db‘s guide to this year’s wine and spirits trade fairs

MILLÉSIME BIO, MONTPELLIER

29-31 JANUARY

With green issues and climate change increasingly at the forefront of consumers’ purchasing choices, the importance of organic and biodynamic viticulture has never been more apparent – making Millésime Bio more relevant than ever.

Following a brief interlude in Marseille last year, Millésime Bio – the only trade fair dedicated solely to organic winemaking – will return to Montpellier for its 25th edition this year.
“The past few years have seen the profile of organic wines boom across the globe,” said Cendrine Vimont, head of communications at organiser Sudvinbio. “What was once considered a niche market has now become more and more ubiquitous – both on restaurant wine lists, and also in people’s homes.”

Last year’s show attracted more than 900 exhibitors from 16 countries and 4,800 visitors. The concept for 2018 remains the same, with Millésime Bio unique in its insistence that all stands are identical to ensure producers both large and small are presented on an even footing, which means the wines come first, say organisers. Furthermore, stands are organised randomly, rather than by country or appellation, to encourage greater exploration and interaction among wine producers.

A free-pour area fitted with enotecas offers guests the chance to taste wines that have won medals in the show’s annual Challenge Millésime Bio competition – the show’s international organic wine contest. The fair also runs programme of masterclasses and seminars, paying particular attention to organic winemaking, but also changing trends and issues affecting the wider wine trade, including business and marketing.

millesime-bio.com

THE PINK ROSÉ FESTIVAL, CANNES

7-9 FEBRUARY

After its inaugural year in 2017, the festival dedicated to all things pink will return to Cannes for a second edition this year. Smaller in scale than some other trade fair giants, The Pink Rosé Festival prides itself on facilitating meaningful connections between producers and buyers on a one-to-one basis, and doesn’t rely on the promise of an exhibition stand alone for exhibitors.

On registration, each producer is given a minimum of 16 appointments with prospective buyers or producers, which are organised by the festival’s team based on individual profiles and requests. Each meeting is guaranteed, lasts 30 minutes and is held over two full days with a set schedule. Last year, around 100 producers and 48 international buyers attended the fair, taking part in an estimated 700 targeted meetings.

Producers will, of course, also be able to showcase their products from a dedicated stand at the Palais des Festivals – a stone’s throw from the sandy shores of Cannes. The show itself is based around three main events: The Tasting Zone; The Masterclass; and The Pink Rosé Festival Awards 2018 – a ceremony that honours the stars of the rosé wine industry.

pinkrosefestival.com

VINOVISION, PARIS

12-14 FEBRUARY

Founded in response to growing consumer demand for cool-climate wines, VinoVision launched in Paris last year, created in collaboration by the trade associations of the Loire Valley (Interloire and Centre-Loire), Burgundy (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne), Champagne (the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de la Champagne) and Alsace (Conseil Interprofessional des Vins d’Alsace) and organised by Comexposium. The show offers an annual opportunity for wine buyers to explore the cool-climate AOC wines of Northern France, with exhibitors from Bugey, Alsace, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Champagne, Jura, the Loire and Savoie, among those in attendance.

This year, a stronger focus on sparkling wines will be evident, by way of an enlarged Tasting Avenue that will cover two areas next year; one for sparkling and one for still wines. A free-pour zone will return, as will a masterclass programme, which will include talks on subjects such as Loire Valley rosé and Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais’ new wave, Riesling and the terroirs of Alsace, Bourgogne’s climats and Chenin Blanc, among others. The event is expected to attract 8,000 visitors from throughout Europe, particularly Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and also the US.

Looking further ahead, in 2019, Vino Vision will join forces with its southern counterpart, ViniSud. Normally held in Montpellier, the ViniSud show, which focuses on wines from the Mediterranean, will exchange its Languedoc location for Paris to host a joint show with VinoVision in odd-numbered years. In even years, both events will remain distinct.

vinovisionparis.com

VINISUD, MONTPELLIER

18-20 FEBRUARY

ViniSud focuses on wines from the Mediterranean, and regularly attracts more than 30,000 international visitors from 70 countries, including 400 international buyers.

This year’s show will place a specific emphasis on ethical accountability and sustainability, with a series of masterclasses and seminars planned over the three-day event. Highlights include the presentation of two new and exclusive international studies: an overview of ethical consumerism in France and the world, conducted with leading research agency Graines de Changement, to identify emerging trends; and consumer trends in New York and Paris – a comparative study that looks at environmentally accountable labelling in these two key cities.

Visitors will also be able to taste their way through a number of free-pour zones: The Palais Méditerranéen; The Sparkling Zone; Expression Méditerranéenne, which will showcase rare and unusual grape varieties; and The New Wave, featuring new and emerging winegrowers. For buyers, newly defined tasting routes will make it easier to find new wines and flavours that resonate with current consumer trends.

“Consumer demands have changed. People want to consume more sustainably, are more interested in local products and are looking for transparency,” says ViniSud’s director, Pascale Ferranti. “The food industry as a whole needs to address these fundamental issues, which are challenging its structure. With its finger on the pulse of breaking trends and marketing opportunities for all Mediterranean regions and appellations, ViniSud has chosen to prompt debate and contribute insight to these serious issues.”

vinisud.com

VINEXPO NEW YORK

5-6 MARCH

Branching further into the US market, last year, trade fair giant Vinexpo announced that it would be hosting its first show in the Americas for 15 years in 2018, in response to “extremely high” demand from exhibitors. Vinexpo held the first Vinexpo Americas in New York in 2002.

The revamped Vinexpo New York will take place over two days in February, and will feature the world’s newest producers and those introducing their products to the North American market for the first time. More than 300 exhibitors from across the world have signed up to the event. Ten masterclasses will be held over the two days on the latest trends and regulations facing the US wine and spirits industry on subjects such as e-commerce, how to break into the US market and the impact of millennials on the wine and spirits industry.

Tastings will also be hosted by Wines of Australia, InterRhône and the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, with the event set to be capped off by a gala dinner of the Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc, des Graves, de Sauternes et de Barsac – a black-tie dinner with unique Bordeaux Grand Crus wines.

In deciding to re-launch a North American show, Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo, stressed the importance of the market for the wine trade, which he says is now the number-one market for wine consumption in the world. The US currently imports 1.1 billion bottles of wine each year, with the IWSR forecasting 6.9% growth by 2020.

“In such a fast-evolving market, it’s the opportunity for the wine and spirits industry to meet, and for producers to make strategic decisions for the distribution of their brands in the US,” he says.

vinexponewyork.com

PROWEIN, DÜSSELDORF

18-20 MARCH

In March, the global wine trade will make its annual pilgrimage to Düsseldorf once more for one of the world’s biggest wine fairs for its 25th edition. The colossal halls of Messe Düsseldorf will host around 6,300 exhibitors from 60 countries, with nearly 60,000 visitors expected to attend for three days of targeted networking, tastings and conferences.

Of 2017’s event, Hans Werner Reinhard, managing director of Messe Düsseldorf, said: “Visitors include key players – important importers and representatives from large international commercial chains. Again this year the sector showed how strong and capable it is.”

Returning for 2018 will be ProWein’s ‘special focal points’, including its Champagne Lounge and organic wine area. Here, trade visitors will find all relevant organic associations from Germany, Italy and France, as well as numerous individual exhibitors from throughout the world. In addition, ProWein’s organic wine concept, Organic World, will return, showcasing organic wines from 40 international exhibitors. This dedicated organic area will be rounded off by a matching catering concept – the Organic Lounge – as well as an individual lecture area.

The main tasting area will host more than 500 wines from the Mundus Vini spring wine tasting – a competition judged by an expert panel of oenologists, critics, sommeliers, specialist retailers, and restaurateurs – alongside a series of themed tastings, seminars, market briefings and presentations.

The ‘Same but Different’ showcase will also make a comeback, this time occupying a hall of its own and focusing specifically on craft beer, spirits and ciders. New exhibitors to the show include a joint stand from the Japanese government themed around saké, as well as a large stand featuring various Palinka fruit brandies from Hungary.

prowein.com

VINITALY, VERONA

15-18 APRIL

Taking place in Verona, Vinitaly, the biggest international trade-only show in Italy, will celebrate its 52nd edition in 2018. Each year, around 130,000 international visitors descend on the historic city to taste wines from every corner of Italy, from the Veneto and Campania, to Tuscany and Sicily.

Last year, organisers reported an increase in visitors from key countries including the US (6%), UK (4%), China (12%) and Brazil (29%). The number of accredited international buyers to the show also grew to 30,200 – up by 8% on 2016.

In 2016, organisers separated business-to-business from business-to-consumer, expanding services and multiplying opportunities for meetings between exhibitors and international buyers during the show, while at the same time moving all consumer-related aspects to the ‘Vinitaly and the City’ off-show event held in the city centre. This separation will continue to be a key focus for 2018.

“We symbolically christened Vinitaly 2017 as the ‘50+1 edition’,” said Maurizio Danese, president of show organiser Veronafiere, “as a way to represent the first effective step in a new course of development looking to the next 50 years. These results reward our move towards a clearer distinction between business occasions in the exhibitions centre and the off-show event dedicated to wine lovers in the city centre.”

vinitaly.com

THE CITY WINE SHOW, LONDON

13-14 APRIL

Following its debut last year, The City Wine Show will be back in 2018, brought to you by the team behind The Wine Show Chelsea.

Situated in the Stationer’s Hall in the heart of London, the wine fair will showcase the very best wine producers and merchants, targeting consumers working in the area and wine enthusiasts from all over London.

A discovery zone, manned by experts, will highlight the award-winning wines from the drinks business’ successful Global Masters competitions. A series of educational masterclasses will take place throughout the show, many of which will be free of charge. Last year’s line-up included a session on Pinot Noir, presented by db editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW; a fizz-focused session led by Prosecco producer Giusti; an hour with James Simpson MW, managing director of Champagne Pol Roger, who presented a masterclass on Sir Winston Churchill’s favourite Champagne house; and, finally, a class on cool-climate Chile and Carmenère from the Colchagua Valley with Casa Silva.

Last year’s event attracted more than 1,000 visitors, who were able to taste over 500 wines from producers around the world, as well as a selection of award-winning spirits. The City Wine Show will be open to the trade on Friday from 2pm-5pm, and for the public on Friday from 2pm-9pm and on Saturday from 1pm to 8pm.

thecitywineshow.com

PROWINE ASIA, SINGAPORE

24-27 APRIL

ProWein Asia launched in 2016 with its inaugural show in Singapore – an event that attracted 7,339 trade visitors from 43 countries to meet 258 wine producers and distributors from 30 countries in 15 pavilions.

First envisioned as a biennial show, it proved so successful that the concept was rolled out to Hong Kong. ProWine Asia now alternates between Hong Kong in odd-numbered years and Singapore in even ones, with organisers promising to raise the bar for its 2018 edition. This year, ProWine Asia will be held alongside the Food&HotelAsia (FHA) show as part of an ongoing biennial partnership, in what will be that show’s 40th year.

Modelled on the same format as its Düsseldorf edition, ProWine Asia offers visitors an international platform from which to tap into the fast-growing south east Asian market to reach key buyers. Wine sales to the Asia-Pacific region in 2014 reached 264.3 million cases, and are expected to continue growth at 2.8% until 2019, according to the International Wine and Spirit Research. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam leads with an annual wine consumption of 6.6 litres per capita and an annual spending of US$ 744.2 million. In the Philippines, the wine trade is predicted to have a total volume growth of 8% by 2018.

A series of masterclasses and seminars led by industry speakers will also take place throughout the four-day event.

prowineasia.com/sg

TFWA ASIA PACIFIC EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE, SINGAPORE

6-10 MAY

TFWA is the world’s largest duty-free and travel retail group, which not only provides the industry with market research but also runs a number of exhibitions and conferences worldwide.

In May, it will host its Duty Free and Travel Retail Asia-Pacific Summit, with 3,000 professionals set to attend the Marina Bay Sands venue. The show’s mission – in keeping with its motto ‘by the trade, for the trade’ – is to “identify trends and opportunities, build awareness and provide a business platform for the global duty free and travel retail industry to prosper.”

Last year, ferry and cruise operators took part for the first time, as well as more than 60 airports and airlines, while conference sessions addressed issues affecting the changing duty-free and travel-retail landscape. Networking events includes a golf tournament, a cocktail reception at Raffles Club, chill out party on the roof of the Mandarin Oriental, and a Singapore Swing party at Mambo Beach.

tfwa.com

LONDON WINE FAIR

21-23 MAY

2018 will mark a change in the tide for the London Wine Fair, in what will be its 38th year, as Hannah Tovey, the founder of one of the UK’s biggest drinks shows – Imbibe Live – takes the helm.

Tovey brings with her a wealth of experience in the world of publishing, having worked as publisher of Imbibe, consultant for The Wine Merchant, and with The Wine Gang on its series of nationwide festivals and consumer wine events, as well as a fresh set of ideas for the future of the London Wine Fair. Featuring 14,000 wines from 40 countries and a host of industry briefings, rare tastings and masterclasses, this year’s fair will also include a number of ‘never-before-seen’ zones, ringing in Tovey’s leadership.

The first of these to have been revealed is Drinks Britannia, which will expand the show’s reach beyond the world of wine to shine a light on British beer, wines and spirits with the aim of broadening the fair’s appeal. The dedicated area will have space for up to 50 producers.

“We wanted to celebrate and champion this exciting and vibrant industry with its own dedicated area, and we are confident it will attract more UK-based buyers than ever before, as well as tap into overseas markets, particularly those beyond Europe,” said Tovey.

Another will be the Innovation Zone, which will offer a space for start-ups, drinks-tech brands, packaging and design to support opportunities and inspire the trade to develop new ideas and concepts.

“Having consulted with our visitors we realised there was a real appetite for knowledge of, and exposure to, companies looking to shape the future of the drinks industry, which was not being fulfilled elsewhere,” adds Tovey.

londonwinefair.com

VINEXPO HONG KONG

29-31 MAY

In 2018, Vinexpo will mark its 20th year of exhibiting in Hong Kong, with the show having taken place in even-numbered years since 1998. In that time, Vinexpo Hong Kong has grown to become a strategic platform for importers, buyers and sommeliers working in the Asia-Pacific markets.

The IWSR reports that the Asia-Pacific market will show the strongest growth for wine imports between 2016 and 2020, rising by 78%. By 2020 consumption of wines is expected to rise by 12% in Korea, by 14.3% in Taiwan and by 10% in Vietnam.

Around 17,000 visitors are expected to descend on Hong Kong in May to meet 1,300 exhibitors. More than 50 events will be held over the three-day fair, which will include a fine Italian wine tasting with Gambero Rosso, a Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux tasting with UGCB, and a dedicated Sonoma County tasting.

For 2018, Australia has been named as Vinexpo’s country of honour, with Australian producers set to be showcased through dedicated spaces, talks and tastings. Conferences will take place on the latest trends and regulations facing the wine and spirits industry in the Asia-Pacific region, on subjects including how to navigate the Chinese wine market and the success of Australian wine exports in China. Acknowledging the importance of the organic wine sector, Vinexpo’s WOW (World of Organic Wines) – a section dedicated to organic and biodynamic wine and spirits that launched in 2017 – will run in Hong Kong for the first time.

vinexpohongkong.com

VINOBLE, JEREZ, SPAIN

3-5 JUNE

Taking place every other year among the Sherry-stacked bodegas of Jerez, Vinoble (The International Exhibition of Noble Wine) champions fortified, dessert and natural sweet wines.

Housed in the Alcazar of Jerez de la Frontera – a Moorish castle – the show was founded with the aim of raising the profile of these complex wines, made with great affection and care, but which didn’t have a global framework or platform, despite being regarded as among the best wines in the world.

Vinoble attracts an international audience of visitors and exhibitors and also runs a packed programme of tastings and events during the three-day show, with Jerez throwing open its historical buildings to host winemakers, restaurateurs and journalists from all five continents to share in a love of these wines. Many additional events also take place at neighbouring bodegas.

vinoble.org

TFWA WORLD EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE, CANNES

30 SEPTEMBER – 5 OCTOBER

Dedicated to the world’s global travel retail market, the annual TFWA World Exhibition and Conference combines a showcase of premium wine and spirits with a raft of networking opportunities. Taking place on the glamorous shores of Cannes, each year around 500 exhibitors and 6,500 professionals flock to the event for a week of networking and business balanced with a programme of lavish beachside events, befitting of its location.

The opening conference is designed to give visitors and producers an insight into the macro-economic factors affecting the global travel-retail market, and includes a state-of-the-industry update, while a series of dedicated workshops throughout the week take an in-depth look at the performance of different markets, channels, and issues affecting the trade. The show’s ONE2ONE meeting service helps visitors plan private meetings with key players worldwide, with meetings taking place towards the end of the week.

tfwa.com

HKTDC HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS FAIR

8-10 NOVEMBER

Returning for the 11th year, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair is organised by the Hong Kong Development Council and regularly attracts around 1,000 exhibitors and 20,000 international visitors.

The three-day fair provides a platform for producers looking to enter or expand their reach in Asia, especially China, with a particular focus on Hong Kong, given its position as a wine-import hub. The city’s importance has been bolstered by the recent announcement that China’s mainland has opened up all ports for wine imports from Hong Kong. Under the scheme, pre-registered Hong Kong wine traders can submit advance wine-consignment information online and receive instant customs clearance at all mainland ports. The measures were previously only open to five ports: Beijing; Tianjin; Shanghai; Guangzhou; and Shenzhen.

Running alongside the show will be a packed programme of seminars, with its keynote annual Wine Industry Conference notable for attracting some of the most respected and well-known industry experts. While the 2018 topics are yet to be revealed, the 2017 conference saw Debra Meiburg MW chair a panel that included db’s Patrick Schmitt MW, Chuan Zhou, research director at Wine Intelligence, and Sarah Abbott MW, who discussed forthcoming trends in the industry, with a focus on sparkling wine.

On the final day of the show, the doors are thrown open to the public to promote wine education and wine appreciation.

hktdc.com

PROWINE CHINA, SHANGHAI

13-15 NOVEMBER

Returning to Shanghai for its sixth edition, ProWine China expects some 14,000 trade visitors and close to 700 exhibitors from 39 countries to attend, making it “the most international wines and spirits trade fair in Mainland China”, according to organisers, who reported a spike in visitor numbers of 14% last year.

Commenting on the success of last year’s fair, Marius Berlemann, global of head wine and spirits and director of ProWein, said: “The Chinese wine business is currently experiencing a shift in demand, away from only brands and pricing towards other elements, including country and region of origin, grape variety and cultivation methods. Opportunity continues to flourish on China’s maturing wine market, achieving sustained growth year on year. At the same time, Chinese consumers are eager to discover wines from all parts of the world.”

Wine education will be a focus of this year’s show, building on last year’s Wine Master Series, which was chaired by four MWs; Debra Meiburg MW; Fongyee Walker MW; Roderick Smith MW; and Robert Goddes MW, alongside tastings and masterclasses by WSET.

prowinechina.com

WORLD BULK WINE EXHIBITION, AMSTERDAM

26-27 NOVEMBER

Held each year in November, The World Bulk Wine Exhibition is the last, but by no means the least, of the year’s big events. Here, the world’s biggest, and bulkiest, producers gather for two days with one objective: “to do business”.

This phrase has become something of the show’s mantra. Every year, around 220 exhibitors from all over the world present their wines to more than 6,000 visitors from 66 countries.

While details on this year’s show are scant at the moment, last year’s featured a new area dedicated to masterclasses on various technical issues regarding bulk wine, covering subjects such as blending, branded bottling for supermarkets and market-specific bottling requirements, and how to correct, enhance, adjust and improve a wine. Exhibitors will also be able to compete in the fair’s International Bulk Wine Competition – the only competition dedicated to bulk wines that rewards those improving the quality of wines in this sector. It is open to those who produce a minimum of 10,000 litres of wine.

worldbulkwine.com