The international technical-scientific congress, Enoforum, marks its 20th edition with a record-breaking event.

VICENZA – The 20th Enoforum, an international congress for the viticulture sector, took place from May 16 to 18, 2023, at the Vicenza Convention Centre, managed by the Italian Exhibition Group. The event, which exceeded all forecasts, was a resounding success. Gianni Trioli, the head of Vinidea, the company behind the event, was thrilled with the outcome: “We’ve managed to outdo the attendance of the 2019 edition, the last in-person event in Italy before the pandemic. With 1,300 technical attendees, 135 presentations (30% by international researchers), and 55 companies showcasing the latest technological breakthroughs, Enoforum has solidified its position as the premier conference in the sector throughout Europe.”

Enoforum, organized by Vinidea in partnership with SIVE-Società Italiana di Viticoltura ed Enologia (Italian Society of Viticulture and Oenology), Assoenologi, and the Unione Italiana Vini (Italian Wine Union), has evolved into Europe’s leading technical-scientific congress dedicated to viticulture and winemaking innovation. The event brings together the latest global developments from both public and private research sectors and uniquely combines the three key elements of the wine industry: wine producers, researchers, and suppliers.

During the three-day congress, two conference rooms were in operation (one dedicated to international research with simultaneous translation, the other to Italian research), along with a tasting room, a “demo” room, a poster area, a media partner area, and an exhibition space to meet leading industry companies. This edition was unparalleled in terms of the volume and quality of information shared:

  • 135 presentations on cutting-edge innovations for vineyards and wineries, delivered by 60 independent speakers from universities or public research centers, 40 international speakers from 10 wine-producing countries, and 26 speakers from the Enoforum Prize.
  • 7 research projects at regional, national, and European levels.
  • 20 posters on new technologies and knowledge, in addition to those presented orally.
  • 55 companies showcasing innovations resulting from their R&D activities.
  • 10 tasting sessions to understand the sensory effects of innovations.
  • 10 demos to learn how to practically use innovations.
  • 35 exhibitors to deepen information with company experts.
  • Numerous networking opportunities to interact with hundreds of colleagues from all over Italy.
  • An opportunity to learn about local wines and products, as evidenced by the partnership with the Durello Consortium, protagonist of tastings and Master Classes.

The Enoforum Prize was designed as a global competition offering the scientific community the opportunity to present innovative research related to the wine industry. Approximately 100 research papers from around the world were submitted, subject to a first evaluation by the International Scientific Committee. During Enoforum Web Scientists, held on March 13, the 36 top-ranked papers were presented orally. Participants were then invited to evaluate the presented works in real-time to determine the winner and finalists.

The event was met with universal acclaim, not only from the attendees, who were busy moving from one room to another to catch as many sessions as possible, but also from the invited speakers, who praised the quality of the content and the meticulous organization. Gérard Liger-Belair, head of the Effervescence & Champagne Research Unit at the University of Reims and a world authority in the field of “bubbles,” who opened the third day of the congress, commented: “I am extremely grateful to the organizers for inviting me to Enoforum, and I am truly impressed by the scale of the event,the quality of the presentations, and the flawless organization. I doubt that such an accomplishment would be possible in France.”

For those who missed any of the presentations, all recordings will be gradually made available online on the Infowine.com internet magazine, with priority access for Premium subscribers.

Enoforum, initiated in 2000 in Montesilvano by Vinidea and SIVE, has grown in stature over the years and has expanded with international editions in Portugal (Infowine Forum), Spain, the United States, and soon in Chile and even France (Sparkling Wine Forum). It was also the first congress to go entirely online due to Covid-19 in the spring of 2020, replacing the Spanish edition scheduled in Zaragoza. The previous Italian in-person edition, held in Vicenza in May 2019, saw the participation of approximately 1,200 delegates.

The Enoforum team is already gearing up for the next challenge in anticipation of the fifth edition, with the goal of continuing to showcase national and international entities to the public and further enhancing the wine and spirits sector.