Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris in digital, Opera Wine returns live, Wine to Asia postponed

On the wine events front, things are proceeding in random order, and if in Italy the countdown has started for “Opera Wine” by “Wine Spectator” ( June 19), an anthological edition with the 200 wineries that, in 10 years, have participated at least once, icons of Italian wine in the world, after the postponement of Vinitaly n. 54 to 2022, and for the Vinitaly Preview, a business-to-business walkaround for Italian and international companies and buyers on June 20 (in anticipation of the “Vinitaly Special Edition”, the event staged on October 17-19 at Veronafiere), in France “Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2021” schedules webinars, round tables and tastings in June, obviously in digital format, and in China the resurgence of some small outbreaks of Covid-19 has led to the postponement of “Wine to Asia”, the wine fair organized by Veronafiere-Vinitaly, together with its Chinese partner Pacco Communication, scheduled from June 8 to 10, and rescheduled from August 12 to 14, 2021.

Going in order, the calendar of “Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2021” sees at the forefront the Oiv - International Organization of Vine and Wine, which will host a webinar on the guiding principles of sustainability: its environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects; the Iwsr - International Wine & Spirits Research, which will present the results of its latest report on trends and prospects to 2025 for wine and spirits consumption; Marc Almert, world's best sommelier Asi - International Sommeliers' Association 2019, who will turn the spotlight on virtual tastings with ideas and tips to stimulate the senses at a distance; then Heini Zachariassen, CEO of Vivino, will take the floor to explain how her company dealt with the Covid-19 health crisis and outline its strategic ambitions; finally, Vinocamp & La WineTech will provide an overview of solutions to improve online sales, with best practices to make e-commerce sales successful. These are the appointments, obviously in digital, dedicated to the recovery of the wine and spirits industry, after a year-long pandemic. Every Tuesday (June 8, 15, 22 and 29) there will be live webinars, roundtables and exclusive interviews with sessions dedicated to the new big trends in the industry including online sales and the digital sprint, the taste revolution and sustainability. The appointment in presence, for “Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris”, after the waiver came at the end of March, will therefore return in 2022, in February.
A conservative choice, that of Vinexpo, which has taken a different path from that of Vinitaly, ready to get back on track as early as June 19, with “Opera Wine” by “Wine Spectator”, an anthological edition with the 200 wineries that, in 10 years, have participated at least once, icons of Italian wine in the world, at the same time as “La Prima” of the Arena of Verona, which will be a great opportunity for international communication, and “Vinitaly Preview” (June 20); in some way, a general rehearsal of what will be “Vinitaly Special Edition”, the business-to-business event staged on October 17-19 at Veronafiere, after the postponement of Vinitaly n. 54 to 2022. From June 15, as provided for by the latest law decree, trade fairs will return to Italy, obviously with strict and punctual protocols to guarantee social distancing and safety.
On the other side of the world, in China, a little more than 20 cases a day were enough to lead Beijing to new restrictions in the Guangdong province, where the first outbreak of the Indian variant of Covid-19 was detected in the country. And so, reports “The Guardian”, blocked flights and new lockdowns in some districts of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Which, from June 8 to 10, should have hosted “Wine to Asia”, the wine fair, signed by Veronafiere and Vinitaly, together with the Chinese partner Pacco Communication, which has been rescheduled from August 12 to 14, 2021.