Summary: Regenerative agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil, increasing biodiversity above and below ground, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting carbon sequestration, and increasing resilience to climate change. Regenerative viticulture is farming vineyards based on the understanding that the health and

Summary: Join vigneron Olivier Humbrecht MW, of the famed estate Zind Humbrecht in Alsace, for a deep dive into one of the key building blocks of wine: acidity! In this WSG Live, you will learn about: The different types of acids found in grapes and wine and their sensory perception How to not only quantify but qualify acidity in wine The viticultural factors influencing

Summary:  Climate is a pervasive factor in the success of all agricultural systems, influencing whether a crop is suitable to a given region, largely controlling crop production and quality, and ultimately driving economic sustainability. Climate’s influence on agribusiness is never more evident than with viticulture and wine production where climate is arguably the most critical aspect in ripening fruit to optimum characteristics to produce a given

Summary:  In this webinar, Nova Cadamatre, MW and winemaker, will deliver a grapevine anatomy lesson and discuss how growing conditions impact the vine. If you ever wished you knew a little more about how heat, wind, drought, rain, and cloud cover impact photosynthesis, why hot vintages produce “green” wines, and what it takes to make a good vintage…this “bud” is for you. WSG launches “Vine to Wine,” an exciting,

Summary:  In this WSG Live, Nova Cadamatre, MW and winemaker, will deliver a grapevine anatomy lesson and discuss how growing conditions impact the vine. If you ever wished you knew a little more about how heat, wind, drought, rain, and cloud cover impact photosynthesis, why hot vintages produce “green” wines, and what it takes to make a good vintage…this “bud” is for you. Presenter: Nova Cadamatre Nova Cadamatre is a winemaker, writer, and blogger. As one of the

Summary: Have you ever tasted a Souvignier Gris, a Solaris or a Bronner? What about Regent, Cabernet Cortis or Rösler? These are just some of the disease-resistant varieties that have been bred over the last few decades from complex crossings of vitis vinifera cultivars with American sub-species such as vitis labrusca, vitis riparia or vitis rupestris. What started as a crude exercise in creating new plant material in the wake of the turn-of-the-century phylloxera

Summary: This webinar will dig into the basics of rocks and soil, and their respective roles in defining a site’s terroir. This discussion will give you the terms, tools, and scientific foundation to discuss terroir like a pro. We will explore the different types of rocks, how they form, and in which wine regions across the globe you can expect to find them.

Summary: An understanding of what biodynamics is and why it has so many young followers today begins with a look at history and the question of why Rudolf Steiner's impulse came about in Germany, in 1924, during the interwar years. The questions that farmers asked themselves then are as relevant today as they were then and have a lot to do with the fertiliser issue. In this webinar, we will take a look at this history and what is modern about the 100 year old

Summary: We are delighted to be joined by three esteemed guardians of these incredible important pieces of living history from our specialist regions of France, Spain and Italy. Moderated by our Membership Manager Justin Martindale MW, this webinar will discuss the various factors involved in curating these unique vineyards, covering a broad range of topics, including: The relevance of low yielding vines The quality of the wines produced by old

Summary: Rick's Pick: University of Tarragona instructor and winemaker, Antoni Sanchez-Ortiz focuses on climate change and how viticulture must adapt in Spain’s DOQ Priorat region. The mesoclimate determines climatic differences due to the topography of the Priorat and that give rise to local modifications or changes that can affect to more or less ample extensions. Factors that

Summary: We were delighted to be joined by Isabel Gassier, viticulturalist at Domaine Gassier in France's Costières de Nîmes, to discuss their conversion to Regenerative Viticulture. In November 2023, the estate became France's first regeneratively certified producer, and in this interview Isabel discusses the motivation and journey behind this move, as well as the practicalities and 'on-the-ground' challenges in utilising this farming method in Costières de Nîmes.  You

Summary:  Welcome to the soil signatures course! This course is aimed at helping students understand the very tangible effect that different soil types can have on the flavours we encounter in the glass.

Summary: The city of Bordeaux has recently been governed by a green mayor, more than 14,000 hectares of vineyards are certified organic or are being converted, and biodynamics is experiencing great popularity.In the Gironde region, too, it has been realized, not least after various pesticide scandals, that neither people nor the environment can be poisoned for a luxury product like wine. In this webinar, we want to get to the bottom of the efforts for more

Summary:  From the climate to legislation, from equipment to personnel, growing and making wine in China has unique challenges to overcome.  This webinar will delve into the  trials and rewards of producing great wine in China, looking at 5 of the major growing regions, while outlining the history of viticulture in China and throwing light on the position that grape wine holds in Chinese culture both now and in the past. Presenter: Fongyee Walker MW Fongyee

Summary: THE GRAFTED GRAPEVINE (a three-part series) Welcome back to our three-part viticultural series that takes a deep dive into the grafted grapevine. Thomas Dormegnies, of the highly respected Berillon Nursery in France, will share his expertise and experience to help you discover how grafted grapevines are produced, the impact of high-quality vine plant material on viticulture, how diversity

Summary: THE GRAFTED GRAPEVINE (a three-part series) We are thrilled to present you a three-part viticultural series that will take a deep dive into the grafted grapevine. Thomas Dormegnies, of the highly respected Berillon Nursery in France, will share his expertise and experience to help you discover how grafted grapevines are produced, the impact of high-quality vine plant material on viticulture, how diversity and sustainability in the vineyard starts from the

Summary: THE GRAFTED GRAPEVINE (a three-part series) Welcome back to our three-part viticultural series that takes a deep dive into the grafted grapevine. Thomas Dormegnies, of the highly respected Berillon Nursery in France, will share his expertise and experience to help you discover how grafted grapevines are produced, the impact of high-quality vine plant material on viticulture, how diversity and

WSG is proud be the first Educational Partner of The Old Vine Conference. Read more to find out how this dynamic non-profit organization is actively creating a global network of old-vine disciples while raising awareness through education. 

While it may not be the most glamorous subject matter, vine-training is an essential topic to understand for students of wine. The method in which a vigneron replants and manages the growth of vines has big implications on matters concerning yields, protection against weather, and the overall quality of the final wine. Furthermore, because of its effect on labor and resource deployment, vine-training can determine whether a winemaker’s operation is financially viable in the first place.

With warmer weather, bud break comes quickly. The tiny buds swell and then quickly reveal small, fuzzy, green leaves as the shoot primordia begin to elongate. These shoot primordia will become fully developed shoots over the next few weeks!  Although the exact timing of bud break varies from location to location and from year to year, cooler growing areas can have bud break as late as May; warmer regions as early as March. Either way, bud break officially starts the new vintage for the vines!