CERVIM international congress 2026

For its 8th edition, the CERVIM congress, under the patronage of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), will focus on the difficult conditions that prevail worldwide for wine-producing actors, and more specifically for those located in a mountainous environment and on steep slopes. 

The global wine market is suffering from constant wine consumption decline, fierce competition between wine-producing countries, increasing production costs, strict requirements for more and more sustainability in agricultural practices, as well as fast-evolving expectations from consumers. Such considerations strongly contributed to the design of the programme proposed at this year's congress on "heroic" viticulture.

During three days, international experts will expose the situation, suggest opportunities to investigate, and hopefully come up with answers to the challenges that wine-making actors encounter in mountainous environments. They are acutely vulnerable to the changes affecting the conditions of their very existence.

Do you wish to contribute to the creation of a body of research results, ideas and/or solutions in relation with the themes discussed during the Congress? If so, feel free to send us your suggestions in the form of written abstracts.

Contributions can take place orally or in the form of a poster. Authors will be informed of the acceptation of their contribution (oral or poster) at the end of February 2026. The written abstracts will be published after the Congress.

Switzerland is in the centre of Europe. Set in an alpine environment, its vineyards extend from the shores of the Léman lake at 400 meters (1'300 feet) elevation, to the mountains at more than 1'000 meters (3'300 feet). The French and Italian speaking regions of Switzerland host two-thirds of the country's total vineyards' surface, which amounts to 14'400 hectares (35'600 acres).

Vaud, Valais and Geneva are the largest wine-producing regions of Switzerland, with a considerable diversity of grape varietals, some of which are native and limited to very specific areas.

Since 2007, the terraced vineyards of Lavaux are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lavaux is recognised as an outstanding thriving cultural landscape, with an exceptionally long-lasting wine-making tradition. It is celebrated during the Fête des vignerons (Winegrowers Festival), which is held only once a generation in the nearby town of Vevey. This celebration is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2016.

• International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV)
• Interprofession de la vigne et des vins suisses (IVVS)
• Communauté interprofessionnelle du vin vaudois (CIVV)
• Communauté de la Vigne et des Vins de Lavaux (CVVL)
• Swiss Wine Promotion
• Vaud wines
• Swiss Wine Valais
• VITIplus
• Vitival
• Vaud Promotion
• Montreux-Vevey Tourisme
• Promove