ProWein 2017 was held a few weeks ago in Dusseldorf, Germany, where more than 6,500 exhibitors from more than 60 countries presented their wines and spirits to nearly 60,000 trade visitors from 130 countries. A true global trade show, the event attracted a record number of visitors and wineries.
I attended the show for the first time and got a first-hand look at the massive fairgrounds, which border the Rhine River in Germany’s seventh-largest city. As a member of the international trade press, I also attended a couple of special events during the show.
Tasting with Jancis Robinson
Wine expert and editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine, Jancis Robinson, presented some of her favorite wines from the show during a tasting seminar for journalists. She was given a complete list of tens of thousands of wines at the show, and narrowed down the tasting to 7 choices. The wines we tasted were:
- Schafer Frolich, Schiefergestein Riesling trocken 2015, Nahe, Germany, 12.5% ABV, $21 SRP
- Herbert Zillinger, Radikal Gruner Veitliner 2015, Weinviertel, Austria, 13.5% ABV, $33 SRP
- De Martino, Viejas Tinajas Cinsault 2014, Itata, Chile, 13% ABV, $22 SRP
- Terre Nere, Santo Spirito Rosso 2014, Etna, Italy, 14.5% ABV, $36 SRP
- Changyu Moser Family, Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Ningxia, China, 14.5% ABV, $21 SRP
- Tardieu Laurent, Vieilles Vignes 2015, Crozes-Hermitage, France, 13% ABV, $19 SRP
- Williams & Humbert, Jalifa 30-Year-Old VORS Sherry, Spain, 19.5% ABV, $43 SRP (375ml)
ProWein Business Report
The ProWein Business Report was developed in collaboration with Geisenheim University in Germany. Approximately 1,500 wine experts from 46 countries took part in a survey about international wine markets, trends and sales channel development. The report provided an overview of the wine industry’s current mood and will be replicated in subsequent years to provide an annual barometer. Participants included wine producers and marketers. Some highlights from the summary of the report provided by Professor Simone Loose include:
- Increasing wine taxes and uncertainty over Brexit is impacting wine investments across Europe
- Wine consumption is declining in Italy and France, while Russia and Brazil are seen as important future markets for growth.
- Unclear whether future marketing will be more successful by focusing on winemakers and their personalities, or wine region/origin/terroir. Germany tends to focus on the former, while Spain, Italy and France focus more on the latter.
For more information about ProWein, including its upcoming shows in Asia, visit www.ProWein.com.
