Asia was one of the major highlights of the 18^th edition of Vinexpo 2015 in Bordeaux, and plans are well underway for the upcoming editions of the exhibition: Vinexpo Hong-Kong (May 24-26, 2016) and Vinexpo Tokyo (Nov. 15-16, 2016).

The Vinexpo brand has had a presence in Asia since 1998, and continues to grow and support the business goals of wine and spirits professionals in that part of the world. 

Considered Asia’s business center, Hong Kong is a promising market for the wine and spirits industry. The 2016 Vinexpo Hong Kong will be a major international event, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, according to show organizers. 

It will include a program featuring conferences and tastings hosted in collaboration with Wine Spectator. 

“Hong Kong remains the gateway to the Chinese market and holds a prominent position as one of Asia’s leading business hubs for the wine and spirits trade. The market is more sophisticated than ever, a trend that can be seen in both the business transactions that take place as well as in the general atmosphere of the show,” said Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo.

In 2014, Vinexpo Hong Kong welcomed over 1,300 exhibitors of 34 nationalities, who presented a record-breaking number of wine and spirits to 17,000 visitors over the course of three days. 

Tailored to the expectations of the Japanese, Vinexpo Tokyo will be held at the Prince Park Tower Hotel. For its second edition, the exhibition will again offer the opportunity to connect with key industry players, and tastings and conferences have been scheduled.

“Japan is a market like no other,” said Vinexpo Chairman Xavier de Eizaguirre. “By making Vinexpo Tokyo a recurring event, Vinexpo provides exhibitors the opportunity to better approach this sophisticated market as well as identify its trends.” 

During its debut year in Nov. 2014, Vinexpo Tokyo attracted 3,200 Japanese professionals and over 500 wine and spirits brands, some of which were entering the Japanese market for the first time.

There also was a strong presence of key importers (28 percent of visitors), wholesalers (13 percent), on-trade buyers (19 percent) and retailers (11 percent).

Professionals from Taiwan, China, India, and Singapore attended Vinexpo Tokyo (formerly known as Vinexpo Nippon), but the majority (85 percent) of visitors were Japanese. 

 Over the past few years, Asia has stood out as one of the driving forces behind the growth of global wine and spirits consumption.

This trend can be strongly observed within the aisles of Vinexpo 2015, which concluded recently in Bordeaux, France.  Throughout the five days of the exhibition, several conferences and tastings were dedicated to the Asian market while also featuring its products.

Chinese actress Carina Lau, who became famous in the 1980s for playing girl-next-door characters in film, is now presenting her new wine brand.  She has collaborated with the Bordeaux trader, Maison Ginestet.  

The French wine magazine Revue du Vin de France organized a tasting of nine Chinese wines that attracted  visitors, including  Best Sommelier of the World 2007, Andreas Larsson. And the Japanese highlighted the premium quality of their products by organizing a tasting of six grand sakes with Miyasaka Brewing Co.