BORDEAUX, France – April 3, 2019 – The world’s leading meeting place for wine and spirits professionals, Vinexpo Bordeaux returns this spring on May 13-16, drawing as many as 2,000 brands and 40,000 trade professionals from 150 countries to this city synonymous with fine wine. The 2019 show promises to “Shape the Future” with four full days of exhibitions, networking opportunities, and hard-hitting educational sessions on issues impacting the global wine and spirits industry. It will be held at Bordeaux’s Parc des Expositions, just 20 minutes from the historic town center and some of the world’s most storied vineyards. Attendees can register online at a special price of €40 through May 12; the price will increase to €60 online or at the door starting May 13.
In its 20th return to Bordeaux, Vinexpo continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of the global wine and spirits community. The 2019 show will introduce several important firsts and expand popular returning features. Topping the list of new features is the first-ever Vinexpo Symposium on May 14, a groundbreaking, full-day series of conferences devoted to the impact of climate change on the industry, from its effects on viticulture and vineyard management to the economic stakes. Offered in association with Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, the series of three conference sessions will be moderated by CNN correspondent Jim Bittermann and will be followed by expert round tables and debates.
Two exceptional networking events will also make their Vinexpo debut this May. The first Vinexpo event ever to be open to the public, La Grande Dégustation will invite locals to join attendees on May 12 for an elegant sampling of international wines offered by Vinexpo exhibitors. The new Le Diner du Palais on May 14 promises a gala evening of wine pairings with menus by award-winning chefs. In addition, Vinexpo’s official after-work party, The Blend, returns May 15 with a selection of unique wines, spirits and champagnes on pour. All three events will be held off-site at the elegant Palais de la Bourse in Bordeaux’s historic city center.
This year’s Vinexpo Academy will feature as many as forty educational events, ranging from expert roundtables to tasting sessions to master classes, over the four days of the show. Acknowledging the vital role e-commerce plays in the wine and spirits business, Vinexpo will host a dedicated conference, What it Takes to Sell Wine Online, outlining the changes four e-commerce companies anticipate over the next decade. Master classes will address a wide range of topics from developing tasting skills to traditional Japanese distilled spirits.
WOW! World of Organic Wines will return after its successful introduction in 2017 with an expanded selection of some 150 international organic and biodynamic wines and spirits. This year’s showcase will also introduce an exciting new culinary component: two dining areas serving 100% organic specialties catered by Maison Dulou Traiteur. Attendees can grab a quick bite on the go from HEALTHY or enjoy a business lunch at A TABLE! Bio & Co. Both will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Also returning is Vinexpo’s complimentary matchmaking service, One to Wine Meetings. The service aligns attendees and exhibitors and schedules on-site meetings in advance so attendees can make the most of their time at the show. The sign-up form is available online for registered attendees only.
About Vinexpo
Since its establishment in Bordeaux in 1981, on the initiative of Bordeaux Gironde’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vinexpo has been a leading organizer of events for the wine and spirits industry. In 38 years, Vinexpo has developed a unique understanding of the market and an extensive network of key distributors around the world. The brand currently runs exhibitions in five set locations (Bordeaux, Hong Kong, New York, and soon Shanghai and Paris), and the touring event Vinexpo Explorer. Every year, the Group also publishes the Vinexpo/IWSR Report, which is the most comprehensive survey on the global consumption of wine and spirits. For more information, visit www.vinexpo.com. Join Vinexpo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
