Top wine and spirit trade fairs of 2019

Pink Rosé Festival, Cannes, France

7-8 February

The Pink Rosé Festival is the only trade show dedicated entirely to rosé wines. Founded in 2017, this year will mark its third edition. Business is at the heart of its proposition, but fun isn’t far behind, with the event hosted in glamorous Cannes, in the south of France.

Uniquely, this show doesn’t depend on producers taking a stand, but prides itself on facilitating meaningful connections between producers and buyers by setting up one-to-one meetings throughout the event. On registration, each producer is given a minimum of 16 bespoke appointments with prospective buyers or producers, which are organised by the festival’s team. Each meeting is guaranteed and lasts for 30 minutes. The approach is a means of revamping the traditional trade show model, reshifting the emphasis from static exhibition stands and connecting producers and buyers in the international rosé market. Producers will also be able to showcase wines from a dedicated stand at the Palais des Festivals – moments from the beach.

The show itself is based around three main events: The Tasting Zone; The Masterclass Theatre; and The Pink Rosé Festival Awards 2018 – a ceremony that honours the stars of the rosé wine industry. On its relevance to the wine and spirits trade show calendar, organisers said: “The Pink Rosé Festival is the only event that has been missing in the calendar, and will welcome any key buyers in the international rosé market. By bringing together the leaders of the sector, the festival wants to highlight the potential and facilitate opportunities.”

pinkrosefestival.com

Wine Paris, France

11-13 February

This year, for the first time, two established wine trade shows will join forces in Paris, with ViniSud and VinoVision taking place under the banner of Wine Paris.

While ViniSud takes in the wines of southern France, hailing from its Mediterranean coast, VinoVision, founded in 2017, was engineered to showcase the cool climate AOC wines of Northern France, including producers from Alsace, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Champagne, Jura, the Loire and Savoie.

As well as showcasing the great variety of French wine, regions, varieties, soils and viticulture, the aim of Comexposium, the exhibition organiser behind Vinisud and VinoVision, is to create a “major international wine event in Paris,” making use of the city’s accessibility, facilities and position as a business and gastronomic hub.

Pascale Ferranti, managing director of Wine Paris, said: “Thanks to Wine Paris, over just three days, buyers will not only be able to taste the outstanding 2018 vintage, but also discover some real gems and get a handle on an extensive range of wines from different regions around the world. February is an ideal buying time and Wine Paris is positioning itself as the first major international business event of the year for wine.”

So far, more than 1,300 exhibitors have signed up and upwards of 25,000 visitors are expected to attend. The show will become a permanent fixture in Paris, and is already slated to return in 2020.

wineparis.com

Vinexpo New York

4-5 March

Following the success of its debut show in 2018, Vinexpo New York will return to the Javits Center in Manhattan in March with an expanded show and a schedule
of new events and “unequalled” networking opportunities. Last year’s event showcased 500 exhibitors from 23 countries, drawing an attendance of 3,446, and also facilitated more than 1,000 scheduled meetings between attendees and exhibitors via its One to Wine Meetings.

This year, the show will take place in a space measuring 116,000 square foot – almost double the size of 2018. Also new in 2019 will be the introduction of Vinexpo’s established Wow! World of Organic Wines exhibit – a tasting area that is dedicated entirely to organic and biodynamic wines and spirits from producers around the world. A series of masterclasses and conference sessions will also cover current trends and issues.

Among the highlights are masterclasses on the global production of Grenache, the wines of Serbia and the wines of Austria, in addition to tutored tastings run by French exporter Confrérie des Domaines and family-owned Cognac producer Sarl de Bibardies. The show’s free One to Wine Meetings matchmaking service will also return, offering registered attendees a bespoke schedule of meetings.

“As last year’s exhibit showed, the demand to break into the US market is greater than ever before,” said Christophe Navarre, president of the Vinexpo supervisory board. “With a list of exhibitors that is constantly expanding, Vinexpo New York will once again be the single best opportunity for American importers, distributors, sommeliers and other trade professionals to meet hundreds of international producers in one location,” he added.

vinexponewyork.com

ProWein, Düsseldorf, Germany

17-19 March

One of the biggest trade shows in the world, ProWein will host its 25th edition in March, with around 6,800 exhibitors expected to fill 10 cavernous exhibition halls over three days. A key event in the trade calendar, more than 60,000 wine professionals are expected to attend the show, with nearly 7,000 exhibitors from all major wine-growing regions represented, as well as 400 spirits exhibitors.

A large tasting zone presenting the winning wines from the spring edition of Mundus Vini will be on free pour, while the Champagne Lounge will also return, presenting wines from 40 Champagne houses, as well as around 150 brands in ProWein’s wider Champagne area. A section dedicated to showcasing craft spirits, in the ‘same but different’ hall, will also return. After a successful debut last year, this year the ‘same but different’ show will focus on craft beer, spirits and ciders, with more than 100 exhibitors from 20 countries set to attend. The Fizzz Lounge, meanwhile, which focuses on cocktails and apéritifs, will place a special emphasis on the issue of zero waste, looking at ways to reduce waste and how to reuse materials at the bar. As always, the show will be supported by a programme of masterclasses and seminars as part of the ProWein Forum, led by global wine experts.

To mark the 25th anniversary of ProWein, several smaller campaigns are also planned. ‘Coming home for ProWein’, will include production of a limited edition Killepitsch – Düsseldorf’s traditional liqueur – as well as branded merchandise, while small goodies will be given away throughout the event.

prowein.com

Vinitaly, Verona, Italy

7-10 April

Vinitaly is the biggest international trade-only show in Italy, and will mark its 53rd edition in 2019, celebrating Italy’s vinous virtues. Each year, around 130,000 international visitors, and more than 4,000 exhibitors, descend on the historic city to taste wines from every corner of Italy, from the Veneto and Campania to Tuscany and Sicily. Last year, organisers reported an increase in visitors from key countries including the US (a rise of 11%), China (34%), Scandinavia (17%) and Poland (27%). Overall, 128,000 visitors from 143 countries attended, with attendance by accredited international buyers up by 6% to 32,000.

As of 2016, organisers have permanently separated business-to-business and business-to-consumer content to expand services and multiply opportunities for meetings between exhibitors and international buyers during the show, while moving all consumer-related aspects to the ‘Vinitaly and the City’ off-show event in the city.

“Vinitaly 2018 confirmed its dedicated vocation to business and the promotion of the wine world,” said Maurizio Danese, president of Veronafiere. “This is the right way forward, as identified with determination during the 50th anniversary edition. The show in the Exhibition Centre is increasingly focused on professionals, while the off-show event for wine lovers in the city has also grown considerably,” Danese added.

Vinitaly runs alongside Sol&Agrifood, the quality agro-food show, and Enolitech, which focuses on technology for olive oil and wine production, further expanding the show’s offer.

vinitaly.com

The Wine & Spirits Show, Westminster, London

12-13 April

After a successful debut last year, the Wine & Spirits Show will return for a second edition at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London this April. Organised by the drinks business and sister title The Spirits Business, the event will target wine enthusiasts based in London, with around 1,500 members of the public expected to attend, alongside members of the wine and spirits trade. The Wine & Spirits Show will offer one hall dedicated to wines, and another that will be focused entirely on spirits. The Wine Hall will also feature the Global Masters Zone, showcasing the top medal-winning wines judged throughout the year in the drinks business Global Masters Series. The Spirits Hall will feature everything from gin and whisky to Tequila, rum and mezcal. This hall will also host The Spirits Masters Zone, which will be manned by The Spirits Business team and showcase the Spirits Masters competition medallists.

Both halls will feature a dedicated New Products Zone for wines and spirits, featuring the hottest products launched in the past 12 months, keeping guests up to speed on emerging trends and releases. As well as hundreds of wines and spirits available to sample, alongside artistan cheeses from Paxton & Whitfield, the event will also feature a series of expert masterclasses on wines and spirits. Not only do these sessions offer consumers the chance to learn more about wine or spirits, but brands can showcase their products in front of an interested and engaged audience of wine and spirits lovers.

For more information email: chloe.beral@unionpress.co.uk, or call +44 (0)207 803 2437.

wineandspiritsshow.com

Vinexpo Bordeaux, France

13-16 May

Vinexpo Bordeaux has unveiled a host of new features for its 20th edition this year. Shifted to the earlier time of 13-16 May, the show is expected to draw 40,000 visitors from 150 countries, and 2,000 exhibitors. The Bordeaux convention and exhibition centre is being renovated, and this year’s Vinexpo will be held in a new 16,500 metre squared facility that has replaced Hall 2 (at the cost of €37 million, or £33m). Furthermore, visitors at Vinexpo will be able to use the Vinexpo Citypass, which gives free access to Bordeaux’s tram and bus network, as well as free entrance to the Cité du Vin and some other museums.

Christophe Navarre, president of the Vinexpo supervisory board, said: “Vinexpo Bordeaux is packed with exciting attractions that we will be promoting intensively abroad. Increasing the number of buyer contacts and the event’s commercial role, offering insights into today’s key challenges and shining a light on French hospitality will confirm Vinexpo Bordeaux as the industry’s strategic trade show, where the future of the business is built. To deliver this strategy, we have decided to add several new features.”

Among the expanded content for the show is Symposium Vinexpo, which will look at the challenges facing the global wine industry, such as climate change and scientific, technical and economic developments, while Les Diners du Palais will allow exhibitors to invite guests to dine at the Palais de la Bourse with their own wines, and enjoying meals prepared by top chefs.

vinexpo.com

London Wine Fair, Kensington, London

20-22 May

2019 will see the 39th edition of the London Wine Fair – the biggest wine and spirits exhibition in the UK – attracting a range of exhibitors, from generic bodies and UK importers of all sizes, to individual brands seeking representation Last year, the newly revamped show, the first with ex-Imbibe Live founder Hannah Tovey at the helm as director, saw attendance increase by 17% on 2017, with 14,250 visitors attending. Of those attendees, 26% were first-time visitors, which organisers attributed to major investment in data management and a new marketing strategy. The 2019 event will build on this success with a series of new initiatives and enhanced feature areas, as well as refreshed content across its programme of industry briefings and masterclasses.

A new theatre will be constructed, to accommodate demand, and sessions have already sold out. New feature areas are in development, but to date, content for 2019 will include: Drinks Britannia, which launched last year to celebrate the best of British made drinks from the wine, spirits, beer, cider and soft drinks categories; Esoterica, the “show within a show”, which features the portfolios of niche importers, will be enhanced with “Esoterica+” – a new area that has been designed for those importers who have outgrown Esoterica but remain niche players. Meanwhile, The Education Zone will double in size for 2019, with content set to appeal to all sectors of, and career levels within the drinks industry.

The Innovation Zone, which launched in 2018, will return with new exhibitors and content from the world of design and technology; while Wines Unearthed will celebrate five years since it launched at the London Wine Fair, during which time it has showcased several hundred wineries targeting the UK market for the first time. Tovey said: “In terms of exhibitors, within the main floor of the show a number of UK agents will be returning after a gap of a few years, which is particularly gratifying. When it comes to stands booked, we are 20% up in confirmed revenue on where we were this time last year – a ringing endorsement from the trade for 2019’s event.”

londonwinefair.com

TFWA Asia Pacific Summit, Singapore

12-16 May

The first of two TFWA events to be held this year, the Asia Pacific Summit in Singapore is the sister to its flagship event in Cannes, and targets the booming travel retail sector in the region. As of 2017, ferry and cruise operators are also included in the line-up, as well as more than 60 airports and airlines. Around 3,000 professionals are expected to attend the event, held at the Marina Bay Sands.

Covering a combined 10,000 square metres of floorspace, the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference gives visitors the opportunity to network and strengthen relationships with key businesses operating in the Asia Pacific region, the world’s largest duty free and travel retail market.
A host of industry experts will lead conferences addressing issues affecting the changing duty free and travel retail landscape, including the impact of digital technology, shopping habits and regulatory challenges. Networking events include a golf tournament and numerous parties, including chill-out and Singapore Swing events.

tfwa.com/tfwa-asia-pacific-exhibition-conference

ProWine Asia, Hong Kong

7-10 May

ProWein Asia launched in 2016, with its inaugural show in Singapore. Envisioned as a biennial show, it proved so successful that the concept was rolled out to Hong Kong. ProWine Asia now alternates between Hong Kong in odd-numbered years and Singapore in even ones.

Co-organised by Messe Düsseldorf China and UBM HKES, ProWine Asia 2019 will continue to be held as part of Hofex 2019 – a leading trade show for food and hospitality in the region. Modelled on the same format as its Düsseldorf edition, ProWine Asia offers visitors an international platform from which to tap into the fast-growing southeast Asian market. Continuing successful co-operation with food and hospitality, ProWine Asia 2019 will bring a diverse assemblage of established international labels while offering the best practices, credibility and global recognition brought about by ProWein Düsseldorf – the organisation’s flagship trade fair for wines and spirits. Masterclasses and seminars led by industry experts will also take place throughout the four-day event.

hongkong.prowineasia.com

TFWA Global Summit, Cannes, France

30 September – 5 October

Dedicated to the world’s global travel retail market, the annual TFWA World Exhibition and Conference combines a showcase of premium wine and spirits with a raft of networking opportunities.

Taking place in Cannes, each year thousands of drinks professionals flock to the event for a week of networking and business, balanced with a programme of lavish beachside events befitting of its location. Last year’s event saw visitor numbers top 7,000 for the first time – an increase of 3% on 2017.
Conferences are designed to give visitors an insight into the macro-economic factors affecting the global travel retail market, with previous speakers including former US secretary of state Colin Powell and former secretaries-general of the United Nations Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon.

Elsewhere, the TFWA Digital Village – introduced in 2017 – allows delegates to hear more about the latest technological advances. The show’s ONE2ONE meeting service helps visitors plan private meetings with key players worldwide.

The event is also big on fun, hosting a number of glamorous networking events, including a golf tournament, a charity run and a jovial pétanque tournament, not forgetting the annual opening cocktail party at the Carlton Beach hotel. The event is capped off with the dazzling
Le Premium event. Last year guests were treated to a performance from Broadway stars The Illusionists.

tfwa.com/tfwa-world-exhibition-conference

Vinexpo Shanghai, China

Panoramic skyline of Shanghai,China,Sunrise,Lu Jia Zui,Shanghai

23-25 October

Vinexpo will host its first exhibition in Shanghai this year, with the aim of boosting opportunities for wine and spirits producers and buyers in China.

This new biennial Vinexpo exhibition reflects the group’s strategy for global expansion, particularly in China, where it has the ambition to be present every year. Vinexpo Hong Kong already takes place every two years. Vinexpo Shanghai will be dedicated to local Chinese buyers who will find opportunities to expand their portfolios through a programme of business meetings, tastings and masterclasses at the event.

A new Vinexpo event in China also reflects the growth of wine consumption in the country, which is set to increase by more than a third to nearly US$23 billion (£18bn) from 2016 to 2021, according to the latest Vinexpo/IWSR Report, released last year. This will propel China to becoming the second most valuable market by 2021, behind the US. “For 37 years, the Vinexpo brand has raised the profile of the wine and spirits sector around the world, becoming the sector’s international partner,”said Christophe Navarre, president of the Vinexpo supervisory board. “Vinexpo Shanghai will complement our successful Hong Kong exhibition and take us a step further in penetrating deeper into the Chinese market.” Vinexpo hopes the exhibition will provide new development solutions for the drinks trade, drawing on its 20-year experience in Asia-Pacific, and its partnership with e-retailer, Alibaba.

vinexposhanghai.com

The Wine Show Chelsea, London

18-20 October

Following a two-year hiatus while the Old Town Hall in Chelsea was renovated, 2019 will see the triumphant return of the Wine Show Chelsea, a wine fair that targets consumers with an interest in premium wines, as well as the trade. Brought to you by the team behind The Wine & Spirits Show, in 2016 the event attracted more than 2,000 visitors who were able to taste over 500 wines from producers around the world, sample a selection of award-winning spirits, take part in food and wine matching events, and delve into a dedicated Cognac zone.

This year’s event promises to be even bigger. A range of masterclasses will once again be hosted by experts, including Masters of Wine, with wine enthusiasts given the opportunity to discover and buy fine wines. Tasting advisors will be present to offer help and advice to consumers, and a discovery zone, manned by experts, will highlight the award-winning wines from the drinks business’s successful Global Masters competitions.

For more information email: chloe@thedrinksbusiness.com, or call +44 (0) 20 7803 2437.

thewineshowchelsea.com

HKTDC International Wine and Spirits Fair, Hong Kong

7-9 November

Returning for a 12th year, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair is organised by the Hong Kong Development Council and regularly attracts around 1,000 exhibitors and 20,000 international visitors. The three-day fair provides a platform for producers looking to enter or expand their reach in Asia, especially China, with a particular focus on Hong Kong, given its position as a wine import hub.

Running alongside the show will be a packed programme of seminars, with its keynote annual Wine Industry Conference notable for attracting some of the most respected and well-known industry experts. On the final day of the show, the doors are thrown open to the public to promote wine education and wine appreciation.

hktdc.com

ProWine China, Shanghai

12-14 November

Returning to Shanghai for its sixth edition, ProWine China expects nearly 20,000 trade visitors and 750 exhibitors from 39 countries to attend this year’s event, which will be held alongside the 22nd edition of the Food & Hotel China (FHC 2018) – China’s biggest food and hospitality trade event.

Last year, a record 18,936 trade visitors attended the three-day event, an increase of 33.2% on the previous year. More visitors came from provinces and cities such as Beijing, Guangdong, Xinjiang, Hainan, Shandong, Liaoning and Fujian than before, expanding the show’s reach throughout the Mainland Chinese market.
“The response to this year’s event shows that ProWine China is now established as the leading exhibition in Mainland China,” said Marius Berlemann, global head of wine and spirits and director of ProWein. “With overseas exhibitor participation at 80%, hailing from 39 countries, this reinforces the strategic position that the exhibition plays in fulfilling the needs and demands for such a dedicated platform in the Chinese market.”

Wine education will continue be a focus, with more than 30 masterclasses and seminars planned, chaired by global wine experts. Previous speakers include Debra Meiburg MW, Fongyee Walker MW, and Roderick Smith MW.

prowinechina.com

World Bulk Wine Exhibition, Amsterdam

2-3 December

Held each year at the RAI in Amsterdam, The World Bulk Wine Exhibition is the last of the year’s big events, with this compact show, held over two days, representing 80% of the world’s bulk wine market. Here, the globe’s biggest producers gather with one objective: “to do business”.

Every year, around 220 exhibitors from all over the world present their wines to more than 6,000 visitors from 66 countries. Details on this year’s show are yet to be confirmed, but its usual mix of masterclasses and tastings will return, alongside the International Bulk Wine Competition – the only competition dedicated to bulk wines that rewards those improving the quality of wines in this sector. Last year’s edition marked the show’s 10th year, with organisers confirming that 2019 will also see it expand its concept to Yantai in China, with an event in May.

worldbulkwine.com

SOMM360, Los Angeles, US

Dates TBC

Following the inaugural Somm360 three-day summit in Montreal last year, Vincent Lafortune, the show’s founder, has said that this year he will be taking the format around the world, starting in Los Angeles. Aimed at sommeliers and those working in the hospitality industry, these one-day events will essentially be a distilled version of the larger Montreal congress, and will run from 9am to 5pm in a series of major cities. Los Angeles is already confirmed, with plans for events in London, New York and Shanghai. Meanwhile, Lafortune said that he couldn’t confirm the timing or the location of next year’s Somm360 congress, because he wanted to wait and hear the feedback from the 2018 event first.

The inaugural Somm360 was held from 24-27 November in Montreal, and was conceived to help those in the hospitality sector become better sommeliers as well as support them in their attempt o obtain the Master Sommelier, Master of Wine or Wine and Spirits Education Trust certifications.

somm360.com