The major international wine and spirits trade event, Vinexpo, to be held in Bordeaux from 18 to 21 June 2017 offers a networking hub for industry insiders to boost sales and stimulate the market. Plenty of new discoveries await participants over the 4 days, with time set aside for doing business in private meetings. Buyers travel to Vinexpo from every corner of the globe to taste and order the products showcased by over 2,000 exhibitors from around forty countries. Aisle after aisle, producer countries display a pick of the wealth and variety of wines and spirits from around the world. Brands from Croatia, Chile, Austria, Argentina, Germany, Italy, England, Ireland and Switzerland – even Georgia, Lebanon and Russia – stand alongside a host of exhibitors flying the French flag. Spain is Country of Honour, and the main Spanish appellations will participate on regional stands or the ICEX pavilion. As usual, a great number of companies will exhibit on their own stands. Araex, Marqués de Riscal and García Carrión will be amongst those, who have chosen Vinexpo as a springboard for boosting their international sales.  In a favourable economic climate that sees wine and spirit exports rising, Vinexpo is intensifying its efforts to boost the sector. Exhibitors at Vinexpo Bordeaux 2015 and Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016 commended the “One to Wine Meetings”, an initiative that is set to be repeated. This targeted and monitored service organises business appointments between exhibitors and pre-registered visitors directly on the stands. New for 2017 is a large-scale “Hosted Buyers” programme aimed at bringing in key players from the e-commerce, travel retail, mass retail and hospitality sectors to attend Vinexpo. Two hundred new international buyers are to be invited to Bordeaux as representatives of these constantly evolving distribution channels, with the opportunity to join the “One to Wine Meetings” and hold 4 to 6 private meetings a day with their target businesses.  
New deals with attractive pricing and flexible timeslots are also on offer, as Vinexpo seeks to encourage smaller wine-makers to get involved in the event. Vinexpo Bordeaux has a range of turnkey stands available from 6 to 24 m², a partnership with Bettane+Desseauve to showcase niche brands, and WOW! – a special zone reserved for organic and biodynamic wines.  
For the first time, Vinexpo features an area entirely dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. WOW! – short for ‘World of Organic Wines’ – plays host to 200 producers and will appeal to trade insiders looking for wines crafted by artisan wine-makers. As an added bonus, a number of talks and round tables themed around organic viticulture are scheduled. The WOW! restaurant will be all-organic. 
As a leading wine producer on the world stage, Spain is Country of Honour at Vinexpo Bordeaux 2017. Its vineyards constitute the world’s largest wine-growing area, taking the country to third place in global rankings for wine exports.  The modernisation of Spain’s wine industry, its restrained and attractive packaging, the excellent value for money it offers, and dynamic marketing have contributed to making the country a strong presence in international markets. We put Spanish wines under the spotlight with an open tasting area, a talk about Spanish wine exports, and a stand run by the famous Guía Peñín guide, showcasing a selection of the country’s best wines.  On Sunday 18 June the Cité du Vin opens its Belvedere for a one-off Spanish wine-tasting. On Monday 19 June Vinexpo teams up with the Wine Spectator for “A Taste of Spain”, a new gourmet food and wine event. This exclusive evening will serve up offerings from around a hundred prestigious Spanish bodegas to accompany the cuisine of ten of Spain’s most illustrious chefs, selected by culinary co-chairs Ferran Adrià and José Andrés.  Alongside fostering business dealings on the stands, Vinexpo is also actively planning an exciting programme of talks and tastings. These events bring together leading experts and rising stars in the sector, and are held in Hall 3 throughout the four days of the exhibition. High-calibre networking at The Blend The Blend is the official Vinexpo reception, and this year it takes place at the Palais de la Bourse in the historic heart of Bordeaux from 7.30 pm on Tuesday 20 June, running until 1 am. The Blend is exclusively for Vinexpo participants and offers the perfect opportunity to network with fellow wine professionals in a friendly and relaxed setting, while enjoying an imaginative selection of wine, champagne, cognac and spirits.