Chair of the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino Español since 2020, Sarah Jane Evans MW finishes her term today and hands over to fellow Master of Wine and wine writer Tim Atkin who has been elected to take her place. 

Reflecting on her time as Chair, Sarah Jane Evans commented:

“It’s been a great honour to be Chair of the Gran Orden. I am the first woman to have held the post (and I am sure I won’t be the last!). It has been a huge privilege to follow in the line of my outstanding predecessors. During my time as Chair we have welcomed exceptional new Caballeros: all representing the excellence of Spain (not just in football). We launched a mentorship programme which highlights the new stars in the wine trade working for Spain. We raised the profile of the Caballeros. I am delighted to be handing the Gran Orden over to our new Chair in such good order and at such a good moment.”

Tim Atkin joined the rest of the Caballeros in thanking Sarah Jane for her years of service at
the helm of the organisation, commenting:

“Sarah Jane Evans has done an enormous amount for Spain and the Caballeros del Vino, so hers will be big shoes to fill. In the week that Spain has won the World Cup, I am proud to be her successor. Spain is the most exciting wine producing country in the world at the moment. As the next chair of the Caballeros, I look forward to working alongside ICEX, the ambassador Emma Aparici and all of my fellow Caballeros to promote everything that is best about Spain.”

Writer and photographer Tim Atkin MW was recently awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, an honour bestowed on Sarah Jane back in 2024. He was invested into the Gran Orden in 2007 and is also a Chevalier du Tastevin; a member of the Ordre du Bontemps in Bordeaux and the Cofradía de Rioja.

Tim Atkin MW is the latest member of the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino to be bestowed with the Officer’s Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic. The prestigious decoration was presented by H.E. Ms Emma Aparici, the Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland at a ceremony on Tuesday 14 July 2026. 

The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic is a Spanish civil order of chivalry and honour. It is granted to both Spaniards and those of other nations in recognition of their extraordinary services to Spain. Tim, award-winning wine journalist and photographer, was given this decoration for his dedication and pioneering role in writing about and promoting Spanish wine to the UK and global markets, particularly through his comprehensive annual reports on Spain’s key wine regions. 

Reflecting on the honour, and an evening that included Spain beating France to get through to the final of the men’s FIFA World Cup, as well as a dinner paired with a selection of Spanish wines, Tim said: “The Spanish really know how to celebrate! I could not be prouder to receive this decoration.”

Tim Atkin MW joins an elite group of Caballeros del Vino who have been bestowed with the Officer’s Cross including Felix Benito, Sarah Jane Evans MW and José Pizarro. 

One of the defining themes shaping the future of Spanish wine is sustainability and, increasingly, the central role that energy plays within it. In this guest blog, Caballero Charlotte Hey, Executive Director of International Wineries for Climate Change explains the climate pressures that are affecting the way wine is grown and produced, and how renewable energy is reducing wine’s carbon footprint.

Spain occupies a unique and powerful position in the global wine landscape. With approximately one million hectares under vine, it is the largest vineyard area in the world and a major force in international exports. Yet this scale comes with responsibility and vulnerability. Spain is also one of the European regions most exposed to climate change, facing rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and increasing water stress. These pressures are no longer theoretical; they are actively reshaping the way wine is grown and produced.

Understanding the Carbon Challenge

Before exploring solutions, it is important to understand the baseline.

A typical bottle of wine generates between 2 and 3.5 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent over its lifecycle. A significant share of this footprint comes not from vineyards, but from packaging—particularly glass bottles, which can account for up to half of total emissions.

Encouragingly, Spain has already demonstrated progress. Over the past decade, export volumes have grown faster than emissions, suggesting early improvements in efficiency and a gradual decoupling of growth from environmental impact. Practical changes such as lightweight bottles and improved vineyard management have already shown the potential to reduce emissions by as much as 25%.

But these gains, while meaningful, represent only the beginning.

Energy: The Next Frontier

What is becoming increasingly clear is that the next phase of sustainability in wine will be driven not just by carbon awareness but by energy transformation.

Wine production is more energy-intensive than many assume. From fermentation cooling systems to temperature-controlled storage, from bottling lines to irrigation infrastructure, energy sits at the heart of winery operations. As a result, it is also central to emissions.

In fact, electricity and energy use account for roughly 10–15% of wine’s carbon footprint directly and influence far more indirectly. This makes energy one of the most powerful levers for change.

A Sector in Transition

Across Spain and Europe more broadly, a meaningful shift is already underway. Renewable energy adoption in wineries has risen significantly in recent years, increasing from around 22% in 2018 to approximately 35% by 2022. This pace of change is notable—and Spain is playing a leading role in accelerating it.

Several key trends are emerging across Spanish wine regions:

1. The Rise of Solar Power

Solar energy is rapidly becoming a standard feature of modern wineries. Spain’s climate makes it particularly well suited to photovoltaic systems, which offer both immediate emissions reductions and long-term cost savings. For many producers, solar represents the most accessible entry point into energy transition.

2. Efficiency First

Before transforming energy sources, many wineries are focusing on reducing overall demand. Improved insulation, more efficient cooling systems, and smarter production design are delivering quick and cost-effective emissions reductions. In many cases, efficiency measures provide the fastest return on investment.

3. Electrification of Operations

The shift away from fossil fuels is beginning to extend beyond the winery itself. Early adoption of electrified vineyard machinery, reduced diesel reliance, and growing interest in electric logistics are all signs of a broader transformation. While still developing, this trend signals a long-term structural shift in how wine is produced and transported.

4. Collective Commitments

Leading Spanish wineries are increasingly engaging with international sustainability frameworks. These commitments often include full carbon accounting, increased use of renewable energy, and long-term targets such as net zero emissions by 2050. Such initiatives help create accountability while aligning the sector with global climate goals.

Beyond Energy: A Broader Sustainability Leadership

While energy is becoming central, it is only one part of a much larger sustainability movement within Spanish wine.

Spain is already a global leader in organic viticulture, with around 16% of its vineyards certified organic. Alongside France and Italy, it accounts for approximately 75% of the world’s organic vineyard area—a remarkable concentration of sustainable farming practices.

In addition, Spain has developed robust certification frameworks such as Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection, which integrate energy use, carbon emissions, water management, and governance into a single verified system. These frameworks provide both structure and credibility, helping wineries demonstrate measurable progress.

Strengths and Challenges

When compared with other leading wine-producing nations such as France and Italy, Spain is broadly aligned in terms of carbon performance. However, it stands out in two critical ways: scale and momentum.

Spain’s size gives it the potential to drive meaningful global impact, while its accelerating adoption of renewable energy positions it as a leader in transition.

The challenge, however, lies in consistency. The Spanish wine sector remains highly fragmented, with many small and medium-sized producers facing barriers to investment, access to technology, and infrastructure. While leading wineries are advancing rapidly, scaling these innovations across the entire sector will be essential.

Land and Energy

The story of Spanish wine has always been rooted in its land: its soils, climates, and traditions. Today, a new dimension is emerging.

It is becoming a story of energy. A story of moving from fossil fuels to solar power. From inefficiency to optimisation. From tradition alone to tradition combined with innovation. Spain has already begun this transition and it is moving at pace.

Looking Ahead

The next chapter will depend not just on innovation, but on implementation at scale. Industry targets suggest a continued push toward 50% renewable energy or more by 2030, alongside ongoing efficiency gains that could significantly reshape the sector’s emissions profile.

But this transition is about more than environmental responsibility. It is about resilience. Sustainability today is not only about protecting vineyards, it is about ensuring long-term business viability in the face of climate volatility and an increasingly complex global market.

For Spain, the opportunity is clear: to ensure that its wines remain not only exceptional in quality, but competitive, future-proof, and respected on the world stage.

The GOCV believes this evolution represents one of the most important narratives in wine today. Because the future of Spanish wine will not be defined solely by what is in the glass, but by how it is made.

For more details on the IWCA and its activities, please see the organisation’s latest annual reports

The Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino Español’s Annual Investiture Dinner is always a fabulous affair with great food and wine and plenty of opportunities to network as you can see in the video above.

The inaugural Island Wines Summit took place in Tenerife last week, with the presence of several Caballeros del Vino Español among the delegates and speakers. Organised by Vocento Gastronomia with support from ICEX, Wines of Tenerife and the Tenerife local government and tourist board, the event brought together wine specialists from all over the world for three days of tastings, seminars and visits.

Recently inducted Caballero Josep Roca kicked off the event with an inaugural tasting entitled “Marine Wines without Borders” – a multi-disciplinary tasting that explored Island Wines throughout history, touching upon themes such as volcanism and the cultural importance of wine in modern times. 

The six recipients of the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino Español 40th anniversary mentorship and bursary programme were also invited to attend. Alberto Borge, Miguel Crunia, Josef Emmett, Charlie Foley, Nancy Green and Isobel Salomon enjoyed the programme of tastings, presentations and hospitality. 

Several of the mentees also participated in the “Rethinking Spain: a Wine Strategy Experience.” Organised by Foods and Wines from Spain, they joined a delegation of 57 international wine experts from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Korea, the UK, and the US in discussing and defining the future strategy for Spanish wine.

More on the activity and the final manifesto that was defined by the international group can be found on the Foods and Wines from Spain website.