This major event will be held in Reims on 23-24 April and will showcase the latest advances in innovation and sensory analysis of sparkling wines.
The Champagne-based company EFFEVENT organise the Sparkling Wine Forum 2025 under the patronage of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), which will bring together researchers and stakeholders in the sparkling wine industry at the Village by CA in Reims. This event, reserved for professionals, combines scientific research, economic issues and innovation.
Focus on innovation and sensory experience
This year, Sparkling Wine Forum will focus on sensory analysis and changing consumer expectations, an evolving area in the sparkling wine sector. Experts such as Yvette van Der Merwe, President of the OIV and Karl Storchmann, a renowned economist, will discuss global consumer trends and the economic challenges facing the sector. These include the issue of US taxes and changes in purchasing behaviour in the light of the environmental approach adopted by Champagne producers. Gerard Liger-Belair, Professor at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, and Gabriel Lepousez, a specialist in sensory perception, will explain how bubbles influence our perception and why effervescence is so appreciated by our senses.
Axel Marchal, a researcher at the ISVV in Bordeaux, will be presenting new findings on the identification of Chardonnay aromas in Champagne wines. The Comite Champagne (CIVC) will be hosting a conference on tasting as a fully-fledged technical tool and its application to wine defects. Monica Laureati, from the University of Milan, will also be presenting her work on the sensory identity of Italian sparkling wines and the associated consumer perceptions.
Unique conferences led by international experts and the Champagne industry
Sparkling Wine Forum 2025 promises to be an event rich in discoveries and high-level exchanges. A number of talks have already been confirmed. Among them, Fernando Zamora from the University of Rovira i Virgili, will be sharing his research on oxygen consumption and autolysis of the lees during the ageing of Cava produced using traditional method. Matthias Schmitt, from the Geisenheim Institute of Oenology (Germany}, will address the issue of reducing the alcohol content of sparkling wines in the context of global warming.
The expertise of the Champagne region will be showcased, with presentations from Moet Hennessy’s research centre and the Comite Champagne (CIVC), which will be presenting its research programmes in varietal innovation and the tools it uses on a day-to-day basis to reduce carbon footprints and eco-design sustainable solutions. The focus will be on assessing the environmental footprint of frost control methods. Masterclasses will also be organised on wine defaults or alcohol reduction in sparkling wines.
Round tables and discussions on the future of the industry
Finally, round tables dedicated to innovation will feature researchers and representatives of start-ups, members of La Winetech. They will be looking at the impact of artificial intelligence on oenology and the new challenges facing wine tourism in the wake of the 10th anniversary of the Champagne region’s classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These exchanges will also be enhanced by islands of collective stands where researchers and professionals can work together on strategic themes.
Use the code VINEYARDSWF25 for a discount on your registration
www.sparkling-wine-forum.com
