“That’s it we’re out”. “It’s all over.” “We’re not coming back.” For some exhibitors and visitors this was the year they decided to say “auf wiedersehen" to ProWein and move their efforts and resources to Wine Paris. Simple as that.
But for all the naysayers at this year’ show, there were also those who are more than happy to come back next year and see ProWein as being pivotal to their international trade.
“We have had a great show.” “We’ve done a lot of business.” “We’ve had back to back meetings.” “It’s been the best ProWein yet.”
ProWein saw its attendance fall to 42,000 visitors from 47,000 in 2024
Those were just some of the positive, if admittedly less frequent, comments being made at last week’s show.
For them ProWein gives them the platform to target multiple markets around the world and the German and central European markets in particular. Areas of Europe that still have huge growth opportunities that potentially deserve more attention than they often get.
But there is no denying ProWein now has two all encompassing factors hovering over it.
Firstly there is the mounting frustration amongst exhibitors and visitors alike of the ever increasing cost of doing business at ProWein that is proving too much to take. Düsseldorf is simply not up to scratch compared to what is on offer in most major global cities around the world. With expensive hotels, limited restaurants, and extortionate taxis, amongst other drawbacks, an increasing number of people have simply run out of patience with the city rather than the quality of the show itself.
Andrew Porton, group director of wine at Lanchester Wines, summed it up well: “There is nothing wrong with the show itself. It’s just Düsseldorf has failed ProWein.”
David Babich, centre, with André Babich left and Chris Quin on the Babich Wines stand at ProWein
David Babich, managing director of New Zealand’s Babich Wines, said although it had “some really good meetings” at the show, its meetings agenda had “gaps in it” for the first time when it is “usually slammed” and a good number of its customers were not there. “Our Canadian American and Asian buyers are not here.”
He added: “These events have a life cycle to them. We did not mind coming to Düsseldorf in the beginning, but after 10 or 11 years people want a change. We have seen it with Vinexpo in Bordeaux and London Wine Fair at Excel.”
Then there is the Paris factor. All the things Düsseldorf does so badly, Paris excels at. There is, after all, not a massive difference between what the two show organisers themselves can offer, it’s the environment and location they are in that has become the determining factor.
The fact you can fly to Paris directly from virtually anywhere in the world. You can take your pick of hotels and restaurants to suit any budget and it has an Olympics-standard transport and infrastructure network. A package that is hard for any city in the world to compete with.
Under severe pressure
ProWein's Peter Schmitz said his team had prepared for a "smaller" show and believed it coud be more effective that way
Messe Düsseldorf, owners of ProWein, knows it is under severe pressure even if it does not say so in its press releases. Show director Peter Schmitz told The Buyer at the end of last year that he was “totally convinced a smaller ProWein will be a better show and provide a better balance between visitors and exhibitors”.
It certainly did that and was an all together less hectic, more relaxed event to attend. Easier to get to meetings on time, and spend more time with less hassled producers when you did.
But I am sure by “better balanced” Schmitz did not mean losing some 1,000 exhibitors in a year down to 4,200 exhibitors in 2025 compared to 5,282 exhibitors in 2025, both from 65 countries.
What’s even more concerning is that in just two years ProWein has seen its exhibitor numbers slump by nearly 2,000 from 6,000 in 2023 to 4,200 now - there are now 2,600 fewer exhibitors going than the 6,800 exhibitors it had in its pre-Covid pomp in 2019.
The final official ProWein 2025 attendance figures were released at “about 42,000” which is down on the 47,000 it said it was expecting when asked in December, and a drop from the 47,000 that attended in 2024 and 49,000 in 2023.
If you compare ProWein now to its record year in 2019 the figures are startling. There are 2,600 fewer exhibitors down to 4,200 from 6,800 in 2019 and nearly 20,000 less visitors with 42,000 now compared to its record 61,500 in 2019.
Wine Paris meanwhile has surged up to 52,622 visitors in 2025 compared to 25,739 in 2022, 36,334 in 2023 and 41,253 in 2024. Over the last three years Wine Paris’ exhibitors have gone from 2,864 in 2022, 3,387 in 2023 from 42 countries, 4,000 in 2024 from 48 countries, to over 5,300 in 2025 from 50 plus countries.
That’s some shift.
Pivotal year
There were larger areas of the show given over to specifc themes - like a new Champagne feature
It was against that backdrop that producers and buyers were trying to do business at ProWein 2025. The future of the show was the number one topic up and downs its 11 halls - along with Trump’s tariffs, a world glut of wine and UK duty rates.
Whichever side of the fence you are on it was clear this was a pivotal year for both a beleaguered ProwWein and an upbeat Wine Paris.
Most producers and buyers don’t have the time or resources to be at both ProWein and Wine Paris. But which way they will go is still, for some, up for debate.
“We’re not sure.” “We will have to crunch the numbers.” “We’ll have to ask our importers where they want to be.” Just some of the examples of the hard decisions that lie ahead.
Interestingly Pierre Nortje, international sales manager at Spier Wines in South Africa, said it asked all its main importers around Europe where it would like to meet the team - ProWein or Wine Paris?
“Twenty six out of the 28 said ProWein,” he said. “So we will do that again for next year and see what they say. But we are not against ProWein at all and will go where our customers want us to go.”
There was a large delegation of South African producers at ProWein following a smaller presence at Wine Paris
It’s also clear ProWein is not going to go down without fighting and producers were happy to share, off the record, they have been offered sizeable discounts if they commit to a stand next year.
Nicola Bates, managing director of WineGB, said its producers were pleased with the response they got across the two shows, with a further six producers exhibiting in ProWein following the nine at Wine Paris - including Hattingley Valley and Exton Park who did both.
“What we do has to be very focused and there is a constraint on how much we can do,” she stressed, even though it was seeing different buyers across the two events. “We can’t do both shows so we have to see where we get the most for our investment.”
Porton at Lanchester Wines said it will ultimately come down to a financial decision of where is the best use of its time.
“We want to make sure our presence at any of the exhibitions we do pays off. We are proud to be the only bottling business from the UK at the show,” he said.
Chuck Cramer, sales and marketing director, EMEA & Asia for Terlato Wines, said it was able to benefit from the great job done by the California Wine Institute Europe in creating such a “buzz” around the “well run and finely tuned Californian Barn”.
“It was busy and we enjoyed a full on one and a half days out of the three at ProWein. Our European distributor partners from the UK, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Norway, Sweden and the Middle East showed up. Numbers overall were down from last year and we are not seeing turnout from Asia and South America like we have enjoyed in the past.”
As for Terlato Wines’ future at ProWein? “That's a good question and we will evaluate over the next three months. Coming out of Covid and strikes in Dusseldorf haven't done themselves any favours and they might have shot themselves in the foot as far as attracting trade beyond Europe. Only time will tell.”
Two’s company
The big traditional European wine producing countries such as ProWein still had large presences at ProWein
Having two major international shows in the first quarter of the year means many producers and buyers will have to decide which one they go to.
But it also means for those that can there are now six potential days in Europe to do business at two fairs. There were, for example, plenty of major buyers, importers and suppliers at ProWein doing business who were also at Wine Paris.
Bernard Fontannaz, managing director of Origin Wine in South Africa, for example, said it was now likely to increase the size of its stand in Paris, and reduce it at ProWein, but is still very keen to maintain its position at both shows.
“We can start conversations in Paris and then finish them at ProWein,” he said. “That’s why we also do the London Wine Fair as we can have conversations there as well.”
Having a “less hectic” ProWein meant it had more time to talk to customers, Fontannaz added. “We did not have less customers we just had more time with them as they arrived on time and were not rushing to go somewhere else. Here we get to see more of our central European customers. The UK is more about Paris.”
Whether that continues for the long term remains to be seen, but it will be interesting to see how producers and buyers work tactically across both.
For wine consultant, Richard Leaver, it is an ideal situation to be able to use both shows to introduce potential customers, suppliers and importers - including UK, Irish and Nordic monopolies - to the producers he is working with across Europe. Giving him six rather than the normal three days with one show to help make business happen.
“Ahead of the fair a lot of people were talking it down and saying they were not going to go, but we had a full book of meetings. It is definitely quieter, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means you have more time to talk,” he says. “You have also got six days in the calendar to do meetings and visits.
“There was great energy with our Portuguese partner, Jose Maria da Fonseca, and always so many new options from our Spanish partner López Morenas. Customers were there from Scotland, Ireland and England. Yes, Wine Paris was busier, but ProWein remained positive. There is room for both as I see it.”
Need for both
Off Piste Wines has been a long time supporter of ProWein - and was introducing its new look Most Wanted brand range at the show - but says it will probably have a larger stand at Wine Paris in 2026 and a smaller presence at ProWein
Off Piste Wines is likely to do the same, confirmed managing director, Andy Talbot. He said the predicament of the UK wine market and the fallout from increased duty, GPR and other operational costs, means it is essential for it to be at both shows and maximise the opportunities it has to see customers and get new business done.
“We have had a very positive show. Visitor numbers have dropped, but the quality is really high and it is easier to get around,” he said.
As for the exhibiting in the future, he added: “We will have a presence here, but a bigger stand at Wine Paris as most of the UK trade will go there and Vinitaly and skip ProWein. Our ProWein business will evolve more to be about our international business, but we need the chance to talk to our customers so we will be at both.”
Richard Dennis, commercial director at Watermill Wines, which has recently gained B Corp status, said that whilst its “clear more and more French producers will be leaning towards Paris, there will always be a role for both shows, especially given how many UK retail buying teams are now structured by price level or category vs the traditional countries".
He added: “Overall it was a really productive few days. We were not only able to have some quality time with our customers and producers, but have the rare opportunity to go on ‘safari’ looking at innovation and discovering new wines and winemakers.”
ProWein boost
There are also plenty of businesses that are still part of the ProWein fan club.
Robin Copestick said Henkell Freixenet and Freixenet Copestick wanted to see both shows proper and would support both
Robin Copestick, managing director at Freixenet Copestick, which was there with its parent company Henkell Freixenet, said that whilst it is clearly smaller it is still a vital show for them to do business at and it is “a chance to see people from all over the world”.
He added: “Prowein was great this year. Beautiful weather, great organisation, and we had a number of productive meetings. But it is getting smaller. No doubt the trend will continue, but I am hopeful Henkell Freixenet and Freixenet Copestick will continue to support both ProWein and Paris.”
Paul Schaafsma, managing director of Benchmark Drinks that was exhibiting in the no and low area of the show said it was “probably one of the most useful ProWein’s I have done.”
He explained: “We saw 15 distributors for the Kylie Minogue Wines brand under one roof. Secured new distribution in markets we want to penetrate and met with most of our supply partners. The no&low was really busy. We are delighted with the results and will definitely be back next year. You can get so much done at ProWein.”
Mike Ratcliffe, co-founder and owner of Vilafonté, the premium South African wine brand and producer, who was there with its distributor Vinimark, took a typically balanced approach: “Predictions of the demise of ProWein may have been premature. While the halls were noticeably less busy, serious business was done and ProWein’s reputation as a buyers’ fair is intact. Ultimately, though, competition is excellent, complacency has been challenged and the jury is probably still out for 2026.”
Freddie Copestick, UK head of sales at Nicholson, the premium cocktail business, says that whilst traffic in many of the wine halls was down “there was a constant buzz and flow in the ProSpirits halls”. It was able to see key customers and partners from the US, Asia, Sweden, Ireland, South America and others.
He added: “Without doubt, as Wine Paris continues to gain in popularity, ProWein is losing out on visitors and exhibitors. However, from a spirits point of view ProWein still offers more variety, traffic and possibilities and will continue to hold an important role on the global stage of drinks trade shows for some time to come.”
David Rowledge, managing director of Alchemy Wines, said the international blueprint of ProWein meant that even if the overall show was quieter he was able to visit and meet its partners across Spain, Italy, Chile, Argentina, Ukraine, Georgia, Australia, New Zealand, France and South Africa.
All of which he did by working in partnership with its Spanish partner Fernando Castro and believes having “collaborative stands” might be the way forward for people to attend.
“We were able to have meetings with buyers from the UK, Middle East, Canada, Africa, US and Europe. I am sure many producers will be having some interesting internal meetings on the future of where to spend their marketing funds. Wine Paris was a real eye-opener for me this year, and I look forward to visiting again, and potentially continuing to visit ProWein if the potentials from this year turn into actuals.”
Sara Repetto, bottom right, caught the mood of the trade at ProWein - and the need to come together and do business regardless of any obstacles in the way
Sara Repetto, Italian wine consultant, certainly caught the mood of those who made the effort to go to ProWein when she went on Instagram to say: “I’m tired of hearing complaints from people who only know how to feel sorry for themselves.
This edition of ProWein naturally filtered out the crowd. Those who truly work in this industry were there, ready to make the most of it. Times are changing, and it’s up to us to adapt in the best way possible.”
Pressure on Paris
All this talk of Wine Paris comes with a very large caveat to it. Does Vinexposium have enough space to cope with and cater for the number of producers and generic bodies threatening to make the move next year? Is Paris’ Porte de Versailles big enough to handle the seismic move in exhibitors and visitors that was being threatened at this year’s ProWein?
It has a finite area to expand into and will have to start building a few more halls if the talk at ProWein actually results in the mass exodus that some are threatening.
The pressure is now on Wine Paris to live up to expectations and be able to manage the expected number of producers that will be looking to exhibit there in 2026
Rodolphe Lameyse, chief executive of Wine Paris, has stressed time and again it is not prepared to move the show from its current central Parisian base. But there are going to be some disappointed exhibitors looking to find a similar amount of space they can get at ProWein to be at Wine Paris in 2026. Particularly if they have not already started booking space.
The reality is some producers will ultimately decide to stick with ProWein rather than twist, and it will come down to where their buyers, importers and distributors want to do business.
The pendulum, though, has officially swung and it is hard to see what ProWein can do to stop it. Other than, as we have said before, realise Düsseldorf, rather than ProWein itself, is not the place where international wine producers and buyers want to do business.
It’s time to pack up itself and move the whole event to the far more exciting and dynamic Berlin. That’s the only way to give Paris a serious run for its money.
* To find out more about this year's ProWein go to its website here.
