In July, Claudia Quini, the then President of the OIV, gave an award to Dr Karl-Heins Wilms (picture: Michael Koehler received the award on behalf of Dr Karl-Heins Wilms), who has devoted his professional activity to the wine sector for more than 20 years as the Head of the German delegation of the OIV. She highlighted the exemplary nature of the German participation in the OIV which, in this period, has hosted two world congresses and had two presidents of the Organisation.

Mr Yves Bénard, Vice-President of the OIV, paid tribute, posthumously, to his Italian oenologist colleague, Professor Roberto Ferrarini. He was the Director of Research and Director of the departments of Development and University Research; a professor on the viticultural and oenological sciences course at the University of Verona and a member of the Italian Academy of Vine and Wine; as well as a member of the Italian OIV delegation on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, notably as part of the "Oenology" Commission and the "Technology" Expert Group.

Mr Jean-Marie Aurand, Director General of the OIV, gave a posthumous award to Mr Serge Hochar, who was involved in OIV activities for 20 years and was a major player in the renovation and development of Lebanon's wine sector. He was one of the architects of Lebanon's wine legislation established in 2000, Founder and President of the Union Vinicole du Liban and, more recently, President of the National Institute of Vine and Wine. He successfully positioned Lebanese wines on the international stage, a tireless ambassador dedicated to his passion and vision for his country's viticulture.

In October, the President of the OIV, Monika Christmann, presented the OIV Merit Award to Jean-Luc Dairien, currently the Director General of the French National Institute of origin and quality (INAO). She stressed Mr Dairien's contribution to the vitivinicultural sector both at the national level in his work as the ONIVINS Director as well as in his devotion to the OIV's “Economy and Law” Commission for ten years as its Scientific Secretary and President.

Finally, the OIV also granted its Merit Award to James Finkle, who died in September 2015 before receiving this recognition. He chaired the International Federation of Wines and Spirits (FIVS) for nearly 17 years. Under his leadership, the Federation has become the representative of the wine sector, particularly as an active observer with the OIV or Codex Alimentarius. The OIV pays tribute to the memory of a passionate man who devoted himself to the development of vitivinicultural activity around the world.

In the context of the relationship that the OIV General Secretariat has enjoyed with the People's Republic of China for many years, the OIV is pleased to announce the translation and publication of the OIV Compendium of International Methods of Analysis of Wines and Musts into Chinese [pp.1-292] [pp.293-595] [pp.596-830].

In 2013, during the various meetings between the Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center (IQTC) and the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries, the heads of these Chinese organisations had made the proposal to translate the Compendium of International Methods of Analysis of Wines and Musts . These directors had also at the time been invited to participate in the meetings of the "Methods of Analysis" Sub-commission.

This publication is of great importance given that the responsibilities of the Inspection and Quarantine Centers include control operations for products imported into China. As such, the translation of the OIV Compendium into Chinese is a step closer towards international recognition of the methods of analysis adopted by the OIV.

The Compendium of International Methods of Analysis of Wines and Musts was published for the first time in 1962. It has been republished and updated regularly, integrating on a yearly basis the complementary methods established annually by the "Methods of Analysis" Sub-Commission and approved by the General Assembly.

The Compendium plays a key role in standardising methods of analysis. Many wine producing countries have introduced its definitions and methods into their own regulations.

Furthermore, certain bilateral agreements relating to the wine trade recognise that the methods of analysis published by the OIV prevail as reference methods for the determination of the analytical composition of wine as part of inspection procedures and thus contribute to facilitating international trade.

The OIV would especially like to thank the heads of the Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center for their work and commitment in carrying out this important task of translating the OIV Compendium of International Methods of Analysis of Wines and Musts .

In the presence of former presidents including Jacques Puisais, Ezio Rivella, Pietro Pittaro and Vicente Sánchez-Migallón, the current co-presidents stressed the importance that oenologists have acquired globally, having supported the development of the global vitivinicultural sector – from palliative roles with regard to shortcomings to those aimed at bringing out the best in winemakers, terroirs and vine varieties all over the world. Jacques Puisais was pleased to state that oenology was the only science that blended together all of the other fields: chemistry, physics, pedology, climatology, geography, history and many more...

The President of the OIV, Ms Monika Christmann, expressed that she was proud to be an oenologist and thanked the oenologists and the UIOE for their high level of involvement in the technical work of the OIV, having been able to appreciate their expertise when she headed the "Oenology" Commission of the OIV. Jean-Marie Aurand, the Director General of the OIV, also recalled how important the UIOE's role had been as an observer at the OIV, in particular in the definition of the profession and title of an oenologist on a global level, which had enabled the revision adopted in 2013. Serge Dubois indicated that the UIOE was going to strengthen its visibility at the OIV and would of course pay great attention to the adaptation of the international oenologist training programme currently under discussion.

The evening of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UIOE was also marked by the presence of the Minister for Agriculture of Uruguay, Mr Tabaré Aguerre, who highlighted the importance of the vitivinicultural sector in his country's agriculture. He also expressed his delight that the Uruguayan National Institute of Vitiviniculture was presided by an oenologist, José Lez Secchi, who is also Vice-President of the UIOE, and invited oenologists from around the world to participate in the OIV World Congress of Vine and Wine, which will take place in his country in 2018.

The International Union of Oenologists aims to represent national oenologist associations on an international level, to defend this professional category on all levels, to oppose abusive use of the title of oenologist, and to maintain cohesion, solidarity and relations between the different associations. Additionally, it seeks to act as a voice before the relevant national and international authorities so as to standardise biological processes as well as chemical, physical, microbiological and sensory methods of analysis, and to organise uniform oenologist training in different wine-producing countries by harmonising the content of studies, the duration of courses and the certificates issued, in order to ensure that oenologists may take responsibility for the execution and control of certain oenological processes.