ProWein 2018 in pictures

Visitors to this year’s ProWein trade fair were treated to bright blue skies. The 2018 edition of the show drew 6,870 exhibitors from 64 countries.

The show, which took place this week from 18-20 March, attracted a staggering 60,000 visitors from 64 countries.

Should you find that the hotels in downtown Dusseldorf are all full (or horrifically expensive), then why not stay on a river cruise boat, like this one moored on the Rhine just 10 minutes walk from the ProWein fair ground.

Called the MS Oscar Wilde, it has several floors, a bar, a restaurant and breakfast area, as well as more than 300 bedrooms.

The rooms – like this one occupied by db – are comfortable and quite spacious.

And the ‘hotelship’ comes with little boating touches like this – just in case you’d forgotten that you were floating on water.

Visitors could literally drink their way around the world at ProWein, with wines from 64 different countries on pour.

Here at db we like to keep an eye on the latest fashion trends at international trade fairs. The classic wine trade red trouser look remained a firm favourite with male attendees.

While some of the female visitors showed more fashion flair…

We particularly liked the colour co-ordinated efforts of the team at Slovenian estate Jeruzalem Ormoz.

Among the more fun and frivolous brands on show was Hello Kitty, which was showing off its new sparkling wines.

Some of the pretties wine labels we spotted were these new pastel numbers from Bodegas Ijalba in Rioja.

We couldn’t resist snapping this hipster rosé from Provence, which is selling like hotcakes.

We wonder if it may have been inspired by Bierzo star Raul Perez, pictured here larking about with Sebastian Mancebo of Marsilea Vinos in Valencia.

The show proved an ideal opportunity to catch up with some of our wine world friends, including the lovely Adolfo Hurtado of Cono Sur (left) and Alejandro Mitarakis of Emiliana.

We also caught up with Languedoc pioneer Gerard Bertrand, who gave us the lowdown on his rosé collaboration with American rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

The affable Juan José San Martín of Matetic gallantly posed with the latest edition of db, which shines a light on Japanese wine and whisky.

Over at the Henkell stand, the German sparkling wine specialist was performing live disgorgements of some of its wines.

Safety first!

Vanessa Lehmann (left) Henkell’s marketing & PR manager, talked us through the Mionetto Prosecco range, which has just had a makeover.

Annabel Hernandez of Bodegas Riojanas, treated us to a tasting of the Rioja estate’s new sweet wine, which had a lingering nutty finish.

Meanwhile, Valerie Vincent, head of marketing at Gabriel Meffre, showed us the limited edition labels in the popular Fat Bastard range.

Over at the Catena Zapata stand a party was in full swing to celebrate the launch of Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2015.

The launch was led by Laura Catena (third left) who encouraged the rest of her team to don traditional Argentine hats for the party (and one crown)…

The eye-catching label, designed by Stranger & Stranger features four characters who have shaped Catena’s story, including Eleanor of Aquitaine.

During the show we also caught up with the lovely Lenz Moser of Château Changyu, who treated us to a tasting of his latest vintages, including his new white Cabernet Sauvignon.

Commercial director of Wines of Chile told db about the organisation’s plans to premiumise Chilean wine while clutching a 3-litre bottle of the country’s top Pinot, Ocio.

Meanwhile, Ocio’s winemaker, Adolfo Hurtado, showed us his new-look Bicycleta range from Cono Sur.

And then Fetzer-Bonterra’s Bob Blue poured us a sample of his latest project: a Zin aged in former Bourbon barrels.

German Wine Institute marketing director Steffen Schindler gets down with Germany’s ‘coolest wines’.

db’s editor-in-chief, Patrick Schmitt MW, addressed a packed out room during the Winemakers’ Winemaker award on the Monday evening.

Before the award was presented, ProWein’s director, Marius Berlemann, took to the podium to explain a little more about the event, which has taken place at the show since 2011 and counts Peter Sisseck, the late Anne-Claude Leflaive and Eben Sadie among its previous recipients.

Many familiar faces were in attendance, including wine writer and educator Debra Meiburg MW pictured here with James Tookey of Jackson Family Wines.

Also snapped enjoying a flute of Bollinger were Ian Harris of the WSET and Sam Harrop MW.

Roussillon winemaker Justin Howard-Sneyd MW was also in the house…

As were Argentine wine pioneers Phil Crozier (centre) and Andrew Madiment of Wines of Argentina.

The event proved an ideal opportunity for the wine trade to mix and mingle and catch up with old friends – like Arthur de Lencquesaing of iDealwine and Christian Holthausen of Champagne house AR Lenoble.

Patrick Schmitt MW presents the Winemakers’ Winemaker award, which was given jointly by him and IMW chairman Jane Masters MW to Jean-Claude Berrouet, former head winemaker at Château Petrus – although his son Jean-François Berrouet collected the trophy on his father’s behalf.