March is upon us, spring is near – and so is ProWein

February 28, 2013

Any serious wine lover cannot afford to miss the best international wine trade fair in March. With over 4,500 exhibitors, ProWein 2013, International Trade Fair Wines and Spirits, will feature more companies than ever before. Two additional exhibition halls will be used in order to accommodate the 500 new exhibitors, giving the more than 40,000 expected trade visitors from the retail and catering sector even more opportunities to discover exciting new wines and spirits.

ProWein will take place from March 24 – 26, 2013 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Each year I have gone, I have experienced superb service – ease of entry, ease of access to the companies showcasing their wines, master classes and so much more.

New exhibitors, nations and products

Nearly all of the 50 countries represented at ProWein will increase their presence this year. Growth is recorded particularly from France, Italy and Spain but also from Australia, Chile, the U.S. and Eastern Europe. The wines of South Africa will be represented in Düsseldorf with numerous renowned wineries, including 21 new ones.

All 13 German wine-growing regions will show their broad portfolio and the Association of German Quality Wineries (VDP) will be represented at ProWein with 139 members – more than at any other international event for this industry. The Chilean wine producers’ group stand will have its debut at ProWein 2013. In Hall 2, seven wineries from three Chinese wine-growing regions, including the country’s market leader Great Wall, will demonstrate their wine varieties. Wines from Lebanon will also be featured for the first time (in Hall 2) with eleven wine estates from four different regions within a group exhibit. Several events about Lebanese grape varieties and wine culture will complement the exhibits. Also new will be the joint stand of wine producers from Tunisia and the stand of English Wine Producers, represented at ProWein 2013 by five leading companies from the south of England. They will include Chapel Down, one of the country’s largest wine producers and the newcomer Hattingley Valley, showcasing its wines for the first time at ProWein 2013.

Another new exhibitor at ProWein 2013 will be Primum Familiae Vini with its group stand. Although most of the 12 members of this international association have been taking part in ProWein for a long time, this year marks their first participation as a group (Hall 4). First-class quality products will also be offered in the Champagne Lounge in Hall 7.1, with a large bar area and ten renowned producers, including Penet-Chardonnet Champagne and Champagne Michel Loriot. Hall 7.1 will be the central platform for organic wines, with 100 international exhibitors and its own wine tasting zone.

New wine and spirits discoveries at ProWein 2013 will not be limited to new exhibitors. Product innovations will also be offered by companies that have exhibited at ProWein for many years. One example is the new wine Wild Senses, a red wine produced by Badische Winzerkeller from the Baden region in Germany, to be presented for the first time at ProWein 2013.  In the spirits segment, the Hubertus Vallendar distillery will showcase its new product line of South African products. Vallendar is one among nearly 400 exhibitors at ProWein featuring spirit specialties from all over the world, including Tequila from Mexico, herb liqueur from Norway and Moutai from China. The majority of the spirit suppliers will be located in Hall 7a, including the new exhibitor Tullibardine Distillery from Scotland whose single malt whisky will have its premiere with a new design at this year’s ProWein.

More than 300 events on current trends and topics

The popular ProWein seminars and tasting sessions traditionally take place at the stands of the individual exhibitors. A new feature at ProWein 2013 will be the ProWein Forum, the central lecture forum in Hall 7.1, which will complement the offers at the stands. With more than 300 events, the spectrum will be very broad. In addition to wine tasting sessions according to specific grape varieties and regions, the Forum will include numerous events on the topic of combining wine with food as well as talks on distribution channels, market trends and terms and conditions of import and export. The Winestars World competition finale will also take place at the ProWein Forum where 20 finalists will present their wines before a jury of buyers from Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands, Ireland and the U.S.

With the support of actors from an improv theater company, Moselwein e.V. will showcase wines that grow on extremely steep slopes by the river Moselle, while the French wine growers’ association Sud-Ouest IVSO will invite trade visitors to a Sommelier Poker. For details on all the events, visit www.prowein.com.

New matchmaking tool

In addition to the many premieres at ProWein 2013, the event will also offer visitors and exhibitors an innovative way to prepare for their participation. With the newly created Matchmaking/Cooperation Forum on www.prowein.com (see: “Companies and Products”), ProWein can provide new business contacts already before the event: visitors and exhibitors can send requests and offers, for example if they are looking for new cooperation partners. Bothwww.prowein.com and the ProWein app help visitors to plan their participation more accurately. The exhibitor database is updated daily with search options for various criteria such as name, product category and country. With the MyOrganizer function, users can create their own personal list of favorites and view the exact location of each company on an interactive hall plan. The website also includes details on the over 300 talks and tasting sessions, exhibitor news and information as well as the online eTicket shop (reduced rates).

Revised hall structure

Due to using two additional halls in order to accommodate the increased exhibitor participation, ProWein 2013 will feature a new hall structure. The concept continues to be based on its proven structure, arranged by product and service groups as well as by regions. In some cases, the assignment of countries to the nine halls has changed. The central connecting element between the two additional halls (Halls 1 and 2) and Hall 3 is Campo Culinario as an addition to the catering facilities at the exhibition center. The central wine tasting zone with the motto “Trendy and Leading Grape Varieties in International Viniculture” moved into Hall 2. Visitors can compare a wide range of wines in each of the eight red and white grape varieties which are especially at the focus worldwide – for instance Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. By scanning the QR codes, attendees can download details of the wines directly on their smart phones.

As in the past, highlights at ProWein 2013 will include the FIZZZ Lounge in the Spirits Hall (7a), this time with the motto “Cocktails” and the special delicatessen show “Wine’s Best Friends” in Hall 6.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at ProWein 2013, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit our web site http://www.mdna.com; Subscribe to our blog at http://blog.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/FoodBev_MDNA

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