PROWEIN 2007 was the 14th wine and spirits fair held in Dusseldorf and attracted over 32,000 visitors from over 40 different countries. The Sunday was the most important day, where large exhibitors recorded over 400 visitors on that one particular day.

General data indicate that only 25% of the visitors were constituted from foreign countries namely East Europe, which indicates that ProWein still remains a very German oriented wine exhibition.

From the exhibitor’s count, excluding the traditional producers from the old world, the new world was very dominant with large pavilions. The German market is a potential market for new world wines, who have already created a marked difference in consumed volumes and marketing approach.

German wine giants such as Langguth, Zimmermann Graeff & Muller, Racke, REH Kendermann etc, were also showing their new products for the off-trade, which they claim remains the core line of their business. The top three supermarket chains in Germany for the year 2006 were Edeka Group with an annual turnover of €B 35.7, followed Metro Group €B 31.9 and in third position Rewe Group with €B 31.2. All in all the off-trade distributors comprising of over 30 chain supermarket brand names achieved an annual turnover in Germany for the year 2006 of €B 210.

The German wine market is highly driven by branded wine products which explains why in the year 2006 over 802,777,600 bottles of brands were sold in the market. The leader in this market range of products is the French producer Les Grand Chais Grand Sud, followed by Racke Blanchet and Langguth inposition number three. Ernest & Julio Gallo Sierra Valley stands up in position number seven.

With VINEXPO round the corner in June and the London Wine Trade Fair (LWTF) just before that in May, there was some scepticism concerning the success of ProWein in Germany. Visitors claim there are too many trade shows and one can not attend them all. It is for this reason that one notes each trade show is becoming a speciality for a certain country and/or a certain range of wines. VINEXPO remains very French so does VINITALY, and while ProWein is moving in this national trend, LWTF is becoming an open playground for new world wines.

ProWein this year also saw the development of open tasting for the public. Sopexa offered a tasting of over 100 best south French wines in price ranges from € 3.00 and under. Between € 3.00 and € 6.00 and then with wines over € 6.00 at retail price. Meininger the German body developed the same theme based on the Award 2007 and an excellance award and also managed to attract numerous connoisseurs.

In conclusion, ProWein was once again a great success and the Germans have a sense of organisation and discipline which makes a visit to Dusseldorf quite an event.