Leading regional wine trade show Vinexpo Asia returns to Hong Kong after six long years, attracting more than 14,000 visitors over three days for its 2024 show.
Vinexpo Asia 2024 has closed its doors to three jam-packed days of product showcases, deal-making, and insightful masterclasses for the wine and spirits trade this week in Hong Kong. Returning to the Fragrant Harbour for the first time after a six-year long hiatus due to the pandemic, the region’s premier wine trade show saw 1,032 producers from 35 countries participate and attracted a total of 14,203 visitors from 60 countries eager to build or reestablish ties in the global wine trade.
According to organisers Vinexposium, this year’s Hong Kong show saw a strong showing from France. The France Pavilion, organised by Business France, pulled together 131 French companies under its ‘Taste France’ initiative to present almost the entirety of the country’s 11 major winemaking regions from Champagne and Bordeaux to the Loire and Alsace, and even spotlighted more obscure regions like Corsica.
Among them were 15 producers from the Rhône Valley – such as Cave de Tain, Maison Lavau, Vacqueras Wines, and Domaines Aime Arnoux – that showcased the French winemaking region’s vaunted AOCs on both banks of the Rhône river that run from Northern Rhône all the way to Southern Rhône.
Statistically, over 30% of the over 1000 exhibitors at Vinexpo Asia 2024 hailed from France, indicating the importance of markets in Asia to the French.
Also in full force was Australia, celebrating the China’s recent lifting of retaliatory tariffs earlier this April. 85 wineries from various wine regions across the length and breadth of the Australian continent to exhibit their wares, ranging from Margaret River and the Great Southern in Western Australia to the Barossa Valley and Riverland in South Australia.
“Following the tariff removal in April, Australian wine exports saw explosive growth of more than 8,000%, which shows the China market still has a lot of interest in Australian wine,” explained Natalie Wang, founder and editor of Hong Kong-based online wine trade journal Vino Joy News.
Other top exhibiting countries included Italy, Spain, Chile, and China.
“This edition for Vinexpo had a greater presence for Italian wineries and consortiums. Visiting each of these booths had a different welcome; I felt like I was at home in Italy,” Jessica Anne Tan, a Singapore-based Italian Wine Ambassador and wine expert, told us.
“Winemakers and winery owners were in presence and were enthusiastic about sharing the new vintages and stories. It was really heartwarming meeting friends and making new ones,” she added.
Vinexpo Asia’s online business matching service also helped facilitate deals between participating exhibitors with visiting buyers from across the region, with over 4,200 meetings pre-booked before the show.
“One Minor Group participated in the business matching program and held meetings with over 20 producers and negociants. We are delighted with the outcome and are engaged in advanced discussions with shortlisted producers,” said Patrick Sng, CEO of Singapore-based wine and spirits distributor One Minor Group.
The visit was likewise fruitful for another Singapore-based wine distributor and retailer, Bottles & Bottles. “The congregation of wine producers and distributors is always a good platform to renew old networks and meet new ones, exchange industry news across regions and markets. While the floor size seemed slightly smaller compared to 2019, we are still seeing winery brands from key regions, participating through country pavilions, négociants, agent companies, or even attending as visitors,” shared Koh Chin Liang, Managing Director of Bottles & Bottles.
“It is good to know that producers value Asia as an important buyers market,” he added.
On one side of the show floor was Vinexpo Academy, which offered an extensive programme of over 50 conferences, masterclasses and tastings that drilled into some of the most current and pressing topics in the world of wine.
“Vinexpo Asia has been buzzing with the sound of renewed connections, new discoveries, tastings, and conferences illustrating long-lasting partnerships and friendships,” said Vinexposium group CEO Rodolphe Lameyse.
“We are absolutely delighted to be back in Hong Kong and to such a great reception, it feels like we have come home. I believe the past few days have cemented the show’s status as the region’s leading event for the wine and spirits industry and underlined Hong Kong’s position as the undisputed wine and spirits hub for Greater China. 2026 is just around the corner, we’ll be back!” Lameyse declared.
The next Vinexpo Asia will be held in Singapore on 27 to 29 May 2025.
[Photos courtesy of Vinexposium | Mediaon Limited]
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