Vinexpo Bordeaux to host climate change symposium

Wine and spirits trade show Vinexpo has announced a raft of new features for its 2019 event, including a climate change symposium.

Vinexpo Bordeaux’s usual location is undergoing an upgrade

The 20th edition of Vinexpo Bordeaux will take place on 13-16 May 2019 and expects to welcome more than 40,000 trade visitors from 150 countries, as well as 2,000 international exhibitors.

Following a refurbishment of Bordeaux Exhibition Centre’s Hall Two, part of the show will take place in this new 14,000-square-metre facility, the result of a €34.7 million (US$40m) investment.

“This initiative will continue in the next few years with the gradual renovation of hall one,” according to Vinexpo. At the same time, a new facility will be set up for the reception and access to the exhibition.

New features

Next year will welcome the Symposium Vinexpo, organised in association with the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which will aim to provide answers to some of the major challenges facing the industry.

Taking place on 14 May, the symposium will look at the impact of climate change on the wine and spirits industry, and specifically its scientific, technical and economic implications.

Another new initiative will be Les Diners du Palais, which allows exhibitors at Vinexpo Bordeaux to invite their guests to the sophisticated venue of the Palais de la Bourse, where their wines can be served as they dine, paired with a menu designed by a Michelin-starred chef.

A new tasting event called La Grande Dégustation will take place at the Palais de la Bourse on the evening before the show and will be open to the general public.

Transport will be made easier next year: attendees will be given access to a Vinexpo Citypass, giving them free access to the TBM (tramway and bus) network. There will also be a special reception and information stand at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport and at the Bordeaux Saint-Jean railway station.

“Vinexpo is continuing to expand internationally and Vinexpo Bordeaux is the group’s cornerstone. This is our flagship and it will receive even more resources for 2019,” said Patrick Seguin, president of Vinexpo’s executive board and chairman of the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce.

“To do this, we wanted to develop an unprecedented synergy with our local partners. By pooling our strengths and solutions, we will be contributing to our customers’ success through several new initiatives and innovations which we’re launching.”

Vinexpo now organises events in four cities around the world: Bordeaux, Hong Kong, New York, and soon Paris in January 2020, and also hosts a touring event, called Vinexpo Explorer.