Events Articles - Wine Industry Digest

ProWein Düsseldorf 2026 Launches App and Matchmaking Tool to Streamline Trade Fair Networking

🇪🇺Europe Vinetur Events

ProWein Düsseldorf has launched a new app and matchmaking tool ahead of its 2026 event, making it easier for wine industry professionals to network and find relevant connections before and during the trade fair. The digital innovations aim to streamline meetings between producers, distributors, and retailers at what's one of Europe's most important wine industry gatherings. It's a handy development for anyone planning to attend Europe's major wine networking event.

Croatia’s largest wine show opens in Poreč

🇪🇺Europe Croatia Week May 8, 2026 Events

Croatia's biggest wine show is opening its doors in Poreč, bringing together producers and industry professionals to showcase the country's wines. It's a key event for the Croatian wine sector and reflects the ongoing activity and growth in Central European wine markets within the EU.

Canned Wine Group asks: “Does it pay to be a first mover?” at this year’s London Wine Fair

🇬🇧UK Rise & Shine May 6, 2026 Events

The Canned Wine Group is raising an interesting question at this year's London Wine Fair: does being one of the first to market with canned wine actually pay off? It's a timely discussion as the canned wine sector continues to grow, and this trade show appearance suggests the conversation around alternative packaging is becoming a serious part of industry strategy.

London Wine Fair Announces Record Breaking Sessions for 2026

🇬🇧UK Wine Industry Advisor Apr 30, 2026 Events

The London Wine Fair has announced record-breaking sessions lined up for 2026, signalling strong momentum for the UK's flagship wine industry event. The expanded programme reflects growing demand from trade professionals and exhibitors keen to connect and showcase their offerings. It's an encouraging sign of vitality in the wine sector heading into the new year.

A celebration of vineyards of the Surrey Hills

🇬🇧UK Vineyard Magazine Apr 19, 2026 Events

The Vineyards of the Surrey Hills collective is launching its first dedicated wine week from 30 May to 7 June 2026, bringing together seven regional vineyards including Denbies Wine Estate and Albury Organic Vineyard. The event will feature tastings, vineyard tours, and wine festivals across the North Downs, showcasing English sparkling wines, whites, rosés and reds against the backdrop of the Surrey Hills landscape. It's a celebration of how England's wine regions are increasingly collaborating to attract visitors and showcase the quality of their wines.

Call for entries: The Global Organic & Vegan Wine Masters 2026

🌍Other The Drinks Business Mar 26, 2026 Events

The Drinks Business is now accepting entries for the Global Organic and Vegan Wine Masters 2026, a competition celebrating one of the wine industry's fastest-growing segments. Wines will be judged by style and price across all organic and vegan categories, with medals awarded by an expert panel of Masters of Wine and senior buyers. It's a great opportunity for producers to gain international recognition and showcase wines that meet rising demand for sustainable, transparent production.

Madrid set to gain its first international wine fair

🇪🇺Europe Harpers Wine & Spirit Mar 25, 2026 Events

Madrid's launching its first major international wine fair this May, called WINEMAD, positioning itself as a significant new gathering point for the global wine industry. It's an interesting development for the European wine trade calendar and could become an important event for industry professionals looking to network and do business in Spain. Worth keeping on your radar if you're involved in wine distribution, retail, or international trading.

The Old Vine Photography Competition

🌍Other The Old Vine Conference Mar 6, 2026 Events

Celebrating photography that captures the beauty, history, resilience, and cultural significance of old-vine viticulture across the world the competition invites both amateur and professional photographers to document and interpret the relationship between vine, land, and people - from monumental vineyard landscapes to intimate studies of structure, texture, and seasonal life. Entries open today (6th March) with a deadline of 5th May 2026.

Vindustrious drives London Wine Fair into ‘new chapter’ for 2026

🇬🇧UK The Drinks Business Mar 6, 2026 Events

Hannah Tovey has taken full ownership of the London Wine Fair through her new company Vindustrious, marking the first time the long-running trade event operates as an independent business. Four months into the buyout, the 2026 edition is already tracking ahead of last year's bookings, with the fair expanding its offerings through new initiatives like the Host Nation programme and a co-location with BREW//LDN, all set to take place at Olympia from 18-20 May.

Winemakers’ Winemaker Award for 2026 to be announced at ProWein

🌍Other The Drinks Business Mar 5, 2026 Events

The prestigious Winemakers' Winemaker Award, where Master of Wine practitioners vote for their winemaking hero, will be announced at ProWein in Düsseldorf on 16 March. Since 2011, this annual award has recognised outstanding cellar-based achievement and has been bestowed on some of the wine world's most celebrated names, from Álvaro Palacios to Angelo Gaja. The ceremony's open to IMW members and invited trade professionals who want to celebrate excellence in winemaking.

ProWein: First data-driven tool for efficient trade fair visits - Targeted orientation and contacts instead of information overload

🇪🇺Europe wein.plus Feb 9, 2026 Events

ProWein, one of Europe's leading wine trade fairs, has launched a new digital tool called 'Insights to Action' (I2A) to help visitors make the most of their time at the event. The data-driven platform aims to cut through the noise of massive trade shows by providing targeted networking suggestions and helping attendees plan their visits more strategically. It's a smart move that could make the fair experience more productive for wine professionals looking to build meaningful business connections.

Kylie Minogue to attend Wine Paris

🇪🇺Europe The Drinks Business Feb 2, 2026 Events

Pop star Kylie Minogue will be attending Wine Paris 2026 (9-11 February) to present her wine portfolio and present an award at the show's V'Dor ceremony. Her wine brand, launched in 2020, has become the UK's best-selling premium rosé and top branded Prosecco Rosé, with her low and no-alcohol sparkling range driving a third of all growth in that category over the past two years. She's also launching a new lighter wine called The Petit Rosé at the major Paris trade fair, which expects to attract over 52,600 trade visitors.

Germany Hosts First Global Conference on Dealcoholized Wine and Spirits in 2026

🌍Other Vinetur Jan 30, 2026 Events

Germany will host the inaugural Global Conference on Dealcoholized Wine and Spirits in 2026, marking a significant milestone for the growing low and no-alcohol beverage sector. The conference highlights how dealcoholized options are becoming increasingly important to producers and consumers across Europe, reflecting broader shifts towards health-conscious drinking habits. This event is expected to bring together industry experts, producers, and stakeholders to explore innovation and market opportunities in this expanding category.

WINEGB KICKS OFF 2026 AT WINE PARIS WITH BIGGEST STAND YET

🇬🇧UK WineGB Jan 29, 2026 Events

WineGB is bringing its largest ever stand to Wine Paris (February 2026), with 16 English wine producers showcasing their offerings to international buyers and press. They're shipping 4.2 tonnes of wine to the show and launching their first international 'Create New Traditions – Drink English Wine' campaign, capitalising on a strong year for exports that surged 35% in 2025. The event includes an exclusive reception in Paris's Faubourg Saint-Germain to help producers connect with key distributors and importers across European and global markets.

Why wine tourism matters more than ever: FINE 2026 heads back to Spain

🇪🇺Europe The Drinks Business Jan 27, 2026 Events

Spain's FINE wine tourism fair is returning to Valladolid this March with over 140 wineries, hotels and tourism operators gathering to showcase their offerings to international buyers. Now in its seventh edition, the event has become a key platform for EU wine tourism professionals looking to strengthen their position in global markets. There's an exciting new addition this year too, with olive oil tourism being incorporated to complement the wine offering and create a more integrated agritourism experience.

Barcelona Wine Week 2026 First Time with 1,300 Wineries - Trade Fair Focuses on International Guests

🇪🇺Europe wein.plus Jan 23, 2026 Events

Barcelona Wine Week is gearing up for its biggest year yet in 2026, with over 1,300 wineries set to showcase their wines from February 2 to 4. That's a 4% jump from 2025, highlighting the trade fair's growing importance as Spain's leading wine event and its appeal to international buyers looking to discover Spanish wines.

Rosana Lisa - new judge for the Decanter 2026 World Wine Awards

🌍Other Decanter UK Jan 15, 2026 Events

Decanter's announced a new judge for their 2026 World Wine Awards: Rosana Lisa, a Spanish winemaker and technical director who's spent her career in R&D and production across Spain. She's got serious credentials, including leading winemaking strategy at Ramón Bilbao and managing innovation projects at Zamora Company, so she'll bring solid technical expertise to the judging panel. Worth noting if you're considering entering DWWA this year, as the calibre of judges matters.

Photography Competition - WineGB

🇬🇧UK WineGB Jan 9, 2026 Events

WineGB's launched their 2026 photography competition with some fresh tweaks to the categories and it's a solid opportunity for producers and photographers to get their best shots of British wine in front of industry eyes.

Analysis: How Wine Paris wants to build on its Number 1 world status

🇪🇺Europe The Buyer Jan 7, 2026 Events

Wine Paris is positioning itself as the world's leading wine trade show and wants to build on that dominance. The analysis from The-Buyer.net looks at how the show's organisers plan to maintain their number one status, which is worth paying attention to if you're involved in European wine distribution, retail, or production—it's basically the industry's biggest networking and sourcing event.

Vinexposium announces nominees for V d’Or awards 2026

🌍Other The Drinks Business Jan 6, 2026 Events

Vinexposium's announced the nominees for their V d'Or awards, and there's a solid UK and EU presence in the mix. The awards are focused on innovation, sustainability, and education across wine and spirits, with winners being announced in February alongside Wine Paris, so it's worth keeping an eye on if you're tracking industry initiatives or looking for inspiration on what's trending.