4th edition — Village by CA — Reims-Bezannes — Under the patronage of the OIV
On 19 May 2026, the global sparkling wine industry will gather in Reims for the fourth edition of the Sparkling Wine Forum. Organised by EFFEVENT at the Village by CA in Reims-Bezannes (opposite the Champagne-Ardenne TGV station), this event, held under the patronage of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), has established itself as a key event for the entire sector.
“Against a backdrop of greater economic pressure on the wine sector, which has not spared Champagne either, this latest edition will offer practical insights and solutions—both marketing and technological—drawn from the Champagne region and other sparkling wine-producing areas, to tackle current challenges and prepare for the future,” explains Cyril Egoroff, Managing Director of EFFEVENT.
PROGRAMME 2026
The opening presentations will address today’s major challenges head-on: shifts in the global balance of wine sales, as well as the development of resilient grape varieties better suited to climate change. Innovations designed to preserve the freshness and aromatic profile of sparkling wines will also be presented :
Rafael del Rey (Del Rey Consulting, Spain) will analyse the relationship between price and taste in pressurised sparkling wines on international markets
Guillaume Arnold (INRAE) will explore the strategy for varietal innovation: resistant grape varieties and the challenges facing sparkling wine production
Stéphanie Moucadel (CIVC) will highlight the challenges involved in inerting corks used for sparkling wines
Thomas Karbowiak (Professor at the Institut Agro Dijon) will explain gas transfer processes and their impact on wine quality
Industrial and technological innovations will also be discussed :
Jérôme Viard (Operations Manager, Tonnellerie de Champagne Ardenne) - Sébastien Le Govet (Cellar Master Champagne Henri Giraud) et Laurent Guillemain (Defranceschi) will outline the origins and challenges of oak barrels fitted with porcelain stoneware bases
Giorgio Delgrosso (Head of the OIV’s Statistics Unit) will analyse sales statistics for sparkling wines, focusing on trends in consumption and purchasing patterns by type of sparkling wine
Yorgos Kotseridis (Agricultural University of Athens, Greece) will investigate the impact of indigenous yeasts on the aromatic profiles of sparkling wines
Nicolas François (Station Oenotechnique de Champagne) will present on the latest developments and innovations in riddling
Francisco Campos (AMORIM) et Anna Bortolini (University of Udine, Italy) will discuss the extraction and retention of aromas in sparkling wines: the decisive impact of the choice of cork
Aurélie Ringeval Deluze (University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne) et Richard Designes (Winemaker at Champagne Lacourte-Godbillon) will discuss the various marketing strategies employed by Champagne winegrowers
The afternoon will begin with an international panel discussion hosted by Team France Export, bringing together several heads of overseas offices:
Aurélie Recio (Germany)
Sylvain Floirac (Baltic States)
Camille Zanette (United States)
Tatiana Angelini (Brasil)
They will share their insights on opportunities for the international development of sparkling wines and strategies for adapting to local conditions.
Innovations in winemaking and marketing will then take over:
Mathieu de Basquiat (Wine expert and Director of PARSEC France) will present ‘Cellar Mate’, a next-generation bioreactor designed to automate and safeguard the propagation and acclimatisation of bottling yeasts
Antoine Viollette (NEOMA Business School) will analyse the latest consumer trends with ‘Oh my Bulles!’
Climate and agronomic issues will then emerge as a key focus :
Basile Pauthier (CIVC) will analyse the impacts of spring frosts and propose various measures to address this risk
Christophe Bertsch (University of Haute-Alsace) will provide an update on research into wood diseases, a persistent scourge, and will report on new findings regarding the phenomenon
The day will conclude with a look at new winemaking techniques and future trends:
Naïs Marceaux (Robert-Jean De Vogüé Research Centre) will share its work and feedback on biological acidification
Arnau Just Borras (Rovira i Virgili University, Catalonia, Spain) will explore the potential of Pét-Nat wines through the opportunities and challenges they present
Pierre Naviaux (CIVC) will present the Champagne industry’s Net Zero Carbon strategy
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Date:
Tuesday 19 May 2026, 8.30 am to 6.00 pm (including a light lunch)
Venue:
Village by CA — Reims-Bezannes (opposite Champagne-Ardenne TGV station)
Audience:
Researchers, winegrowers, oenologists, cellar masters and wine masters, industry representatives, inter-professional organisations, decision-makers, journalists
