On November 11, 2024, just over 70 in-person and 40 online attendees came together to exchange views on the future of the wine industry at this year’s BDO Conference. With the title ‘The wine industry – quo vadis? Dream or nightmare’, the core focus of this year’s conference was on the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
Looking Ahead, Despite Current Crises
The event was opened by Professor Erik Schweickert, president of the Bund Deutscher Oenologen e.V. (BDO), who got straight to the heart of the current sentiment in the wine industry: despite ongoing global crises, there is still reason to have confidence. “All crises bring opportunities with them,’ Schweickert emphasized. “We are doing better than we might think.” With regard to the international wine industry, Schweickert pointed to other countries currently battling similar or even greater challenges than Germany. This is why, in his view, exchanging ideas and inspiration on an international scale is key.
President of Hochschule Geisenheim University and host of the conference Professor Hans Reiner Schultz built on the Schweickert’s sentiment in his opening address, placing emphasis on the role of research and education in facing future challenges in the industry. In particular, he highlighted investments in new buildings and the relevance of future topics, such as dealcoholization. “Research and education need to take current issues seriously,” said Schultz, who continued on to express hope that this year’s conference could result in concrete solutions.
International Challenges: Insights from Spain
A lecture on climate challenges in Spain held by Mireia Torres, director of knowledge and innovation at the Familia Torres winery, proved to be a highlight of the conference. Extreme weather events, including forest fires and drought, are placing the Spanish wine industry under enormous stress. In her lecture, Torres described how Spanish wineries are already taking countermeasures through water management, seeking out climate-resilient crop areas, and the use of organic fertilizers.
“We have a responsibility for our environment and for future generations,” said Torres. As a winery, Familia Torres has been implementing pioneering sustainability measures that aim to combat climate change and transform the wine industry. The winery plants heat-resistant grapevine varieties, reduces CO2 emissions by using renewable energy and lightweight bottles, and promotes regenerative agriculture to improve soil quality and biodiversity. Torres herself is working on CO2 recovery technology and is a co-founder of the organization International Wineries for Climate Action, which aims to promote collective measures against climate change in the wine industry.
Deutsches Weininstitut Market Figures: Consumption and New Groups of Buyers
Eberhard Abele of the Deutsches Weininstitut presented on the current figures for wine consumption in Germany. The numbers show a decline in the quantity of sales, which appears to mainly result from the loss of wine buyers. The market shares of German wines are also continuing to fall. However, Abele highlighted a sector that is experiencing growth, namely alcohol-free wines, the purchase of which has increased by 125%. He therefore argued that a core challenge of the German wine industry was winning over new target audiences.
Panel Discussion: Managing Crises and the Potential of the German Wine Sector
A panel composed of Karin Eymael, Marian Kopp, Wolfgang Heeß, Eberhard Abele, and Stefan Braunewell took to the stage to discuss current crises and potential opportunities in the German wine sector. Wolfgang Heeß, honorary president of the BDO, recalled earlier crises in viticulture, particularly in the cask wine market and a time when surpluses were so high that there were “swimming pools full of wine”. He also emphasized that the concentration of large wineries is exacerbating the current problems.
Marian Kopp, managing director of Lauffener Weingärtner, warned that the German wine industry is fragmented in comparison to the food retail trade and is losing market power as a result. “We don’t have the same presence as other brands,” Kopp stressed, calling for a clever trade approach. Sustainable economic activity remains a key issue with a strong resonance among consumers.
Stefan Braunewell, chair of Rheinhessenwein e.V., made a case for building a stronger profile for German wines on the international market and promoted the idea of a campaign to extoll the strengths of the domestic wine industry. “The numbers aren’t all that bad; we can’t give up. Let’s be proud of what we are able to achieve,” he said in a conclusory statement.
Professional Field Analysis Results: Enologists as All-Rounders
Another highlight of the conference was the presentation of the professional field analysis by Professor Simone Loos and Dr. Christian Schäfer from the Department of Wine and Beverage Business at Hochschule Geisenheim University. This analysis was commissioned by the BDO, and the results were presented for the first time at the conference. 29 business and other leading experts offered their assessments of the future of the enologist profession. The survey showed that modern enologists need more than just specialist knowledge; they need to be all-rounders, with an ability to think and act as entrepreneurs and craftspeople. Experts appear to agree that you need both vocational training and practical experience to be an enologist. A high degree of innovative thinking and a passion for the profession are also required for success in the field.
Modern oenologists are increasingly required to view themselves as entrepreneurs. In addition to their passion and intrinsic motivation, they are expected to take responsibility and to independently take on projects with a focus on results.
A central finding of the analysis is the significance of practical experience. Skills relating to personnel management and marketing are just as vital as specialist knowledge in viticulture and winemaking technology. Combined work-study programs were mentioned as one way of strengthening this practical relevance, as practical skills often cannot be sufficiently developed through academic knowledge alone.
Experience living abroad and language skills are also key to being able to operate confidently across international markets. Above all, it is particularly useful to know specific technical terms in foreign languages, especially as the export market continues to become more significant.
The professional field analysis also highlighted that training in the foundational subjects needs to be deepened, while it is better to postpone specializations until the master's degree level. A modern degree program should therefore teach the basics of production as well as knowledge of digital applications such as Excel, as these are seen as practically relevant.
“A modern enologist must be able to hold their own in two spheres: specialist knowledge of the vineyards and wine production, as well as entrepreneurship.”
Panel Discussion: The Future of Education
In a second panel event, Klaus Schneider (Deutscher Weinbauverband), Dr. Christian Schäfer and Professor Manfred Stoll (Hochschule Geisenheim University), Maike Delp (Bund Deutscher Landjugend), and Professor Erik Schweickert (BDO) discussed the education of enologists. The discussion underlined how universities alone cannot produce the modern, jack-of-all-trades enologist. The task of universities is rather to lay the foundations for a career in enology and to support students in gaining practical experience outside of their studies. Professor Schweickert spoke in favor of project-oriented studies that include a higher proportion of practical elements and also made a point to underline the lack of adequate pay for qualified graduates. Delp and Schneider emphasized that motivation is crucial for enologists. “There is no shortage of people who are passionate about this career,” Delp stated.
Keynote speech by Professor Jan Wörner: ‘What does space travel have to do with wine?’
Professor Jan Wörner, president of acatech and former chair of the German Aerospace Center, provided a fascinating and unusual perspective on the topic of wine in his keynote speech, arguing that space exploration could offer the wine industry valuable insights. For instance, plants that have been grown in space are often more resilient to climatic challenges. Wörner discussed a French experiment in which grapevines were brought onto the International Space Station to test their climate stability. The resulting plants proved to be more resilient to mildew and may come onto the market at the end of this year.
Concluding Statements
This year’s BDO conference demonstrated that despite a challenging and complex future, the wine industry has a strong foundation that will help it tackle upcoming problems. Key topics such as climate-related adaptation, changes in consumption, and the changing job profile of enologists were discussed in depth. The industry needs qualified, motivated, and interdisciplinary specialists in order to be successful, as well as a clear focus on sustainable management. Professor Erik Schweickert summed up the day aptly: ‘We need people who are motivated and, above all, captivated by the field!’.
An overview of BDO seminars can be found here: https://www.oenologen.com/
Source: BDO
