside local small-holder growers for over 20 years to protect and promote the area’s ancient vines.
The ‘Communication & Education’ award, sponsored by IWSC, was given to Michèle Shah, the Old Vine Conference Regional Ambassador for Italy. The prize, presented by Sarah Abbott MW, co-founder of the Old Vine Conference, was awarded to Shah thanks to her role in raising awareness of Italy’s deep viticultural heritage.
Other awards included the ‘Next Generation’ award, which went to Carlos and Juanjo Cerdán of Bodega Cerrón for their work on restoring old vine vineyards in Fuente Alamo, situated in the DO Jumilla of Spain. Plaimont, Vignerons en Gascogne et Piémont Pyrénéen were awarded the ‘Research’ award for their work on practical viticulture, illustrating how biodiversity can allow vineyards to future proof against environmental and market pressures.
Additionally, the ‘Old Vines, New Technology’ award went to Marta Juega, founder of PI Concept, for her development of PI Analytics. The software has been shown to demonstrate a measurable positive impact in old vineyards by improving water, reducing waste and enhancing soil health.
All award winners won a ticket to Day 1 of the Old Vine Conference 2025 taking place in California. The IWSC’s sponsorship of the ‘Communication & Education’ prize will see to Michèle Shah awarded a five-day pass (including flight and accommodation) for the Old Vine Conference 2025.
There were 60 qualifying nominations from 14 countries for the awards with this number narrowed down to 18 finalists. These nominations were judged by a panel of 17 old vine specialists. Over two weeks the finalists received almost 6,000 individual votes from the global wine community.
To watch the winners’ webinar in full, visit here.
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