Since 1981, the Vinexpo trade fairs have set the pace for the world of wine. Bi-annual and in Bordeaux until 2019, now annual and in Paris under the name of Wine Paris & Vinexpo. For a long time now, Vinexpo trade fairs have also had an international presence, in Asia as well as in the United States. Reserved for professionals only, they set the tone for the wine market and enable all the players to strengthen or establish their presence in the sector’s strategic geographical sectors. All these trade fairs and meetings are developed by Vinexposium, a joint venture between the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, Vinexpo’s historic shareholder, and Comexposium, one of the world’s leading trade fairs, also 100% French.
At the opening of the Wine Paris & Vinexpo trade fair on 13 February, Rodolphe Lameyse and Thierry Desseauve, the heads of Vinexposium and Bettane+Desseauve respectively, announced the creation of an alliance to promote the international influence of wines and spirits by organising their Vinexpo and Le Grand Tasting events simultaneously throughout the world. From May 2023, Vinexpo and Le Grand Tasting will be held simultaneously in Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo and New York. On this occasion, the Grand Tasting will be held the day before Vinexpo to enable producers to develop their business in key markets around the world. “We are delighted to be working with Bettane+Desseauve, as this new synergy will broaden the scope of our events to help our clients succeed in international markets thanks to a tailor-made offer,” explains Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium. “It is essential for the wine and spirits industry to maintain strong relationships with consumers in order to adapt to the challenges of declining consumption and remain competitive in a constantly changing market.”
The idea of this alliance is based on a simple observation: all over the world, it is professionals who animate and develop the wine and spirits market, but it is consumers who bring it to life by celebrating the best wines at home or in restaurants, among friends and with their professional acquaintances. Knowing these consumers, telling them, explaining to them the secrets of the vineyards or making them want to discover the best wines, is precisely our job since the creation of our company, and even before! So it makes a lot of sense to combine these two skills in all the latitudes where Vinexpo or Bettane+Desseauve have set up their luggage and their good bottles. “Bringing the best wines and those who make them together with consumers has been our mission since 2004. Combining our expertise and our events with Vinexposium’s know-how and high standards on the international stage is a project that makes sense,” explains Thierry Desseauve, Chairman of Bettane+Desseauve. “Together, based on our understanding of the wine and spirits sector, we will continue to help professionals build strong and lasting relationships with consumers.”
The partnership will begin with a series of events, starting in Singapore in May 2023, followed by Seoul in October, Tokyo in November and New York in March 2024.
