At the fair and in the most scenic spots of the “Ville Lumière”, Italian wine toasts to “Wine Paris”

From toasts on the bateau-mouche along the Seine with Franciacorta to those in the beautiful “Grand Palais” with the great wines of Primum Familiae Vini (which includes, among others, Antinori and Tenuta San Guido), from the Italian Embassy, with Pasqua, to the collective toast of the Italian Wine Signature Academy in the central Signorvino, a stone’s throw from Notre Dame Cathedral, to an unprecedented presence at the fair (one in five exhibitors will be Italian, with Italy second only to France, the host country), with over 1,100 Italian wineries (with a presence in terms of space 25% larger than in 2025, and five times larger than in 2019), with all the most important and prestigious names in the sector, individually, with consortia, with business groups such as Italia del Vino Consorzio, Area 39, and Fieramente by Alessio Piccardi, or with the large collective organized by the ITA-Italian Trade Agency, passing through the Istituto Grandi Marchi, among others: Italian wine, also in the presence of institutions (with the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida), is preparing to flood Paris with its wide variety of offerings during “Wine Paris” by Vinexposium, taking place from February 9 to 11 at Porte de Versailles, in an increasingly international event (60 countries represented, with over 60,000 buyers and professionals expected from 155 countries around the world). This will also be the first real test to evaluate a wine market that, as we have often reported, is not shining for anyone and is facing radical economic, demographic, and social changes, and to analyze the most impactful trends and topics of the moment, from tariffs to the relationship between wine and health, from the advance of Artificial Intelligence in the wine sector to new markets, from Mercosur to India, to the growth of the entire No-Lo beverage sector, which will have its own dedicated space. At the same time, Wine Paris will also host two other separate but complementary events: Be Spirits (dedicated to premium spirits, craft beverages, beer, cider, and mixology) and Be No (a new format focusing on non-alcoholic alternatives, which is coming to the French trade fair for the first time, with over 250 exhibitors).
But Wine Paris will above all be a major showcase for the best wines from Italy and around the world, which, more than in the past, will also focus on many “off-site” events, pairing great wines with the most beautiful and symbolic locations in the “City of Light”. It will be preceded by a prestigious “Preview”: a grand tasting of Bordeaux wines from the famous 1855 Classification, on Sunday, February 8, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, reserved for journalists, influencers, and wine professionals, featuring 54 of the most prestigious châteaux in Bordeaux, including the legendary five “Grands Crus Classés du Médoc,” Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Haut-Brion, and more.
The actual fair will then begin on Monday, February 9, with many events, tastings, meetings, and debates, always with business at the center: “The global wine and spirits industry is going through a particularly complex phase. Markets are gradually finding a new balance, but production costs continue to rise and the economic context is evolving at a rapid pace. In all regions, producers, distributors, and industry operators share the same need: to have a reliable compass to help them interpret trends, identify business opportunities, and make informed decisions in an environment where clarity and predictability are increasingly limited. These challenges make Wine Paris even more relevant. A trade show cannot solve crises affecting the entire sector, but it can offer a space where operators can meet, build relationships, and regain momentum. Over the years, Vinexposium has strengthened its position as a trusted partner for the sector, establishing Wine Paris as a solid reference point for companies determined to move forward despite the continuing uncertainty”, emphasizes Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse.
Looking at some of the most interesting topics that will be addressed at the fair, including press conferences, debates, and forums, Monday, February 9, at 10 a.m., will begin with a focus on young people, “Engaging the Next Generation: How Consumers Under 40 Embrace Fine Wine”, presented by Areni, expert Felicity Carter, and co-founder Pauline Vicard. Among the many focuses on non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines, “Non-Alcoholic Wines & Sparklings: New Ways of Thinking” at 11 a.m. with Karin Eymael, Editor-in-chief of Meininger Verlag, is worth noting. At 12:30 p.m., there will be an in-depth discussion on the opportunities for European wine in the EU-Mercosur agreement, with some members of the EU Commission and the president of Ceev-Européen des Entreprises Vins, Marzia Varvaglione. At 2:30 p.m., the spotlight will be on changes in wine consumption and the wine market, with “Global Wine Consumption: Structural Shifts, New Geographies and Trade”, a conference by the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), with Director General John Baker and Giorgio Del Grosso, Head of the Statistics and Digital Transformation Department. At 5 p.m., the spotlight will be on international star and highly successful wine producer Kylie Minogue (who has sold more than 25 million bottles worldwide in five years) at the invitation-only event “Kylie Minogue Wines: The Making of a Contemporary Wine Brand”, featuring the singer and Paul Schaafsma, founder of Benchmark Drinks. Another interesting focus is offered by the Wine Origins Alliance (which brings together many of the world's top wine regions, from Bordeaux to Burgundy, Champagne to Napa Valley, Chianti Classico, among others), dedicated to the “hidden costs” of the wine market, in the conference “Non-Tariff Barriers: The True Cost of Wine Trade”. Then, at 7 p.m., the UK magazine “The Drinks Business” will reveal its ranking of the world’s best winemakers, “The Master Winemaker 100”.
On Tuesday, February 10, French wine exports will be in the spotlight with a conference by the Federation des Exportateurs de Vins et Spiritueux de France (FEVS) at 10 a.m., while at 11:30 a.m. the stage will be set for Champagne with a conference by the Comité Champagne entitled “Champagne: Navigating Challenges, Shaping the Future”, with co-presidents David Chatillon and Maxime Toubart. Another interesting focus on the future of the sector will be “Rethinking Wine: What Stays, What Changes, What Starts Now”, at 3 p.m., with, among others, Priscilla Hennekam, founder of “Rethinking Wine Industry”, and Paul Mabray, founder of the digital platform Pix. Another topic to follow will be the “EU Wine Package” (which should be voted on definitively in plenary in Brussels on February 9, ed.), in the conference “No/Low Wines and Oenotourism: Could the New EU Legislation help Companies?”, again with CEEV leaders Marzia Varvaglione and Ignacio Sanchez Recarte, but also with Martina Rothe Obregon, CMO of the giant Henkell Freixenet, the largest producer of sparkling wines in the world (also in Italy with Mionetto, ed.), at 4 p.m.; at the same time, there will also be a discussion on “Reviving the Desire for Wine through a Tech Revolution?”, featuring, among others, one of the most disruptive voices in the study of wine economics, Jean-Marie Cardebat from the University of Bordeaux. Another event worth mentioning is the one on the theme of “wine and health”, at 5:30 p.m., in the meeting “Alcohol, Moderation & Public Conversation”, with Julian Braithwaite, president of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), Felicity Carter of Areni Global, and Laura Catena of Catena Zapata.
This topic will return to the spotlight on Wednesday, February 11, during the panel discussion entitled “How Global Discussions Shape Every Sip: Demystifying Multilateral Organizations”, at 10 a.m., which will discuss the work of influential organizations such as the WHO, for example, with Julian Braithwaite back on stage, along with Cécile Duprez-Naudy, Head of Global Public Affairs at Moët Hennessy (LVMH), and Laura Gelezuinas, Deputy Head of Secretariat at FIVS, an international federation working for the overall sustainability of the global alcoholic beverages sector. At 10 a.m., there will also be an interesting focus on the trends that will drive the wine and spirits market in 2026, with Ananda Roy (Circana). Then, at 1 p.m., the focus will shift to another major potential market for European wine, India, in a conference dedicated to developments in the trade agreement between India and the EU, with Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse, India's first and only Master of Wine, Sonal C Holland, and others.
But there are also many tastings of great wines from all over the world, including Italy, in some cases with tasting areas that are always open, such as “French & International Wines”, with over 500 labels from around the world, organized by Vinexposium, the free tasting area for wines awarded by the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and the “Be No Free Tasting Area”, dedicated to wines and non-alcoholic beverages, with over 300 labels. And, looking at Italy, among others, we would like to mention the collective participation of Assovini Sicilia, with wines from 30 wineries available for tasting at the Irvo (Regional Institute of Wine and Oil) expo, and also “Varietal Tasting”, the free tasting program promoted by the Consorzio Vini Alto Adige to showcase the expressive diversity of the territory, and also Montalcino, which will be represented mainly by a small expo inside the Italian Pavilion at the fair with a wine bar offering tastings of 104 labels of Brunello 2021, just released on the market. Moving on to the “day by day” events in the glass, Monday, February 9, is a date to mark in your diary. Among the many possibilities, from 10 a.m. there will be a tasting of the 2019 and 2023 vintages of wines from the cellars of the “Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux”, in partnership with Gambero Rosso, and at the same time, the “Valpolicella Experience” will also begin with the Consorzio Vini Valpolicella (both events will be repeated on Tuesday, February 10, with the participation of the Consorzio Vini Valpolicella, which is part of the European project “Quality Heritage of Europe – Qhe”, in alliance with the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano). At 1 p.m., renowned international sommelier Charlie Arturaola will turn the spotlight on wines from the Chianti Wine Consortium, while at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., the Chianti Classico Consortium will take center stage with masterclasses led by Italy’s best AIS sommelier, Stefano Tesi (as well as on Tuesday, February 10, and Wednesday, February 11, with more events). On Tuesday, February 10, there will be an interesting tasting session featuring Italian wines presented by the French company Derenoncourt Vignerons Consultants, entitled “Italy: an initiatory journey to discover its terroirs”, at 11 a.m., while at 2 p.m., the great wines of the legendary Château Cheval Blanc will take center stage. At the same time, the Region of Sicily is organizing a tasting of native varieties from the “Sicilian wine continent”, led by Giovanni Giardina. At 3 p.m., among the most interesting events to mark on your calendar, there will be the masterclass “Maison Perrier-Jouët: A Journey Toward the Viticulture of Tomorrow”, with renowned agronomist Jamie Goode and Perrier-Jouët cellar master Severine Frerson. On Wednesday, February 11, Italy will once again be in the spotlight, among other things, with Gambero Rosso’s “Tre bicchieri & Vini Rari” tasting.
And, as mentioned, there will also be many major events linked to Italian wine, but not only, at the fair, but also in the most iconic locations in Paris as a privileged stage. On Monday, February 9, at 7 p.m., at the Italian Embassy in Paris, in the prestigious Rue de Varenne, the spotlight will be on Cantina Pasqua, one of the most important names in Valpolicella, with an event dedicated to the Pasqua family’s latest investment, Sangue d’Oro, in Pantelleria, with one of the greatest and most famous French actresses working in France and Italy, as well as a top model and Chanel's “muse” in the 1980s and 1990s, Carol Bouquet. Meanwhile, on one of the famous bateau-mouche boats that sail along the Seine, from 8 p.m. onwards, the Franciacorta Consortium will host a cocktail party featuring the iconic Lombardy sparkling wines produced using the Italian Metodo Classico method, which, for one night, will take over the French capital of Champagne, also to celebrate a 2025 that, according to data from the Economic Observatory of the Consortium led by Emanuele Rabotti, saw 18.9 million bottles go on the market, a slight decrease of -1% compared to 2024, with an average retail price remaining stable at €24.45 per bottle, and exports, accounting for 12.8% of the total, up +5.3% on 2024 (with +8.4% in Switzerland, the leading foreign market, +22.4% in Japan, and a significant +1.7% in the US, despite the difficulties of the American market), a sign that the many investments in strategic partnerships, such as those with the Michelin Guide in Italy and the US, the Emmy Awards, and others, are paying off. But, also on Monday, February 9, there will be convivial moments at the fair: at 7 pm, a toast for the “Welcome Event” by “Io Sono Friuli Venezia Giulia”, an expo of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, with excellent wines from different territories, from Collio to Colli Orientali, and more. Also at 7 pm, amid toasts and Italian-style finger food, there will be a party for Fieramente, the company founded by Alessio Piccardi, a leader in international logistics for Italian wine. On Tuesday, February 10, in the afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at the Kraft Hotel, near the Paris Exhibition Center, there will be a press conference dedicated to the historic charity auction of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges, with a tasting of the great wines of Burgundy. Then, at 6:30 p.m., at the Musée Bourdelle in Montparnasse, there will be an exclusive tasting of the legendary Sauternes, Château d’Yquem, with the 2023 vintage. At the Grand Palais, a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées, from 7 p.m. the extraordinary wines of Primum Familiae Vini - Pfv will take center stage. Pfv is an association that brings together the 12 most traditional and important wine-producing families in the world, with names such as Marchesi Antinori (Tuscany), Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Bordeaux), Joseph Drouhin (Burgundy), Domaine Clarence Dillon (Bordeaux), Egon Müller Scharzhof (Moselle), Famille Hugel (Alsace), Pol Roger (Champagne), Famille Perrin (Rhône Valley), Symington Family Estates (Douro), Tenuta San Guido (Tuscany), Familia Torres (Catalonia), and Tempos Vega Sicilia (Ribera del Duero). At 8 p.m., however, in the central Signorvino Paris, in Place Saint-Michel, gateway to the Latin Quarter a few meters from Notre Dame Cathedral, Italian wineries by Iswa-Italian Signature Wines Academy (names such as Allegrini, Caprai, Bellavista, Feudi di San Gregorio, Fontanafredda, Frescobaldi, Masciarelli, Planeta, and Villa Sandi) will take center stage for an evening dedicated to Italian wines and flavors.
So, here are the business, in-depth analysis, communication, and networking events selected by WineNews that will see Italian wine take center stage in Paris at the start of 2026, a year in which global markets are still experiencing great uncertainty but are eager to raise a glass to the future soon.