– Wine industry in a positive mood
 – Exhibitors with increased presence
 – Strong demand for qualified wine education
 – Successful premiere of ProWine Pink Rose Lounge

As the leading wine and spirits trade fair in mainland China, ProWine Shanghai 2021 came to a successful conclusion on November 11, 2021. Given the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is undoubtedly inspiring that ProWine Shanghai 2021 went ahead as scheduled.

With strict safety procedures, the organiser’s stringent hygiene and safety rules and the care and support of the industry, ProWine Shanghai 2021 attracted a total of more than 450 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions. Boutique wineries and premium wine producers from all over the world were present at the trade fair to make contact with local importers, distributors and trade customers. A total of 15,058 trade visitors attended the 3-day event. In addition to visitors from Shanghai, many also came from Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Hubei and Tianjin provinces. 

Commenting on the event Michael Degen, Executive Director at Messe Düsseldorf said: “Hosting ProWine Shanghai 2021 as scheduled despite the ongoing COVID-19 complications fully underlines the strategic and international role of ProWine Shanghai. The Chinese wine and spirits market remains strong and is developing well. We believe the next edition of ProWine Shanghai will be even more promising and impressive.”

Ian Roberts, Vice President Asia at Informa Markets said: “Despite the strict Covid measures ProWine Shanghai still attracted 15,058 visitors. By holding ProWine Shanghai concurrently with China’s leading food and hospitality show, FHC, we are able to bring together all the major food and drink importers and distributors at the same time.”

Exhibitors remain confident with increased presence

The pavilion of the California Wine Institute was the largest in nine years, and nearly 20% larger than in 2020. In addition to the 19 wineries and vintners present on-site, 45 boutique wines from 10 wineries were on display with tasting sessions. The Canadian National Pavilion, with full support of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), also exhibited at ProWine Shanghai 2021. After missing the 2020 edition its return to ProWine Shanghai was a signal that wine companies around the world are very interested in the Chinese market.

French companies have always been a key part of ProWine. The French Pavilion, organised by Business France, has supported ProWine Shanghai for nine years in a row, ever since ProWine made its debut in mainland China. This year, Business France boasted exhibition space of nearly 500 square metres, indicating its strong confidence in the Chinese market.

Chinese wines moving to the forefront

In addition to overseas exhibitors, Chinese wines are also making a strong appearance at the fair. Many local wine producers are starting to emerge. Exhibitors including Yinchuan Helan Mountain Eastern Foothills Wine, Up Chinese Wine, COFCO Great Wall and China Wine Union continue to support ProWine Shanghai 2021. The Yinchuan Helan Mountain Eastern Foothills region increased its exhibition space by 50% with 24 wineries compared to 16 in 2020. Notably, the Penglai Coast wine region made its debut at this year’s show.

Wine education continues to expand with comprehensive coverage

During the three-day event, a series of high-quality masterclasses took place both at exhibitors’ stands and the ProWine Forum, sharing wine appreciation knowledge and industry news. ProWine Shanghai always upholds its original mission, focusing on the global market with deep roots in China. This year, the industry forum at ProWine Shanghai was attended by chairman Li Demei, Charles Treutenaere (General Manager of Domaine de Long Dai), Lv Yang (the only Chinese Master Sommelier) and Zhu Lili (CEO and Founder of Youdian Haohe). The forum featured “The Future of Chinese Wine – Voices of Industry Leaders”. Among them, Hao Linhai (Chairman of Ningxia Wine Federation), Jean-Guillaume Prats (President and CEO of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite) and Zhang Yanzhi (Owner of Xige Estate) participated in the forum by video link.

Lv Yang, the only Chinese Master Sommelier and the founder of Grapea & Co., said, “The deep cooperation with ProWine Shanghai happens every year, and this year it goes one step further now entering the main forum, and also participating in the industry forum of ProWine Shanghai. Almost every masterclass was full. We wine educators are hopeful and confident about the future of the industry.”

In addition to the strong presence of Chinese wine, ProWine Shanghai also presented a number of exciting masterclasses including Sassicaia Vertical Tasting & Business Partner Program Launch, Barrua Masterclass of Italy, IWSC Award-winning Master of Wine class, Slovenian Masterclass, Château Angélus Masterclass, Masterclass on Pinot Paradise Germany, as well as the event “Champagne in the Post-pandemic Era – Current Developments and Trends for Champagne on the Chinese Market”.

The brand-new ProWine Pink Rose Lounge

ProWine Shanghai 2021 is acutely aware of market trends offering several special zones including the ProWine Pink Rosé Lounge and Decanter Award-winning Wine Tasting Area. The aim was to create immersive, must-visit spots for visitors to unlock the “value and beauty” of rosé wines, and discover top-quality wines, tasted and rated by leading international wine experts at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Created to enhance visitor experiences and interactions, these special zones also provided exhibitors with a more diverse and varied platform to reach the market in multiple dimensions.

ProWine Shanghai 2022 will return to Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) from November 8 – 10, 2022. As the 10th edition of ProWine Shanghai since its debut in mainland China, it will not only follow on from its previous success but also bring more promotional activities to create a first-class event for the industry.

For more information, please visit www.prowine-shanghai.com.

Next stops in the ProWein World

ProWine Mumbai will start immediately after ProWine Shanghai from 17 to 18 November 2021, followed by the one and only ProWein in Düsseldorf from 27 to 29 March in 2022. Originally planned for May 2022, ProWine Singapore has now been moved to 5 – 8 September 2022 to coincide with FHA Food & Beverage, organised by Informa Markets. For further information go to https://www.prowein-world.com.