The 2024 Old Vine Heroes were revealed yesterday evening at an online ceremony. These awards, launched in 2023 by the Old Vine Conference ‘to recognise and celebrate the diverse range of disciplines and expertise of those working in the virtuous cycle of old vine preservation’, were given out in five categories: viticulture, winemaking, research, communication and commercial impact.
I was honoured to be one of the 15 judges on the international panel of old-vine specialists, though I found it incredibly difficult to narrow down the 105 nominations to a shortlist of just 16, all of whom are doing phenomenal work in the conservation of old vines and vineyards. (Read more about each of them here.)
To choose the final winners, the Old Vine Conference enlisted the help of the global wine community to vote for the winners. Voting closed at 21.00 GMT on 21 March 2024 with just under 3,000 votes having been cast. The winners of each category are invited to speak about their work with old vines on a panel at The Old Vine Conference 2024, taking place virtually on 17–18 October. Wines that express the work of the Old Vine Hero Award 2024 winners will be among those shown at a masterclass hosted by Old Vine Conference co-founder Sarah Abbott MW at the London Wine Fair on 22 May.
Here are the winners in each category.
Viticulture
Professor Carlo Petrussi of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy for a lifetime of work dedicated to old-vine preservation including his project documenting all the historic and autochthonous vineyards of the Colli Orientali del Friuli. The award was presented by Rosa Kruger, founder and chairperson of The Old Vine Project in South Africa.
Winemaking
Viviana Malafarina of Basilisco in Basilicata, Italy, for her leadership in the transformation of winemaking and viticultural practise in the Basilicata region. The award was presented by Dr Laura Catena, founder of the Catena Institute of Wine, managing director of Catena Zapata, Luca Wines and Domaine Nico Winemaking and winner of The Old Vine Hero Award 2023.
Research
Feudi di San Gregorio of Campania in Italy for ‘The Patriarchs’, a study and catalogue of century-old Aglianico vines from Taurasi. The award was presented by Umay Çeviker, OVC Regional Ambassador for Türkiye and recipient of the IWSC grant for old-vine research in 2023.
Communication
Randy Caparoso, journalist and photographer based in California, for his extensive written and photographic documentation of old vines in California. I was honoured to present this award.
Commercial impact
Joel Peterson of Once and Future Wines in the US for his work crafting hundreds of vineyard-designated wines and competitively priced blends from California's oldest vineyards. The award was presented by Sarah Abbott MW, co-founder of The Old Vine Conference.
The Old Vine Hero Special Award 2024 for Overall Impact
Derek Mossmann Knapp of Garage Wine Co in Chile and founding member of VIGNO. Mossmann Knapp was shortlisted in the Old Vine Hero Award categories for Viticulture and Winemaking and the total number of nominations and votes Derek received across the board prompted the presentation of an award for overall impact.
The judging panel for 2024 was comprised of the Old Vine Conference Global team (Sarah Abbott MW, Alun Griffiths MW, Belinda Stone and Cynthia Chaplin), its regional ambassadors Umay Çeviker, Michèle Shah, Amanda Barnes, Anna Harris-Noble, Yiannis Karakasis MW and Lilla O'Connor, and independent specialists: Michelle Bouffard, author, wine educator, journalist and founder of Tasting Climate Change; Dr Laura Catena, founder of the Catena Institute of Wine and managing director Catena Zapata, Luca Wines and Domaine Nico; Tamlyn Currin, senior editor at JancisRobinson.com; Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, trustee of The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation; Rosa Kruger, founder and chairperson of The Old Vine Project in South Africa.
Nominations for the Old Vine Hero Award 2025 will open in January 2025.
