SPEAKERS
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18
MASTERCLASS | Old Vines in the Context of Climate Change
Sarah Abbott MW, Director of Swirl Wine Group
Biography
Sarah Abbott is the director of Swirl Wine Group, a wine marketing, strategy and communications agency. A Master of Wine with 30 years of experience, she is known for developing the markets and value of emerging and underestimated wine regions. She co-founded The Old Vine Conference in 2020, as a non-profit company to create a global category for old-vine wine. She is a noted speaker and wine judge, most prominently leading as a Committee Judge for the International Wines and Spirits Competition.
This session explores how old vines and heritage viticulture are fundamental to the future of wine in the face of climate change. Sarah Abbott, Master of Wine and co-Founder of The Old Vine Conference, will highlight how old vines are arks of genetic diversity, viticultural craft, and heritage varieties. Wines from Old Vine Conference member wineries will exemplify how some of the most dynamic and admired wineries of the world are working specifically with old vines to increase resilience, quality and sustainability in their response to climate change.
MASTERCLASS | The Chianti Classico toolkit, a holistic approach to climate change
Michaela Morris DipWSET, Educator & Wine Writer - Decanter, Quench Magazine - VIA Italian Wine Expert
Biography
Michaela Morris is a freelance wine writer and educator, splitting her time between Canada, Italy and the UK. As a regular contributor on Italian wine for Decanter, she presents masterclasses and leads wine tours on the magazine’s behalf. She also writes for several other international and Canadian publications and lends her expertise to the Wine Scholar Guild.
In addition to writing, Michaela moderates seminars, speaks at conferences and judges wine competitions around the globe. As of 2025, she is the Regional Chair for Piedmont at Decanter World Wine Awards.
With a career in wine spanning almost 30 years, Michaela’s previous roles include managing a portfolio of premium Italian wine for a Canadian import company, overseeing the Bordeaux en primeur campaign for a boutique retailer in Vancouver, curating cellars for collectors and working in fine dining restaurants.
Michaela holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma and was a longtime guest lecturer for the program. She is also a certified Italian Wine Expert through Vinitaly International Academy earning the top mark in VIA’s inaugural year in 2015. She is an Honorary Chianti Classico ambassador as well as I Vini del Piemonte’s ambassador in Canada speaking on behalf of both.
MASTERCLASS | Learning from South Africa
Rosa Kruger, Founder and chairperson of the Old Vine Project, 2022 Decanter Hall of Fame winner
Biography
Rosa Kruger has been involved in the design, development and management of new vineyards for wine for the last 28 years. The designs are aimed at dealing with climate change in viticulture in the best possible way. She is also the founding member of the Old Vine Project of South Africa. She has established a short course where she and her team annually teaches vineyard workers to preserve and prune old vines to build their energy and strength. They also teach the basics of viticulture specifically for vineyard workers at a winter school.
Etienne Neethling PhD, Teacher-Researcher in Viticulture and Oenology at Groupe École Supérieure d’Agriculture d’Angers
Biography
Originally from South Africa where he studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Stellenbosch, Etienne Neethling came to France in 2008 to complete his masters and doctoral studies.
He is today a lecturer-researcher at the Ecole Supérieure des Agricultures in Angers, developing research work on adapting the wine sector to climate change. He is the head of the Master of Science in Vine, Wine and Terroir Management and an OIV expert within the SUSTAIN group. His presentation will focus on sustaining local wine identity in an evolving global climate, where varietal innovation is a critical question in building the resilience of the wine sector.
MASTERCLASS | Wines of California
Elaine Chukan Brown
Biography
Coming soon