The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) has been awarded the "Sustainable Viticulture" award by the Canary Islands Agrotourism and Wine Tourism Chair, the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality and the University of La Laguna, together with Bodegas El Grifo.
The ceremony, which took place at the facilities of the historic winery in San Bartolomé, was attended by a distinguished audience of authorities, experts and professionals from the wine sector.
This award, which in its second edition falls to the OIV within the framework of its centenary, values its "dedication to wine sustainability at a global level and its commitment to agri-food practices that respect the environment".
Mario de la Fuente Lloreda, president of the OIV's Viticulture Commission, collected the award and highlighted: "It is an honour to receive this award in a region as committed to sustainability as the Canary Islands. The OIV works every day to ensure that viticulture advances towards a future that is more respectful of the environment, and today we see the fruit of this effort reflected in this recognition".
Luis Arraez Guadalupe, member of the Joint Commission of the Canary Islands Agrotourism and Wine Tourism Chair, and director of the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality, expressed his satisfaction with the choice of the OIV in this edition: "The OIV's trajectory is an example of how sustainability can become the core of wine production, and it is a pride to be able to present this award in a place like Lanzarote that has unique wine characteristics, and at such a significant moment for the organisation, as is its centenary".
Fermín Otamendi, owner of Bodegas El Grifo, highlighted the winery's commitment to sustainable viticulture and the importance of events like this to strengthen ties between tradition and innovations in the sector. "It is gratifying to see how our sector comes together to celebrate sustainability, a fundamental value that the Canary Islands has successfully taken to the world stage," commented Otamendi.
The ceremony was attended by institutional representatives such as Janira Gutiérrez Peraza, president of the Canary Islands Institute of Agricultural Research, Gabriel Santos García, deputy director of the Canary Islands Agrotourism and Wine Tourism Chair of the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality and the University of La Laguna, and José Manuel Garrido García, director of Institutional Relations of CajaSiete, who agreed on the importance of this type of event for the development and international projection of the archipelago's wine sector.
The event is part of the II International Technical Conference on Sustainable Viticulture, which will be held on 8 and 9 November at the Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa. During these days, a hundred national and international experts will address key issues such as water management in viticulture and adaptation to environmental variations, highlighting the potential of the Canary Islands as a benchmark in sustainable viticulture.
