The three fairs in question are Vinexpo, Prowein and Vinitaly, the three European trade fairs dedicated to wine that, following month after month, have been highlighting 2023. The question does arise, however, of how useful they can be being so close together.
Vinexpo kicked off the show in Paris in February and this was followed a few weeks ago by Prowein, in Düsseldorf, while the wine fair extravaganzas will wind up with Vinitaly, in Verona April 2-5. It is no wonder that the question arises whether three such important trade fairs in Europe may be too many. This, especially, if you add the ones staged in the Far East and America. Because they seem to be growing in number, many producers and sector operators are asking themselves just how opportune it is to take part in them and how to do so.
As far as the fairs in Europe are concerned, they have different targets and characteristics. Prowein is perhaps the most international of the three, at least in its intent, while Vinexpo is for the most part focused on French wines and Vinitaly is the greatest showcase for Italian wines.
In our small way, being a small outfit, we publish our work in Italian (but also in English) and organize events in Italy and Europe. Our presence only at Vinitaly is thus quite logical and in line with the reasoning that some small-to-medium producers, above all, make considering the fact that they have limited resources and personnel and thus cannot take part in all the trade fairs.
Decisions need to be made based on one’s own characteristics and activities and one cannot say with conviction that the best thing to do is to take part in all events, in just some events or no events at all, which is also an option. What’s more, these trade fairs, I’d say all the European ones, are evolving and are increasingly focused on a specific, privileged public, something that was not as much the case before the pandemic and this needs to be taken into consideration.
As far as we are concerned, not being Mondadori or Feltrinelli, we clearly focus on sector professionals as well as wine lovers and not the general public. I believe this reasoning is shared by many craft producers, small or at most medium in size, who, mutatis mutandis, resemble us in regard to organization and turnover.
In conclusion, as I mentioned above, we will be at Vinitaly. They have changed our stand and this year we will be in the Gallery between pavilions 2 and 3 at number 11. We will hold 12 seminars and offer over 100 wines from our dispensers, which can be easily enjoyed even before visiting the stands of the various producers for further information. Call it a sampling of Vinitaly, if you’d like, which can help you get your bearings at a fair that has become very big.
We’ll see you there.
