If you follow the fine wines of the world you’ll know you learn from bottles not books. Where are you guaranteed a vast variety of bottles?
At any one of the Wine Shows that flourish in the wine producing and wine consuming countries. For those in the wine trade these are a regular ritual, for those polishing their palates one or two visits a year will give you more than a month picking through shelves of books. It’s time to meet the winemakers, taste and discuss in their presence.
Another busy year is coming up, starting with Prowein 2013 at the Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre on the 24-26th of March.
They are expecting 4,500 exhibitors with 50 countries represented. The emphasis is obviously on German and Austrian wines, but the wide world will be there. This year look forward to over 300 hour-long tutorial events, listed in the program at www.prowein.com
From the 25-27 of May eyes, and palates, will be focussed on Bourg near Bordeaux where Les Citadelles du Vin will be judging entries from around the world under the patronage of the OIV. There are 50 members of the tasting panel, 30 of whom come from outside France, as do 75% of the wines tasted.
Winners will be announced and promoted in mid-June at the Vinexpo Bordeaux Exhibition. Pictured at last year’s awards are Ray Gatt from Australia; Yann Juban, OIV assistant general director; Herve Romat general delegate of CDV and Nelson Chow, chairman of HK sommeliers association.
In 2012 the show closed with a spectacular dinner at Chateau Cheval Blanc. This year, General Delegate M. Herve Romat has announced that the closing ceremony and dinner will be at Chateau Lagrange in Saint Julien (pictured by Deepix).
