Have you heard of the Villa d’Este Wine Symposium? The latest symposium took place in November 2015 but plans are already in the making for the 2016 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium. The next event is scheduled for November 3 – 6, 2016. The force behind the original symposium is François Mauss who is the founder and president of the Grand Jury Européen. The first Villa d’Este Wine Symposium was held in 2009.

François Mauss was interested in establishing a global forum for the people involved in the fine wine world. He wanted to include: producers, suppliers, distributors, negociants, journalists, politicians and connoisseurs. According to the Villa d’Este Wine Symposium website, the symposium “…endeavors to be an exclusive and unique place for an international dialogue around wine.”

“The Villa d’Este Wine Symposium’s aim is thus to be a sort of global think-tank, an international forum, where actors from all different sectors of the global wine industry can come together to discuss, debate and defend the common social, political, economic and cultural interests of the world of fine wine.”

Participants can look forward to three days of seminars, workshops, talks, wine tastings, delicious meals and music. Each seminar has simultaneous translations so participants from all countries can participate.

Location: Lake Como, Italy

The symposium takes place at Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. Lake Como is in northern Italy, close to Switzerland’s border. Villa d’Este dates back to 1568 when it was Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio’s summer residence. The villa property includes 25 acres of gardens. In 1873 it became a luxury hotel and now has more than 150 rooms.

Wine enthusiasts and professionals can learn more about the symposium by visiting the Villa d’Este Wine Symposium website. The current website also has details about the 2015 symposium and the dates for the 2016 event.

In 2014, the symposium awarded viticulturist William Metz a grant to evaluate possible applications for drones related to the wine industry. For a year he evaluated 15 vineyards in France, Switzerland and Germany. Metz reported the results of his work at the 2015 symposium. To learn more about Metz’s special study, see the YouTube video, “Potential of Drones in Precision Viticulture.”

Cheers,
Kathy