The Old Vine Conference

What The Old Vine Conference does

The Old Vine Conference is a UK-registered non-profit (Old Vine Conference Ltd, company number 13229618) founded in 2021 and headquartered in London, with 1–10 employees. Its mission is to create and globalize a market category for wine produced from heritage vineyards, defined by vine age and provenance. The organization's core asset is the Old Vine Registry, a curated database of 10,000+ heritage vineyards across 42 countries, which functions as both a discovery layer for trade buyers and a research reference for academics and sommeliers. Complementary products include an annual flagship conference (the 2025 edition drew 400 in-person and 300 virtual attendees from 14 countries), the Old Vine Hero Awards, a podcast, a Masterclass Series (launched September 2025 with Local Wine School), a Photography Competition (launched March 2026), and a Heritage Showcase scheduled for June 2026.

The business model is a non-profit revenue stack combining individual memberships at £20/year, event ticket and sponsorship revenue from participating producers and wine institutions, and direct donations. Sponsorship and event partners include Jackson Family Wines, IWSC, Hallgarten, Wine Institute, ZAP, Lodi Winegrape Commission, and Historic Vineyard Society. The regulatory anchor is OIV Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024, which formally references OVC's work and embeds the "old vine" terminology into the international wine regulatory framework. Leadership comprises Executive Director Belinda Stone, Co-founder Sarah Abbott MW, and Membership Manager Agatha Pereira. Go-to-market is centered on industry trade, wine media, sommeliers, academics, and heritage-vineyard producers, with the 2025 conference expansion to Northern California signaling a transatlantic engagement strategy.

Name

The Old Vine Conference

Legal name

Old Vine Conference Ltd

Website

https://oldvines.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Old Vine Conference is a UK non-profit that builds and globalizes the market category for wine from heritage vineyards, operating the Old Vine Registry (10,000+ vineyards across 42 countries), an annual conference, awards, masterclasses, and a podcast serving producers, sommeliers, and trade buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Industry Non-Profit Organization

NAICS

Grape Vineyards (111332)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Old vine wines
• Viticulture heritage network
• Wine industry conferences
• Heritage vineyard registry
• Wine community nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individual members, winery members, trade members, generic bodies, and institutions. Individual membership is £20 per year. Membership fees are set intentionally low to build an inclusive community.
2. Conference and Event Revenue: Revenue generated from ticket sales for annual conferences, tastings, masterclasses, and field trips. The organization hosts one of the largest global tastings of old-vine wines in London.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: The organization seeks funding from institutions, charitable foundations, impact investors, corporations, and philanthropists for research projects around the world. Sponsors support annual conferences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Old Vine Conference is a non-profit organization that brings together a global network of winemakers, viticulturists, growers, trade professionals, and wine enthusiasts to create a new category for wine from heritage vineyards (vines aged 35+ years). It operates the Old Vine Registry, the world's largest crowdsourced database of historic vineyard sites, and delivers an annual conference, trade tastings, masterclasses, awards, and educational programs worldwide.

Product overview

The Old Vine Conference operates as a non-profit global network offering multiple interconnected programs. The core offering includes the annual conference series (7th edition in 2025), the Old Vine Registry database of historic vineyards, the Old Vine Conference Podcast, and the Old Vine Hero Awards. The portfolio extends to the inaugural Old Vine Photography Competition launched in 2026 and the Old Vine Wine Masterclass Series delivered through Local Wine School partnerships. A tiered membership program (Individual, Winery, Trade, Generic Bodies, and Institutions) provides access to events, conferences, workshops, and partner discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Old Vine Registry: The world's first crowdsourced global database of living historic vineyard sites, cataloguing vineyards aged more than 35 years. Operated under the aegis of The Old Vine Conference.
• Old Vine Hero Awards
• Old Vine Photography Competition
• Old Vine Wine Masterclass Series
• The Old Vine Conference Podcast

Products and services

• The Old Vine Conference (Annual Conference Series) Annual global conference series dedicated to preserving and promoting old vine wines, connecting winemakers, viticulturists, growers, trade professionals, and consumers. The 2025 edition was held in Northern California.
• The Old Vine Registry World's first and largest crowdsourced global database cataloguing historic vineyard sites aged more than 35 years, with 10,000+ registered vineyards across 42 countries. Operated under the aegis of The Old Vine Conference and managed by Alder Yarrow of Vinography.
• The Old Vine Conference Podcast Audio podcast bringing listeners closer to old vine winemakers, viticulturists, and stories from historic vineyards worldwide.
• Old Vine Hero Awards Annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting old vine viticulture worldwide.
• Old Vine Photography Competition Inaugural global photography competition launched to raise the visibility of the world's oldest vineyards. Inaugural competition attracted 272 entries and 3,664 votes.
• Old Vine Wine Masterclass Series Educational wine tasting program delivered in partnership with the Local Wine School network across 17 UK locations, featuring masterclasses with wines from producers such as Ken Forrester, Yalumba, Catena Zapata, Château de Sabazan/Plaimont, Juan Gil, and Feudi di San Gregorio.
• Membership Program Tiered membership program offering Individual (£20/year), Winery, Trade, Generic Bodies, and Institutions membership tiers, providing access to tastings, virtual conferences, workshops, networking, digital newsletter, and exclusive partner discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Old vine wines from old vines demonstrate greater aging capacity and stronger site-specific aromatic expression than younger vines (CRDO Campo de Borja research)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCGminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Headline sponsor of the Old Vine Photography Competition 2026. Competition attracted 272 entries and 3,664 votes. Consorzio Director Diego Tomasi served as judge on competition panel.
• Local Wine School NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 September 2025Partnership to launch nationwide Old Vine Wine Masterclass Series across 17 Local Wine Schools in the UK. Series runs from September to November 2025 featuring wines from six international producers including Ken Forrester, Yalumba, Catena Zapata, Château de Sabazan/Plaimont, Juan Gil, and Feudi di San Gregorio.
• International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 February 2025IWSC sponsors the Old Vine Hero Communication & Education Award 2025. IWSC is a major wine competition providing prizes for category winners.
• Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2024Partnership between The Old Vine Conference and ZAP to host 2025 conference in Northern California. OVC & ZAP together with California Wines, Lodi Wines, and Historic Vineyard Society co-hosted event series from 31st October to 4th November 2025 in Northern California. ZAP Executive Director Rebecca Robinson participated as headline speaker.
• California Wines / Wine InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with California Wines/Wine Institute's biennial Global Buyers Marketplace for the 2025 conference. Wine Institute established in 1934 represents California vintners exporting to 133 countries.
• Lodi Winegrape CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of The Old Vine Conference 2025 in Northern California, specifically hosting conference sessions in Lodi on November 3rd.
• Historic Vineyard SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preservation of California's historic vineyards. Founding member of 2025 conference partnership. Tegan Passalacqua is founding member.
• Old Vine RegistrycoreOthersThe Old Vine Registry operates under the aegis of The Old Vine Conference. The Registry is the world's largest crowdsourced database cataloguing historic vineyard sites aged 35+ years. Originally initiated by Jancis Robinson, managed by Alder Yarrow of Vinography, with founding donation from Jackson Family Wines.
• Moşia Galicea MareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025.
• Vinchio VagliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. Italian winery cooperative and OVC member known for sustainability leadership.
• Feudi di San GregoriominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. Italian winery and OVC member.
• BorgognominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. Italian winery.
• Villa Bogdano 1880minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. Italian winery and OVC member.
• Seghesio Family VineyardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. California winery.
• Sonoma County WinegrowersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025.
• Oak Farm VineyardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. California winery.
• Three Wine CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025. California wine company.
• Swirl Wine GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Old Vine Conference 2025.
• Historic Vineyard SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preservation of California's historic vineyards. Listed as resource partner on OVC website.
• Save The Old (Lodi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission to preserve Lodi's historical vineyards for generations to come and inspire a movement among like-minded people. Listed as resource partner.
• The Old Vine Project (South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe South African old vines category has captured global attention with vines 35 years and older. Listed as resource partner. Rosa Kruger is Chairperson and Founder.
• Barossa Old Vine ChartercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarossa is home to some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world. The Barossa Old Vine Charter was instituted in 2009 to register vineyards by age. Listed as resource partner.
• Vignadores de Carignan (VIGNO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of Chilean wineries focused on promoting old-vine Carignan wines from the Maule region. Listed as resource partner. Established 2011.
• Censimento Vecchie VignecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian initiative recognized by OIV alongside OVC, Old Vine Project, and Old Vine Registry. Listed as resource partner.
• Académie du Vin LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBook publisher offering 20% discount to OVC individual members as exclusive partner benefit.
• Wine Scholar GuildminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine education provider offering membership discount to OVC individual members as exclusive partner benefit.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Wine Scholar Guild: Wine education provider offering in-depth courses and certifications, including on Old World regions. Comparable as a wine-education channel and currently an OVC partner offering member discounts.
• Local Wine School: UK network of 17+ wine schools delivering consumer-facing wine education. Currently OVC's education partner for the Old Vine Wine Masterclass Series, making it a directly adjacent channel for old-vine education.

Broad incumbents

• International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC): Major international wine competition sponsoring OVC's Old Vine Hero Communication & Education Award. Comparable as a high-credibility wine awards and recognition body intersecting with OVC's category.
• Wine Institute (California Wines): Trade association representing California vintners exporting to 133 countries. Comparable as a large-scale wine trade body convening producers and trade; current OVC partner co-hosting the 2025 conference.

Direct peers

• Censimento Vecchie Vigne: Italian census of old vineyards recognized alongside OVC in OIV Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024. A directly comparable national-level old-vine documentation initiative.
• The Old Vine Project: South African non-profit founded by Rosa Kruger that certifies and promotes old vine vineyards (35+ years) in South Africa. Directly comparable to OVC in mission, age threshold, and category-building role for old vine wines.
• Vignadores de Carignan (VIGNO): Chilean association of wineries focused on promoting old-vine Carignan wines from the Maule region. Operates an old-vine certification and brand framework analogous to OVC's registry work, and is listed as an OVC partner.
• Historic Vineyard Society: California-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to identifying, preserving, and promoting California's historic vineyards. Closely mirrors OVC's regional vineyard-preservation mission and is a current OVC partner.
• Save The Old (Lodi): Lodi-based initiative to preserve historical vineyards and inspire a wider preservation movement. Comparable regional old-vine preservation mission and a current OVC partner.
• Barossa Old Vine Charter: Australian initiative instituted in 2009 to register Barossa vineyards by vine age categories. Directly comparable as a regional old-vine registry and category-defining framework, and an OVC resource partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheOldVineConference
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldvineconf
• Xx.com/ouroldvines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Old Vine Conference