Big trade shows have life cycles. When I joined Drinks International in 2017 I witnessed the demise of Vinexpo Bordeaux after 15 years of dominance, which led to the subsequent reign of Prowein in Düsseldorf.
A decade later and Prowein’s time as the industry leader is over. Since the pandemic attendance has roughly halved and this year’s show was 25% down on 2025 – witnessing this first-hand the show was obviously quieter.
Following the event a press release by owner Messe Düsseldorf read: “Prowein Düsseldorf 2026 is driving forward its strategic development as an international trade fair for wine and spirits in a targeted manner. With a clear business focus, efficient hall concept, and strengthened future formats, it continues honing its new focus.”
Frank Schindler, director of Prowein, said: “The new hall concept with clear segments and shorter distances was accepted well by both exhibitors and visitors alike. At the same time their feedback delivered important input, prompting further improvements especially regarding the link with the New World and Spain in Hall 6. The feedback overall confirmed we are on the right track.”
Call me a cynic, but shorter walking distances are a result of fewer halls being used rather than a “new hall concept”, and its “strategic development” to be a more targeted trade show is a reaction to a drop in attendance. No paid-for event would encourage fewer attendees.
Spirits success
The major positive at Prowein was the standard and scale of the spirits section. When it introduced Prospirits a couple of years ago it felt bartender heavy, like a mini version of Bar Convent Berlin, whereas this year was both busy and productive for exhibitors.
Having spoken to various wine brands the fatigue isn’t necessarily with Prowein as an event, but Düsseldorf as a place. Expensive hotels have long been a gripe for producers and a taxi strike this year fuelled frustration despite the show providing a replacement coach service.
The overriding narrative is that Wine Paris has taken over with record attendance above 60,000. Unlike Düsseldorf, a city such as Paris can absorb 60,000 wine professionals like a drop in the ocean, meaning hotel rates and public transport are unaffected. On a more subjective note, visitors seem more excited by the prospect of three days in Paris than they are in Düsseldorf, especially after a decade of annual trips.
My initial thought on Prowein’s decline was of a shifting demand towards more medium-sized shows dotted around different markets. But actually, Wine Paris has essentially absorbed those visitors lost from Düsseldorf and once again we’re witnessing the birth of another major European-based trade show. An alternative future could be the emergence of more country-specific shows.
Barcelona Wine Week, for example, solely represents Spanish wines and has exploded in popularity over the past few years. It is accessible to those from local startups to Spain’s biggest producers and it’s not just domestic attendees but international buyers specifically seeking new business in Spain.
Perhaps we’ll see the same structure for the rest of Europe’s traditional wine countries, with Wine Paris carrying the baton as the world’s major international show for the next decade.
