Italy front and center at ProWein 2018

Italy, as usual, has firmly taken center stage at the recent 2018 edition of the biggest wine fair at a global level, Düsseldorf’s ProWein, which took place this week: with more 1.700 exhibitors out of 6.870 from 64 countries, Italy was the most represented country, in order to consolidate its leadership position in a market that is simply vital for its wine exports (2.4 billion Euros in wine imports in 2017, with Italy taking the lion’s share, 30%, both in value and in volume) and to keep in touch with buyers and professionals from the four corners of the world, from the States to China, for a grand total of more than 60.000 from 133 countries. Germany is a traditionally slow-changing environment, with consumption basically unchanged in the last 4 years, but average prices are indeed changing, with less consumers buying bottles priced under 2.99 Euros and more becoming willing to spend up to 15 Euros for one, thanks to the arrival of Millennials, which, according to a Wine Intelligence report, are more open to new wine styles and bottles from the entire world, under the banner of a cautious “premiumization”. A Wine Intelligence seminar, titled “The world of wine in 15 years’ time: key success factors”, also identified four main changes to look out for: disruption (both in world politics and in the economy), ageing in the general population, communication (which has radically changed, and will do so faster in the future) and wine shifts, like the drop in consumption of winemaking countries, women drinking more wine, the growth of online sales and the generational shifts taking place in first-tier markets. The fair has been a resounding success, and this in turns raises the question of more spaces and infrastructures for the future: “we want to grow”, Hans Werner Reinhard, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf, told WineNews, “but gradually. The reason why Vinexpo is in trouble is because something went wrong when it came to logistics, organization and hospitality, with hotels raising prices beyond measure. We’re working to avoid those mistakes: once everything will be ready, from a logistical standpoint, then ProWein will tackle the issue of expansion”, he pointed out.