ProWine Tokyo: the new kid on the block

From Champagne masterclasses to products never before seen in Japan, here’s what to expect from the inaugural ProWine Tokyo show taking place in April.

Remote parties are no more as we move further past the Covid-19 pandemic. Face-to-face communication has witnessed a renewed appreciation, and drinks, with or without alcohol, play an important role in this shift back to normality.

ProWein Düsseldorf, the world’s biggest wine and spirits trade fair, has been at the forefront of the industry for 30 years now, and is helping to shift the drinks trade into a new era. Already launched in Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, and São Paulo, the trade fair is now bringing its expertise to Tokyo for the first time in April this year. Among numerous food-and-drink trade fairs in Japan, ProWine Tokyo will stand out as the one and only event specialising in wine and spirits.

Exhibitors from all drinks categories including wine, beer, sake, shochu and awamori, spirits, craft beverages, non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages, will be present in Japan for ProWine Tokyo. To date, 199 exhibitors from 21 countries are registered to attend, with 90% coming from abroad, spanning the likes of France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal.

ProWine Tokyo’s organisers have two goals: to inspire the Japanese market, and to share insights on current industry challenges. Recent times have seen the rise of ‘sober curious’ consumers, particularly among the younger generation – a sign that the value of drinks is shifting. Sustainability is also a topic on the lips of many of the industry’s top suppliers. Addressing climate change is key, but issues of employment, and contribution to local economies are among the various challenges being tackled worldwide. ProWine Tokyo aims to address these challenges and revitalise the Japanese market by gathering products and up-to-date information from around the world.

Market trends and challenges will all be addressed via a programme of 38 seminars, alongside various on-site events outlining global trends. ProWine Tokyo’s target audience includes importers, wholesalers, retailers, food service, government agencies, associations, and the press. Over two-thirds of the products on display at the inaugural Tokyo fair are not yet imported into Japan, meaning the event represents a key opportunity to encounter cutting-edge products.

What to look forward to

• Forum and seminar topics include sustainability, non-alcoholic beverages, inbound tourism, and geographical indications in Japan.

• Tastings and seminars featuring wines not yet imported to Japan will also be on offer.

• Mundus Vini, Germany’s international wine competition, with over 7,500 entries from around the world, will have a free tasting lounge with 120 wines on display, including 20 non-alcoholic options.

• Much-loved at ProWein in Germany, the Champagne Lounge is coming to Tokyo, spotlighting high-quality but lesser-known wines.

• At the Spirits Bar, expert bartenders will present various ways to enjoy spirits and cocktails, using products from exhibitors at the fair.

• Bring your cork: ProWine Tokyo is collaborating with the Tokyo Cork Project to bring focus to a sustainable material that does not require deforestation, inviting visitors to bring in corks from home for recycling.

ProWine Tokyo x the drinks business

Patrick Schmitt MW, editor-in-chief of the drinks business, is heading to ProWine Tokyo to present two masterclasses about Champagne:

Extra brut and drier: Champagne’s best low-sugar cuvées — With better quality viticulture and winemaking, and a growing consumer demand for purer, fresher wine styles, Champagne’s top producers are making drier and even sugar-free cuvées. We consider a selection of the best, and their food-pairing potential in Japan.

New and experimental: Champagne’s latest launches and the most unusual cuvées — Always on the move, Champagne’s dynamism is best expressed in its wide-range of innovative cuvées and the regular stream of new releases. We look at what’s most exciting on the market right now, and why these bottles are ripe for the Japanese drinks market.