The world’s pre-eminent wine event will be taking place in Spain for the first time, as the candidacy of the city of Logroño, La Rioja, presented by the Fundación para la Cultura del Vino, has won the bid to host the Institute of Masters of Wine’s 9th International Symposium from 14 to 17 June 2018.
The Symposium, which is staged every four years, brings together leading producers, scientists, thinkers, brand owners, marketers and communicators for four spectacular days of conference, debate and tastings. Entertaining and informative speakers will be chosen from among the leading specialists in their field. The social side of the Symposium is also very important and delegates will be treated to a succession of lunches and dinners sponsored by leading global marques and institutions.
Sarah Jane Evans MW, Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine [pictured above], said:
“I am delighted that Spain is to host our 9th International Symposium. This decision recognises the exceptionally vibrant and diverse world of wine in Spain today, and the renewed energy, innovation and focus on quality that are its hallmarks.”
The winning proposal came from the Foundation for the Culture of Wine (La Fundación para la Cultura de Vino), which is the principal sponsor for the event. The Logroño bid is also supported by the Spanish Government, the regional government of La Rioja, the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX), and the Consejo Regulador of the DOCa Rioja wine appellation.
Luis Miguel Beneyto, Chairman of La Fundación para la Cultura de Vino, [also pictured above] said:
“We are very excited to be bringing the world of wine together in 2018 to share in Spain’s heritage and hospitality. We look forward to introducing delegates to our beautiful country, our gastronomy and, of course, our wines. At the same time we want Logroño to be the place where the ideas that shape the future of our industry are aired and discussed.”
Logroño is the capital city of the autonomous community of La Rioja. The Rioja denomination, with over 2,000 years of wine producing history, is the leading wine region of Spain, which is in turn one of the world’s largest wine producing and exporting countries. Rioja has more than 500 wineries, including some of the oldest and most famous bodegas in the world, and more than 63,000 hectares under vine.
Penny Richards, Executive Director of the Institute of Masters of Wine, said:
“We received a number of very competitive bids from cities and regions around the world to host the 2018 Symposium. This Spanish bid stood out not only due to the strength of their offer, but also for the sense of co-operation amongst the various organisations and agencies involved. We were delighted by the sheer appetite and enthusiasm to bring this incredible event to Spain for the first time. We cannot wait to work with the Spanish team to deliver a fabulous Symposium in Logroño.”
