ProWein 2018 prepares for 25th edition

With only three weeks to go before ProWein opens the doors to its 25th edition, organisers have released a final programme of events for those preparing their agenda for the colossal three-day trade show.

More than 6,700 exhibitors from 61 countries are set to pitch up at Messe Düsseldorf for the show, which will take place from 18-20 March, with some 60,000 visitors set to attend.

Some 500 events – including numerous guided tasting sessions, seminars and presentations – will be held directly at exhibitors’ stands and at the two ProWein Forums, located in Hall 10 and 13.

The ProWein Forum will return, hosting a selection of seminars on various topics of relevance to the trade, from sessions on German Sekt, saké, Swiss wines and Brazilian sparkling wine.

Comité Champagne, Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers are among those set to host events, while Stuart Pigott and Paula Sidore will host a session on international wine trends.

As part of the forum’s “Trend Hour” on Sunday and Monday (from 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm on both evenings in Hall 10) the pair will be reporting on the new freshness in wine, the success of natural wines, viticulture in the new north, regionality in taste and style as well as the emerging wine nation of China on the cusp of making its breakthrough.

Returning for 2018 will be ProWein’s ‘special focal points’, including its Champagne Lounge and organic wine area in Hall 13. Here, visitors will find all relevant organic associations from Germany, Italy and France, as well as numerous individual exhibitors from around the world.

A total of 40 Champagne houses and more than 150 brands will be present, including Champagne Vollereaux, while guided Champagne tastings will also be held at Falstaff, Vinum and publishing house Meininger Verlag.

At the stand of Sud de France sparkling wines from Limoux will be available for tasting, while the Comité de Champagne will be presenting the latest developments in the region at their annual press conference on Sunday at the ProWein Forum in Hall 10. Elsewhere, German “winzersekt” and “quirky” Pet Nats can be found at events held at the stands of Frankenwein-Frankenland, Rheinhessenwein, the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut – DWI), Falstaff and Vinum.

SAME BUT DIFFERENT

ProWein’s Same but Different showcase will also make a comeback in 2018, this year featuring “craft” beer, wines and spirits, in Hall 7.0.

Over 70 exhibitors will be showcasing their products here like Craft Spirits, Craft Beer and Cider. The most important types of craft beer are presented by the publishing house Meininger Verlag at their stand in guided tastings. On the “same but different” area the unique trend drinks plus the “Who’s Who” on the scene will seduce visitors with a night of clubbing with electrifying beats while at the Romanian Wine Promotion Association’s stand a Craft Beer Zone plus a competition will be offered.

Organic wines will also remain prevalent at the show, which ProWein says is “not just a passing trend”, but a fixture of many top producers’ portfolios.

Demeter will host a session debating whether organic wine is a “product for the elite or a broader audience”, while the organic wine association Ecovin Bundesverband Ökologischer Weinbau e.V will be on hand to offer an overview on the category. At Bioland LV Rheinland-Pfalz they will be asking whether organic wine cultivation can give wine retail an opportunity to raise its profile, while experts at Falstaff will give talks on the future of organic wine in the international context, while The Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) will provide insights into the organic movement in Bordeaux.

Further information on ProWein 2018, the special show “same but different” and the event programme can be found on the Internet at www.prowein.de.

Full details of the show’s programme of event can be found at www.prowein.de, or as a printed brochure at ProWein itself.