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ProWein 2022: what to expect

11 March 2022 By Patrick Schmitt

With ProWein set to take place on May 15-17, we bring you a run-down of what to expect at this year’s fair in Dusseldorf – the first since 2019.

Having postponed the 2022 exhibition due to the spread of the Omicron variant in Germany, ProWein has a new May timing for this year, and will revert to its usual time in mid-March next year.

Although the fair is unlikely to reach its pre-Covid peak of almost 7,000 exhibitors, this year’s event still expects to house an impressive 5,500 wine and spirits producers from around the world, taking in as many as 60 countries.

As previously reported by db, visitors to this year’s ProWein are encouraged to attend all three days of the fair, with tickets available for each and every day, with no limit on the amount of time that buyers can spend at ProWein in 2022.

It’s also expected that rules relating to Covid are due to be relaxed in Germany over the coming days, with most, if not all of the regulations related to the virus set to be lifted on March 20.

Germany is also set to recognise the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine, which is currently not accepted in the country, marking an important step when it comes to buyers heading to Düsseldorf from China and some other areas such as South America, where this vaccine was widely used.

Please read on to see some of the highlights of this year’s fair:

Italy will be represented in Halls 15 to 17 with all its major growing regions including Veneto, Piemonte and Tuscany.
Alongside large Italian companies such as Zonin, Botter Vini and Fratelli Martini, a number of other producers will be represented including Castello di Ama from Tuscany, Elena Walch from South Tyrol and Elio Altare from Piemonte.
Austria will be housed in Hall 5 while Portugal will feature in Hall 13, and Spain in Halls 13 and 14.
Hall 12 will be reserved entirely for New World producers, including the Wine Institute of California, Wines of Chile and Wines of Argentina.
Hall 11 will house spirits.
Halls 9 to 11 are in the hands of the French wine industry. All wine growing regions of France will fly their flags; occupying some 15,000 square metres of exhibition space – meaning that this is almost a trade fair of its own.
Big names from France such as Les Grands Chais de France, Castel Frères, Albert Bichot, Bernard Magrez, Dourthe, Paul Mas and Gérard Bertrand will be present.
Within the France area is the Champagne Lounge featuring such brands as Ayala, Alexandre Bonnet, Collard Picard, Deutz and Heidsieck. As well as this, a great number of Champagne producers will be participating with their own stands, including Bollinger, Charles Gosset, Nicolas Feuillatte, Lanson and Bruno Paillard. In total, ProWein 2022 will feature 120 Champagne producers.
ProWein’s new Hall 1 will be home to the German wine business. Inaugurated in September 2019, the new Hall 1 with its entrance Süd will be used for ProWein for the first time this year. Just under 800 exhibitors from Germany will be featured in Halls 1, 4 and 5. Also flying its flag at ProWein 2022 will be VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) with some 70 estates from throughout Germany as well as the wine producers Dreissigacker, Henkell Global Freixenet, Hensel, Herres Layat, Molitor, Schlumberger, Schneider and Weil – to name but a few.
The organic segment will also be prominent at ProWein this year, with the fair featuring international organic associations like Ecovin, Bioland, Demeter and Biodyvin plus Vignerons de Nature as well as individual exhibitors like Peter Riegel Weinimport or Can Axartel from Mallorca. The special show ‘Organic World’ has seen registrations from an additional 45 wine growers from Europe such as Italy, Greece, France and Spain.
The section ‘same but different‘ will return in 2022, comprising 120 exhibitors from 24 countries, showcasing craft spirits, craft beer and cider in Hall 7.0.
For gastronomers, the forthcoming ProWein promises to prove a particularly attractive destination, with a special show in Hall 4 called ‘urban gastronomy’ by #asktoni, alias Toni Askitis. This will include workshops with tastings will specifically catered to the needs of hospitality professionals at a range of levels.