The OIV is moving to Dijon: but what is the purpose of this international vine and wine organization?

Since its creation in 1924, the OIV has been a scientific organization. It was born at a time when it was necessary to replant the vines, devastated by the phylloxera crisis, an aphid that is devastating to the vines. Later, the world war also caused enormous damage in Europe. There were originally seven founding countries, including France. At the heart of the upheavals of the beginning of the century, the OIV is also confronted with the period of alcohol prohibition. It then becomes a wine promotion tool.

Scientific diplomacy

And then it expands, the producing countries multiply, there are today 50 members of the organization, soon 51 with the expected arrival of China in November 2024. Illustration of this internationalization, its president is an Italian, Luigi Moio, his general director a New Zealander, John Barker, and his deputy a Frenchman, Yann Juban.

In this context, it becomes essential to pursue a mission of harmonization of standards and rules of the sector at the global level. The International Organization of Vine and Wine does not impose anything, it issues recommendations. Not easy, when we know that it works on the principle of consensus: for example, it took ten years to agree on a shared definition of the word “terroir“, which has so much meaning here in Burgundy since the UNESCO classification in 2015.

Adapting to climate change

The OIV is also committed to the major challenges of the future: first and foremost global warming. Its role is to encourage scientific research, provide statistical data, and promote the exchange of good practices to better adapt, in a context of declining global production. In this regard, 2023 was the worst year since the beginning of the 1960s on a global scale, with a decline of 3% largely attributed to the vagaries of the climate.

Finally adapt to the new uses of consumers that we are. We buy less wine in France, and the OIV has therefore been developing the dealcoholized, or partially dealcoholized, wine sector for some time now, to satisfy all palates. Even if these products are still quite rare here in Burgundy.

In Dijon until October 18, the organization is at the heart of a triple event: the inauguration of its new headquarters, but also a ministerial conference on the future of the sector, and its 45th world congress. Big week ahead, for an organization to which the Dijonnais will have to get used to.