EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, together with the Basque Government and the Provincial Council of Álava, presents Wine Shapers - International Wine Young Talents Summit, a unique international conference aimed at promoting the international young wine community and positioning Vitoria-Gasteiz and Rioja Alavesa as the global hub for young wine talent. Its main purpose is to keep on building a community of young winemakers who can use this forum as a meeting place where they can share the wine sector's challenges and opportunities. The event is taking place from 5 to 7 March 2026.

Wine Shapers is set to bring together 200 winemakers under the age of 40 from different wine-producing regions and countries around the world, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, Piedmont, Douro, Napa Valley, Argentina, Chile and Australia, among others, who are going to offer a unique perspective on how they understand wine, how they communicate it and how they project it to new audiences and markets. These young professionals represent the diversity, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of a generation that is facing the challenges of climate change, digitalisation and globalisation with fresh and disruptive approaches. 

From 5 to 7 March 2026, Wine Shapers will be organising a programme of conferences, round tables, workshops, international tastings and wine tourism experiences in Rioja Alavesa and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Participants will be able to learn about young producers' wines and projects, as well as the region and its culture. The event will feature presentations by international experts and talents, debates on sustainability, consumption and market trends, as well as visits to wineries and vineyards. There will also be dinners at which Álava-based chefs belonging to ArabaKO Kolektiboa (the Álava Collective), promoted by Mantala (an initiative devised to promote and develop Basque gastronomy by encouraging the exchange of knowledge and co-creation), will pair their dishes with wines from around the world. 

In short, the initiative aims to become a leading international meeting point for pooling and sharing experiences, lessons learned and trends likely to shape the sector's future in coming years. Wine Shapers will follow in the footsteps of the Young Wine Talents meetings already held by EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, an event designed to continue creating community and synergies.

With Wine Shapers, EDA Drinks & Wine Campus is bolstering its role as an initiative that promotes knowledge, innovation and training in the field of wine and beverages. The initiative seeks to put Álava and the Basque Country on the international wine map, attracting young professionals, specialised media, opinion leaders and key players in the sector. The Basque Government's and Provincial Council of Álava's backing is a decisive factor in consolidating this proposal, which is aligned with institutional strategies to support the region's talent, rural development, business competitiveness and internationalisation.

In this regard, Amaia Barredo, Regional Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries,has stated that "Wine Shapers represents an opportunity to place young talents in the wine sector at the forefront. It is another step forward on the path to ensuring generational renewal in the world of wine — a challenge that our department has set as a goal and on which we have been working for some time. This event will serve to give visibility to and promote the new generations of young Basques committed to the sector. A new generation of winegrowers who will continue to drive innovation in the wine world, upholding values such as excellence and sustainability". Ramiro González, Deputy General of Álava, has pointed out that "Wine Shapers represents Álava's commitment to young talent and innovation in the world of wine. It is a sign of the dynamism and international projection of the Rioja Alavesa wine sector, which holds the key to the region's future. Building on its history and tradition, Rioja Alavesa is opening up new opportunities through the exchange of knowledge and co-creation".

Elisa Ucar, director of EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, emphasised that Wine Shapers "is not just a conference, but an international platform for a new generation of winemakers who are redefining the rules of the game in the world of wine." Joxe Mari Aizega, General Director of the Basque Culinary Center, highlighted the boost to the wine sector coming from the community of young wine talents.

“This international gathering will also be a celebration of young talent, of its transformative energy, and of its ability to imagine a more sustainable and vibrant future for the world of wine. Together, by building community, we will shape a positive vision that inspires new strategies and forms of collaboration, and that strengthens the role of wine as a symbol of culture, connection, and creativity”, he said.

Registration for the first day of the conference, due to be held in Vitoria-Gasteiz on 5 March 2026, is now open to producers under the age of 40 who wish to join the initiative. You can register at the following link. The initiative is also sponsored by Diam Bouchage.