Back to School! Italy Edition
The Old Vine Masterclass Series Returns for 2026
Following the success of last year’s introduction to old-vines and their wines in collaboration with the Local Wine School network, The Old Vine Conference is delighted to continue its partnership for a second year, with masterclasses focused on old-vine Italian wines taking place across 19 wine schools throughout the UK.
For 2026, the focus on Italian old vine heritage will explore how historic vineyards, indigenous varieties, traditional training systems and inherited plant material continue to shape some of Italy’s most distinctive wines and how Italy is leading the way in the old vine movement.
The masterclass brings together six Old Vine Conference member producers and six wines:
Nino Franco, Vigneto della Riva di San Floriano Brut 2025, Veneto - a steep Rive vineyard planted from diverse massal selections of Glera.
Fattoria La Maliosa, La Maliosa Uni 2024, Tuscany – old vine Procanico demonstrating the estate’s work preserving the genetic diversity of Maremma’s historic vineyards.
Villa Bogdano 1880, Lison Classico DOCG 2022, Veneto - Tai from a historic vineyard planted in 1943.
I Custodi, Aetneus Etna Rosso DOC 2021, Sicily - century-old vines rooted in Etna’s volcanic landscape and ancient alberello tradition.
Tenuta San Leonardo, Carménère 2020, Trentino - historic Carménère material being preserved through estate selections and traditional pergola training.
Basilisco, Storico 2013, Basilicata - very old ungrafted Aglianico vines trained in the traditional capanno system on Monte Vulture.
Together, the wines offer a journey through Italy’s living old-vine heritage and demonstrate why safeguarding old vineyards is about much more than age alone: it is about protecting genetic diversity, distinctive places, traditional knowledge, cultural memory and sublime wines for future generations.
The masterclasses will be delivered by expert Local Wine School educators across the UK as part of The Old Vine Conference’s continuing mission to educate and build awareness of great old vines and their wines to consumers.
Find your local wine school and book tickets using the links below:
East London Wine School — 30 September 2026
Manchester Wine School — 2 October 2026
Aberdeen Wine School — 9 October 2026
Kent Wine School — 15 October 2026
Surrey Wine School — 29 October 2026
Norfolk Wine School — 29 October 2026
Hampshire Wine School — 5 November 2026
Birmingham Wine School — 6 November 2026
South London Wine School — 11 November 2026
Newcastle Wine School — 11 November 2026
Cheltenham Wine School — 12 November 2026
Essex Wine School — 12 November 2026
Sussex Wine School — 12 November 2026
Edinburgh Wine School — 12 November 2026
Shropshire Wine School — 13 November 2026
Yorkshire Wine School — 17 November 2026
Belfast Wine School — 20 November 2026
NottsDerby Wine School — 20 November 2026
West London Wine School — 25 November 2026