Rodolphe Lameyse, the chief and mastermind of Wine Paris, says he can tell within a few minutes whether a trade show is going to be a success or not. Simply open the doors to one of the halls and listen. If you can hear the buzz and the noise of people talking and doing business then you can relax.
Vinexposium's chief executive, Rodolphe Lameyse, at the opening ceremony of what turned out to be a record Wine Paris in terms of number of visitors and exhibitors. Picture Philippe Labeguerie
Which was certainly the case at last week’s Wine Paris when a record number of people were packed into its halls across the three days of the show.
This was a critical, industry-defining show for Wine Paris - and it passed with flying colours. It could be argued the last six years has been building up to this moment from the moment Vinexpo merged with Wine Paris in May 2019.
The time when the jury of international buyers and producers would cast their verdict on just how far Wine Paris has gone in knocking its great rival ProWein off its perch of being the “number one international wine and spirits trade show”.
It has, though, been the speed of change between the two shows over the last three years that has been most remarkable. Whilst ProWein has seen its visitor numbers fall from 49,000 in 2023, to 47,000 in 2024 and an expected similar number in 2025, Wine Paris has surged from 36,334 visitors in 2023, to 41,253 in 2024 and then now an industry high of 52,622 visitors in 2025 - more than double the 25,739 that went in 2022.
The exhibitor numbers have seen a similar turnaround. In 2023 ProWein had 6,000 exhibitors from 60 countries, in 2024 it went to 5,282 from 65 countries and in 2025 it is expected to be around 5,000 exhibitors, but still from 65 countries - a drop of 1,000 producers in three shows.
The number of countries now exhibiting at Wine Paris is reflected in all the country flags to the entrance of the main international hall. Picture Philippe Labeguerie
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. So still short of ProWein’s international reach.
“I have not seen that level of growth in a show before,” claimed Lameyse, who has organised multiple large scale trade fairs across different industry sectors all over the world.
Down to business
What those figures show is how quickly the global industry is prepared to move, and take the necessary steps in order to make sure producers and buyers are in the right place to do business.
The pressure on both sides of the industry - sellers and buyers - has arguably never been greater, with increased costs, reduced margins and now the threat of increased President Trump-driven international tariffs, putting even more onus on being able to cut the right deals at the right time.
That’s what drove so many new buyers and producers to Paris last week. The need to do business with existing customers, and find new partners to work with.
It resulted in an 80% increase in floor space for international exhibitors, from 54 producer countries. Up to 45% of visitors to the show are now coming from outside France travelling from 154 countries compared to 149 in 2024 and 137 in 2023. A 35% increase also in buyers coming from key international markets - including many from the UK for the first time.
It was markedly noticeable how many high profile UK buyers, retailers, wholesalers and importers were in Paris last week. There to do business across the show, and in all parts of the world, and not just in the enormous French halls that have dominated Wine Paris in the past.
New World switch
WineGB and a number of English wine producers were at Wine Paris for the first time with thei own generic stand
They were quick to respond to the big increase in the number of southern hemisphere producers and generic bodies that chose 2025 as the year to switch some, if not all, their resources, time and focus away from ProWein to Wine Paris. The need for Australian, South African, Argentine, Chilean and English producers to reach the right buyers has never been greater and each unveiled serious generic stands at the show for the first time. Wine GB, for example, was there with nine producers.
That’s not to say they are turning their backs on ProWein as most will also still be taking out major generic stands in Dusseldorf next month.
Wine Australia switched its generic stand from ProWein to Wine Paris for the first time and said the response was "exceptional" with over 400 people taking part in 10 full masterclasses over the three days and close to 30 producers taking part
Wine Australia’s decision, though, to completely switch shows appears to have paid off with 28 producers taking part, eight times more than in 2024. Laura Jewell MW, regional general manager for UK and Europe, saying its producers had enjoyed a “fantastic” show with 10 packed out masterclasses and a “great energy” and “commercial leads” for its producers.
Wines of Argentina had its biggest presence of producers at Wine Paris with around 30 wineries taking part and 2.7 times more floor space than 2024. Wines of Chile’s increased its stand seven times over.
Wines of South Africa also raised its presence to 20 producers, with a further 14 wineries taking out individual stands, a combined 90% increase on 2024.
There was also significantly more presence for Greece (up 3.5 times), Lebanon, Hungary, Georgia, Washington State, Uruguay, Brazil and New York State.
Wines of Argentina also had a major presence at Wine Paris for the first time after testing out the show over the last couple of years
The six biggest non-French presence, though, came from: Italy, the second biggest exhibiting country after France with its own dedicated hall and an 81% increase in producer numbers; Spain (up 64% on 2024); Portugal (67% more floor space and 55% more producers up to 160); the United States (with separate generic stands for California, Washington, Oregon, Virgina, New York, Napa, Sonoma), Germany (up 81% in floor space with 52 producers on the Wines of Germany stand) and Austria (up 58% on its generic stand, plus a further 70 producers in the Advantage Austria area).
Then there is France with apparently 95% of all French wine production represented at Wine Paris. This year the whole of France was located across three huge halls of the show - one on top of each other.
The Be Spirits section of the show also saw a big increase in visitors and exhibitors but is still some way off becoming a show in its own right says Rodolphe Lameyse
It was a similar story in the Be Spirits section of the show with two and a half more overseas producers exhibiting from 34 countries, 10 more than last year, taking up 47% more floor space with nearly 300 exhibitors including 76% new attendees.
In fact such has been the speed at which Wine Paris has grown over the last three years, its biggest challenge now is finding the space to keep up with demand and it already has plans to introduce two new halls next year. It’s why Lameyse is keen to eventually spin the spirits side of the show into a separate event, freeing up more space to satisfy increased demand from international producers. But admits that is not likely in the very near future.
Platform to trade
Lameyse said it is all about providing the platform and the “environment” for producers and buyers to do business. “If it is positive for us, it is positive for them.”
The upbeat, bullish atmosphere at the show demonstrates just how “resilient” the international wine and spirits sector is despite all the “headwinds” that are in its way, argued Lameyse. Ultimately he wants Wine Paris to be the place where you “can do business and meet the right people”.
A view echoed by many of the producers and importers at the show.
Bruce Jack of Bruce Jack Wines was there for the first time, exhibiting on the generic Wines of South Africa stand, came away very impressed by how well the show was organised, its facilities and the quality of visitors: “I had a really great time in terms of the people I met and spent time with and we got a lot of business done - probably more than I expected. We will definitely be going back.”
He says it was also good to be back in Paris for the first time in about eight years and how pleasantly surprised he was by the “positive, friendly, welcome” he received in the city “in every cafe, bar, supermarket and restaurant” he went to. “That surprised me. I thought I was on Candid Camera, it’s not what you are meant to believe about Parisians. It was a revelation.”
Laura Catena says the show worked very well for her and the Catena Zapata team in terms of seeing all the customers they wanted to
Laura Catena, managing director of Catena Zapata, says it is now important for international producers to be at Wine Paris as “not everyone now wants to go to ProWein”. “We have seen everyone we wanted to see here and it is clear there are more people coming to Wine Paris over ProWein. But it seems most Asian buyers are preferring to go to Vinexpo Shanghai.”
Mike Ratcliffe, co-founder of premium South African wine brand, Vilafonté, was at the show exhibiting as part of the Vinimark promotional stand for the first time, described Wine Paris as “a triumph”.
“I was really impressed by the incredible geographical diversity of the trade participants and the high-quality of the wine businesses that attended. This would appear, to have become the best place in the world for the global wine trade to come together for business. We were able to interact with China, many Asian countries, Scandinavia, Europe, a large British contingent, as well as a surprisingly good turnout from the United States and Canada. All in all, money and time well spent with excellent results,” he said.
Fellow South African producer, Ross Sleet founder of Rascallion Wines, added: “The show over delivered in terms of the broad scope of visitors I saw, including existing and new clients from all over the world. I was expecting a smattering of new business but have been extremely pleased with the number of new opportunities I have come across.”
Simon Jerrome, head of wine buying at the C&C Group covering Matthew Clark and Bibendum, said: “It was a good fair and we saw customers from both the on and off-trades due to cheaper, shorter travel as the cost of hotels meant from London you could attend for a day or two.”
Robin Copestick, managing director of Freixenet Copestick, that was distributing for the first time through its parent company, Henkelll Freixenet, said: “Wine Paris is definitely growing and feels like it will be a regular and valuable addtition to our wine fair calendar. Suppliers from the New World seem to be more open and more attracted to coming to Paris and there was an increased presence of UK and Irish buyers this year.”
But he was also quick to stress: “ProWein will continue to also be important and will not be replaced by Paris. Both fairs can co-exist and I don’t feel it is necessary to compare the two events. They are both very good.”
Richard Dennis, commerical director at Watermill Wines, argeed and whilst it is finding Wine Paris "more and more useful in terms of being able to reduce the intensity and pressure from ProWein" and it is a "much more affordable" fair to attend, he added: "But I do see it having a limit, and therefore Prowein is likely to still play a key role, especially for the producers from the southern hemisphere."
Alex Green, commercial director at Beyond Wines, said it was also still committed to attending ProWein even though it was out in force at Wine Paris for the first time. “We are here because our customers are here and we are taking the opportunity to see them,” he said.
Jerrome also had a cautioning word about the rise of Wine Paris versus ProWein: “It appears to be a trait in the UK wine trade you have to hail the end of something as a shiny new thing comes along, but people forget, or are too young to remember, that it wasn’t too long ago that we all went to Bordeaux for Vinexpo with terrible transport, over priced hotels and it was impossible to get a good restaurant table.”
There was a big increase in UK buyers at the show like Noel Reid of Redsicover Wines and Victoria Sharples
Noel Reid, founder of Rediscover Wines, said he likes Wine Paris as it is “just so comfortable to do business there”. He explained: “It has a brilliant booking system and with the halls so close together it makes creating a schedule simple. Having the whole of France together over three halls was a great idea. It is now my number one show and having been going since its conception, it’s good to see the continued rise of UK and international buyers and worldwide stands. The influence of producers from Italy was also very noticeable and welcome. It’s a massive advantage for the show. We have the perfect event on our doorstep and who doesn’t like doing business in Paris? What’s not to like?”
Hal Wilson, the influential managing director of Cambridge Wine Merchants, felt it was “a great show” because not only could he catch up with so many of his producer partners, there was also a number of “focus tastings to help with research”. “I will need to take a colleague next year,” he added.
Harshal Shah, founder of Carrington Wines in Dublin Ireland, added: “It was very good. In all aspects. For me it was all about meting existing suppliers and sourcing new wines.”
It was a similar message up and down the halls and out on the Metro and in the bars and restaurants of Paris. Producers and importers will follow their buyers and customers and it seems the lure of Paris and all that offers has firmly positioned it as the show for far more of the industry’s buyers and sellers to prioritise than before.
Head to head
ProWein now faces a pivotal show next month with all eyes on how well it now responds to the pendulum switch to Wine Paris
Where that now leaves ProWein will be revealed in a month’s time when the world’s focus switches to Dusseldorf. It has clearly taken a big hit over the last two years, in particular, and the dust has yet to fully settle on the success of this year’s Wine Paris. But it is important to stress despite the buzz around Wine Paris, ProWein still remains for many their number one show and lots of producers and visitors will continue to prioritise Prowein over Wine Paris.
But those numbers are under serious threat and it’s hard to make any sort of comparison between what the two cities can offer in terms of transport, hotel, restaurants and culture. One has just hosted the Olympics. The other is a favourite for stag and hen parties.
Perhaps it is time for Messe, the show organisers behind ProWein, to think less about what their show can offer - but the ability of Dusseldorf to host a major international wine fair when put up against the power of Paris.
If the show was switched to Berlin, for example, it would suddenly be able to compete on a much closer footing to Paris, and the issues of price, and so much of the negativity around the trade doing business in Dusseldorf could be solved, and the focus could go back to the quality of the shows themselves and what they deliver.
If not it seems inevitable the pendulum between the two can only go one way in the direction of Paris and Vinexposium. It will, though, ultimately be up to the all important international buyers and where they want to do business that will determine the futures of Wine Paris and ProWein.
But Wine Paris more than made its case last week for being the world’s most effective and relevant international trade show.
* In part two of our analysis from the show we analyse the wider geopolitical impact on the drinks industry discussed at the show and also look at the new services and solutions that innovative importers and suppliers are coming up with to drive more margin and cope with the new UK duty regime.
