From 24 to 26 March 2013, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux wines will be visiting the ProWein exhibition in Düsseldorf. A must for buyers from northern and eastern Europe, the exhibition is an exceptional showcase for winegrowers.

Conquering the European market. That is the ambitious goal of the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux winegrowers who will be attending the ProWein exhibition in Düsseldorf from 24 to 26 March 2013. For those making the trip, the exhibition is an exceptional opportunity to promote their wines to buyers, most of them from northern and eastern Europe. Edouard Sabourin, the owner of Château Crusquet-Sabourin at Cars in the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, will be attending for the second year in succession. For him, ProWein is an essential and increasingly important showcase. “I signed up a new customer in 2012”, he recounts, “an importer from the Czech Republic.” The winegrowers will all be there together under a single banner, that of Bordeaux wines. “It gives us a great advantage”, explains Sabourin, “because Bordeaux is a name known all over the world. We’ll all be together in the same place, giving us greater visibility.”
Blaye wines will be represented among the four appellations which make up the Union des Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. The Aquitaine Food Promotion Agency (AAPrA) will offer themed tastings with a sommelier/consultant from the Ecole du Vin. Fifty or so visitors are expected each day. Each tasting of Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux wines will feature five different wines.

The ProWein buzz

Last year, 40,000 buyers from all over the world came to Düsseldorf for the ProWein exhibition, so the stakes for our winegrowers are high. “We’re looking to establish long-term relationships, to attract buyers to our wines”, says Edouard Sabourin. And there is also a wine tourism aspect to the presence of Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux wines at the German exhibition. “It is very much in our interest to increase European exports because it is always easier to deal with customers whose culture is closer to ours. Trade is also easier when you are using the same currency because it isn’t affected by exchange rates, as is the case with buyers from the United States or China.”

Laurent and Isabelle Dubois, from Château Les Bertrands at Reignac in the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, will be going to ProWein with Edouard Sabourin. They will have a 6 m² stand under the auspices of the Aquitaine Region, with a counter for tastings of the 2012 vintage. It will be their fourth participation in the exhibition in twelve years. “Since its beginnings, I can sense that the quality of visitors has improved, especially over the last three or four years”, comments Laurent Dubois. He is referring to the presence of importers from northern Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Benelux) and eastern Europe (Poland, Russia and Lithuania), interested in the mid-range wines which the appellation offers. “At ProWein we meet buyers whose interest is not only in top wines. They need to get to know us, to understand that behind a wine there are people. That’s why we have to come and meet them in order to increase our exports. The exhibition is an opportunity to establish an initial contact, which then has to be confirmed”, reckons Edouard Sabourin. With exports accounting for 55% of Château Les Bertrands‘ sales, ProWein is an event not to be missed!

The fact that the German market has slowed slightly in recent years is another reason for regarding the country, strategically situated at the crossroads of European wine importing nations, as a priority. “Côtes de Bordeaux wines offer exactly what German consumers are looking for: pleasure and value for money, as well as the assurance of high quality” says Jean-Michel Baudet, president of the Union des Côtes de Bordeaux. Plus a level of environmental awareness among winegrowers that German consumers particularly appreciate. So at a time when Franco-German friendship is much in the news, it’s not a bad idea for Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux wines to make their presence felt at ProWein!

Châteaux attending the ProWein exhibition:

• Château des Tourtes
• Vignerons de Tutiac
• Château Cap Saint Martin
• Château Dubraud
• Château Monconseil Gazin
• Château Les Bertrands
• Château Crusquet Sabourin