First ever Old Vine Photography Competition launches

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 06 March, 2026

The Old Vine Conference has announced the launch of the first ever Old Vine Photography Competition.

Open to both professional and amateur photographers worldwide, submissions for the contest open today (6 March) and will close on 5 May 2026.

Submissions should capture old vines – defined for the competition as 35 years and older – along with the people, landscapes and traditions that support them.

Read more: Friday Read – The coming taste of Pompeii

Entries are invited across four themes – landscape and plants, people, cultural legacy and resilience & adaptation.

The contest aims to raise awareness of the importance of old vine preservation, capture the beauty and history of the world’s oldest vineyards and build a long-term visual archive which will celebrate both the vines and the communities that protect them.

Wine writer, photographer and head judge, Randy Caparoso, explained: “Photography has the power to make people see, feel and care.

“I’m excited to celebrate the images that shine a light on historic vineyards and inspire an appreciation and understanding of the need for their preservation.”

The rest of the judging panel includes Jason Ingram (an award-winning gardens photographer), Luma Monteiro (a wine communicator and content creator), professor Diego Tomasi (director of the Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene) and Belinda Stone (the executive director of The Old Vine Conference).

Photographs that make the shortlist will appear in a pop-up exhibition at the Old Vine Conference Heritage Showcase in London on 8 June 2026 (where a public vote will also open).

The winners will be announced on Old Vine Day – 15 July 2026.

The overall winner of the competition will receive a field trip (with the Old Vine Conference) to photograph and document some of the most notable old vines in the world. This will include £500 towards travel costs and an all-expenses-paid trip on the ground.

Category winners will be given lifetime membership of the Old Vine Conference, a case of old-vine wines and a digital medal.

Their images will also be showcased at the Old Vine Conference and its partner events, as well as featuring across the competition’s website, its social media and its educational platform.

More information about the contest and its entry criteria is available here.

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