Communiqué :
F.I.C.B.: a forward-looking 2025 General Assembly
The F.I.C.B. General Assembly 2025 was held on 8 February in Paris. It was attended by nearly 70 participants representing 36 member brotherhoods or federations of brotherhoods from 14 countries.
Important decisions for the future of the federation were taken :
Organisation in May 2026 of a ‘wine discovery tour to Japan’ sponsored by F.I.C.B. and organised by the Knights of the Vine of Japan,
Organisation of the 53 rd International Congress of the F.I.C.B. in May 2027 in Switzerland, by the Swiss wine brotherhoods and their federation, based in Lausanne and covering the canton of Vaud and neighbouring cantons,
Adoption of an action plan for 2025 including, in particular, the promotion of the activities of member brotherhoods and the production of an “F.I.C.B. practical guide for the organisation of wine tournaments“, which will complement the “‘F.I.C.B. guide to setting up and developing a wine brotherhood” and the “F.I.C.B. guide to organising blind grape varietals recognition competitions”, as well as the “5-language lexicon,” of some 300 terms relating to wine production and tasting, all of which are available online on the federation’s website.
Several appointments were made to the Federation’s Board :
- Alan Bryden, Chairman, having indicated his wish to step down after more than 10 years as Chairman of the Federation, the Board of Directors elected Marc Lesk, current General Secretary, to succeed him as Chairman with effect from 31 March 2025, and Vincent Carrière to succeed Marc Lesk as General Secretary, with Alain Huet continuing as Treasurer,
- Two new Vice-Chairmen were elected:
. Julia Trustram-Eve, of the U.K. Wine Guild, as UK Vice President, replacing Mike Hildesley,
. Dominique Pairochon, of the Confrérie des Fins Gousiers d’Anjou, as Vice-President for Northern France, replacing Paul Dalon, of the Ordre des Chevaliers Bretvins, who remains a member of the Board.
At the end of the General Assembly, the Federation’s Diplôme of Honour was awarded to Mike Hildesley and Paul Dalon,
and Gregory Jones, a world-renowned American specialist in the interrelation between viticulture and climate change. At the GA, the Federation also celebrated the 60th anniversary of its foundation.
click here for the overview of the 2025 General assembly
click here for the letter from the President to the wine brotherhoods and their federations, members of F.I.C.B.
click here for the draft minutes of the Annual General Meeting
click here for the newsletter n° 20
Click here for the agenda.
