Vinexposium announces detailed plans for Bordeaux Wine Week

Following the success of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris which came to an end last week, Vinexposium has detailed its plans for Bordeaux Wine Week, the next international exhibition held in France in June.

In a press conference held during last week’s Paris show, Vinexposium revealed plans for a sharp focus on sustainability and technology during the upcoming Bordeaux Wine Week.

The events planned for the upcoming French show will comprise large panel discussions and business meetings, aiming to provide the industry with practical solutions for short and medium-term changes to vineyard management and sales techniques.

From Thursday 16 to Sunday 26 June 2022, the Bordeaux Wine Festival, the Bordeaux Grands Crus Week-End, the ‘Picasso, the effervescence of shapes’ exhibition, the ‘Act for Change’ Symposium and the WOW! Meetings will come together to form Bordeaux Wine Week.

From 20 to 23 June 2022, as part of Bordeaux Wine Week, Vinexposium will be organising the ‘Act for Change’ Symposium and the WOW! Meetings for French and international members of the wine and spirits trade.

The ‘Act for Change’ Symposium on 20 and 21 June at the Cité du vin. The two-day event is set within a broader context and will question the role and commitment of the wine industry to the far-reaching agenda of the United Nations and COP 26 with a central theme: ‘Wine in 2030’.

The first day of the Symposium will focus on deciphering forthcoming changes centring on three major aspects that will continue to have a decisive influence on the industry in years to come: changes in consumption and consumers; climate change; and geopolitical tensions.

The second day will address the role of innovation in transforming vineyard and winery practices and the revolution in wine distribution in tomorrow’s world, based on the previous day’s conclusions.

The issues will be tackled during 4 main panel discussions:

Changing consumer patterns: what will a good wine be in 2030?
What are the consequences of climate change for winegrowing?
Winegrowing and agro-ecology: what innovations can we expect in the future?
E-commerce or ultra-local: how will wine be distributed in 2030?

In a press conference held last week, Vinexposium group CEO Rodolphe Lameyse described the rise of e-commerce as a “radical change in our industry”, and one which the wine trade is in need of catching up on.

Lameyse noted that the sector is “behind in terms of technology”, and looked to discussions set for Bordeaux Wine Week to give “insights into the future of the sector as a whole”.

The event set to take place in June will see up to 250 wine companies exhibit for a host of international buyers.

The production and consumption of certified wines is constantly growing. Vineyard area now covers more than 400,000 hectares worldwide, 78% of them located in Europe.

In response to this strong trend, Vinexposium will be hosting the first trade event entirely dedicated to environmentally certified wines and spirits in a rigorous B-to-B format, with the WOW! Meetings on 22 and 23 June at Hangar 14.

100% business-focused, the event will welcome French and international buyers who plan to purchase certified wines and spirits, and have come to source new listings by producers and trading companies that work in this market segment. The aim is to support exponential development of the products worldwide.

Lameyse commented that the focus on sustainability has been driven by changing consumer attitudes. He noted that climate change is “unfortunately very topical, and will stay that way” for the wine industry as we move forward.

Lameyse was joined by Bordeaux mayor Pierre Hurmic during last week’s press conference, who stated that the industry could “count on my determination to support it in this direction” towards defending biodiversity.

Following a “rollercoaster of emotions over the last eight weeks”, Vinexposium group CEO Rodolphe Lameyse has hailed Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris a great success “despite the fears” of both clients and partners. Read more on that here.