Top offerings by country at ProWein 2015

With all-manner of wine producers from across the globe descending on Düsseldorf next week, db has picked what the 10 top winemaking countries have on offer at the event.

Fighting it out for the attentions of over 40,000 visitors will be 5,800 exhibitors from 50 countries – enough to keep a committed vinophile happy for weeks, let alone just the three days that the event covers.

The following list is an attempt to condense down our pick of the top offerings from ten major wine-making countries – five Old World, and five New World, so that you can be sure you don’t miss out on seeing them for yourself.

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Old World: Italy

Leading the Italian contingent at the event, producers Zonin 1821 will be shedding light on several new products designed for both the on- and off-trade. Firstly, there is Serò, which Zonin 1821 describes as a “super Insolia” designed to be placed side-by-side with the estate flagship wine, Deliella Nero d’Avola. Also being unveiled is the producer’s new white wine, Masseria Altemura Falanghina Salento.

Zonin 1821’s Castello d’Albola Oso Toscana will also be presented at ProWein – the wine having been created to “appeal young consumers, usually unfamiliar with the complexity of red wines from Chianti Classico”. And lastly, at Prowein Zonin will introduce its first “Prosecco Ice”, a Prosecco demi sec designed to be served over ice.

Another Italian sparkler, Villa Sandi, will be displaying its wares in a targeted way, coming under its German importer Pellegrini’s stand to build on its profile in the Deutsche market. This profile is already fairly well established, with the Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco DOC awarded “Prosecco of the Year” in Germany for the 10^th year in a row by the magazine Weinwirtschaft.

One Italian brand intent on making its mark in the European wine scene is Giusti. Present on not one but two stands at this year’s ProWein, the producer is looking for importers for its range, which is headed by DOCG Prosecco from Asolo, particularly in the brut style. Indeed, Guisti’s Brut was one of just two sparkling wines to receive the top title of Master at The Drinks Business Prosecco Masters last year. Although drier than the majority of Proseccos that hit European shelves, the use of grapes from high quality, low yielding sites in the sunny Montello hills ensure that this fizz has a richness that offsets the lack of residual sugar. 

Spain

Sogrape Vinhos will be showcasing its Rioja winery Bodegas LAN alongside its Portuguese and South American brands. CEO Fernando Guedes and his team will be on the stand including Matt Douglas, MD of Sogrape UK.

On the wine initiatives front, Rioja Alavesa wine body Araex will be making the most of its time at ProWein, showcasing its Precision Viticulture project which aims to reduce the impact of, and successfully adapt to, climate change.

Furthermore, Araex will be promoting its Spanish Fine Wines Institute, which pools the resources of 12 wineries, 17 projects and affiliated businesses to support academic study and wine culture, international market development, media relations, scientific research, and education programs.

France

Moving now to the heart of the old world, the father and son team behind Château d’Anglès in La Clape, Eric and Vianney Fabre, will be present at the French producers’ stand. The pair will be displaying new vintages of its Classique and Grand Vin Bourboulenc-based whites which retail at the premium and super-premium end. They will also be showing their Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre-based Classique and Grand Vin reds.

Furthermore, Rhône-based producer Cellier des Dauphins will be welcoming to ProWein for the first time its new managing director Frank Gaudet, along with his international team.The Rhône’s largest producer, responsible for 30% of all Côtes du Rhône production, will be unveiling new vintages and new wines this year at Prowein.

Included is the producer’s Les Dauphins brand, now available in 25 countries. Cellier des Dauphins will also be showing their range of wines from Vinsobres, a lesser-known area of 441 hectares in the Southern Rhône with Cru status.

The Anivin de France international selection will also be on show at ProWein, showcasing the best Vin de France wines picked by a panel of international judges at a tasting in February.

Portugal

Port producer Symington Family Estates will be present alongside fellow members of the Primum Familiae Vini, including Pol Roger, Antinori, Hugel, Joseph Drouhin and Torres.

Under the Symington umbrella, in addition to its year-round range Ports, Graham’s will be showcasing Ne Oublie, a rare Port from 1882. Graham’s will also be releasing a new Single Harvest Tawny Port from 1972 and will be opening a few bottles of a 50 year old Vintage Port from its principle vineyard, Quinta dos Malvedos.

Cockburn’s, celebrating its 200^th year, will be presenting its Bicentenary range while Dow’s will be showing its highly prized 2011 Vintage.

On the Douro Doc front, the latest releases of Altano, Quinta do Vesuvio and Chryseia will all be available.

Germany

One of the biggest presences will be made by the event’s home country of Germany through the German wine trade group the VDP, exhibiting in hall 14 at the trade fair’s largest joint stand.

The focus for them will be on the first bottlings of members’ VDP Gutsweine (regional wines) and VDP Ortsweine (village wines) from the 2014 vintage.

Due to the timing of the trade fair, the wines the Germans will offer will provide a intriguing preview of the new vintage.

New World: US

US-based Jackson Family Wines will be featuring their entire range at ProWein, including new vintages for each label.

Especially for ProWein, the producer will be showcasing a pre-release of its 2012 Lokoya and Cardinale wines – all of which received 96-100 points from Robert Parker.

There will also be a library release of 2005 Verite. These offerings will be presented alongside the new wines in the JFW stable: Capensis from South Africa, and Siduri from Sonoma.

Chile

Chilean winemaker Aresti is launching a completely new line of wines, named Personality, and a new “core brand” named Montemar that features a redesigned label in order to make it attractive to new markets.

Also, the producer will give a sneak preview of its Merlot that is set to be released in May, created from grapes grown at a high-altitude vineyard in the Curicó region of the Andes Mountains.

Argentina

Bolstering Argentina’s standing at ProWein will be Bodegas Trapiche, a producer with two new brands to launch and a shift in consumer focus to younger wine fans that it will introduce to the trade. First of the new products is a new wine targeting female consumers – but certainly not a “girly” wine according to Gustavo Arroyat, the company’s export manager.

There is also the launch of its Mar & Pampa brand – significant in that it represents the first range of ocean-climate wines in Argentina.

Australia / NZ

Yealands of New Zealand will also taking its chance to impress at ProWein. Owner and entrepreneur Peter Yealands will be at the fair again this year, along with his export director Simon Kelly, to show a selection of new releases and new vintages from their Seaview Vineyard at Yealands Estate in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.

The 2014 vintage of the Awatere Valley, Marlborough Grüner Veltliner, is one of just a handful of this varietal from New Zealand and will be shown alongside the 2014 release of Yealands Estate’s “PGR”, a blend of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Riesling.

From the Yealands Estate Winemaker’s Reserve range two Pinot Noirs will be showcased – one from the Awatere Valley and another from Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley, offering a chance to compare and contrast the produce of the two New Zealand winemaking regions.

The Australians are also keen to impress. This year, 39 producers from 30 regions across six states will come together under the Wine Australia umbrella to create what the group is calling “the largest and most diverse Australian wine contingent ProWein has seen”.

The Wine Australia stand will also neighbour fellow Australian exhibitors to collectively showcase more than 60 wineries. As a centerpiece, Wine Australia will explore the theme “History, Evolution, Revolution” with a masterclass hosted by Aussie wine expert Mark Davidson.

Among the nine wines on pour are Langmeil Freedom 1843, 2012; Pizzini Wines Coronamento Nebbiolo, 2008, and Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon, 1998.

South Africa

And finishing in the Southern Hemisphere, South African producer Distell will use the opportunity to launch the new Nederburg Heroes range, which will be exclusive to the on-trade within the UK market, off the back of a celebrity partnership with TV chef Jimmy Doherty. Distell will also be showing its new Two Oceans Pinot Grigio 1.5L pouch that has a new listing with Alko, the Finnish monopoly.

The country will also make its presence felt through Stellenbosch producer Kleine Zalze. Owner Kobus Basson will be on its stand with new range Cleefs, launched at the end of 2014, and the latest vintage releases from the Kleine Zalze and Zalze labels. Alastair Rimmer, recently appointed as chief cellarmaster in September, will be revealing the first wines in which he has had a hand in producing.

Another SA producer, Oldenburg Vineyards of the Banghoek Valley, will be showcasing its super-premium range, including the latest vintages of their flagship wine “Rhodium”.

The Wines of South Africa pavilion will offer over 1,000 wines for visitors to taste, with a line-up intended to highlight South Africa’s “rich diversity of terroir and stylistic expression, as well as its excellent value offerings across the pricing spectrum,” according to the trade body. There will be an extensive range of varietal and blended still and sparkling wines, including “site-specific, biodynamic, organic and ethical examples” – certainly enough to keep visitors intrigued.