Wine Paris, previously known as Vinexpo, will host around 4,600 exhibitors from 50 different countries next month, continuing its impressive growth since the first edition opened in 2019.
In 2024, 4,000 exhibitors from 48 producer countries attended the trade show in the heart of Paris, marking a 53% increase in international participation. The sixth edition promises to once again break records, with 50,000 visitors from 140 countries expected to descend on the City of Light in February.
For the first time, more than 1,000 buyers are expected to attend Wine Paris, emphasising the growing importance of the event as a global nexus for the beverage alcohol industry.
In the face of declining sales (2024 saw a 3.9% drop in overall wine volumes), climate challenges and shifting consumer trends, the CEO of show organiser Vinexposium, Rodolphe Lameyse, maintains that this year’s exhibition has a crucial role to play.
“In times of great uncertainty, economic crisis and loss of meaning, isolationism is not an option,” he says. “By combining strengths and fostering innovation, engagement among all industry stakeholders and links between the economic and political arenas, we can leverage solutions.”
The global industry rallies around Wine Paris
Spread across three halls, 50 wine producer countries will be represented at Wine Paris 2025, with several countries significantly increasing their floor space, including Germany (+65%), Austria (+35%), China (+60%), Spain (+40%), Portugal (+61%) and Romania (+75%). Italy has doubled its exhibition area and will host 30 regional pavilions, taking up an entire hall.
There will also be several new international pavilions: South Africa, Argentina, Armenia, Chile, Hungary, North Macedonia, Uruguay and, most notably, Australia, resulting in a four-fold increase in the latter’s exhibition space this year.
Naturally, French attendance is the event’s backbone, and is due to see a 7% lift in producer numbers from the country, with all of its regional marketing organisations attending.
Be Spirits – the place to be for spirits brands from around the world
An event within the event, Be Spirits will showcase the global spirits, beer and cider industries, with a focus on no- & low-alcohol drinks and the latest mixology and cocktail trends. Located in Hall 5.2, Be Spirits will welcome distributors, bartenders and experts, along with in the region of 218 producers – 38% of whom will be newcomers and 30% hailing from 27 countries – at its core.
Forty-seven types of spirits will be on display, including armagnac, baijiu, brandy, calvados, cognac, gin, malt, mezcal, pastis, rum, sake, soju, tequila, umeshu, vermouth and vodka.
Ten whisky producers will attend under the French Whisky Federation banner, while cognac (40 companies) and armagnac (19 companies) producers will be out in large numbers. Elsewhere, the no/low category will have an increased focus this year, with its presence expanding (+50%) to mirror new consumption patterns, while the floor space taken up by beer and cider will also be larger.
Other Be Spirits highlights include The Craft Pavilion, which will spotlight up-and-coming spirits producers, and Speakeasy, where bar and spirits experts will lead talks, panel discussions and masterclasses.
Last but not least, brands and mixologists will shake things up at The Infinite Bar, France’s biggest pop-up cocktail bar. Spanning 40m in length, the bar played host to 20 renowned cocktail bars in 2024, including three special guest bars from London, Barcelona and Madrid.
Seven stands to visit at Be Spirits 2025
BBC Spirits – Hall 5.2 Stand E225
Importer, distributor and producer BBC Spirits is established in around 50 markets and has amassed a portfolio of 150-plus products covering every major category of spirits, with particular expertise in Japanese releases. “As the leading Japanese spirits company in Europe,” says BBC, “we maintain our difference through a wide range of premium brands such as Etsu Gin (above), whiskies from the Kurayoshi Distillery or spirits coming straight from the tropical island of Okinawa, Kiyomi White Rum and Eiko Vodka.”
BBC will also showcase partner brands including non-alcoholic spirits mark Lyre’s alongside Fercullen Whiskey and Dead Man’s Fingers Rum.
Beveland – Hall 5.2 Stand D219
Family-owned Spanish company Beveland specialises in producing premium spirits including rum, whisky, vodka, gin, tequila and speciality liqueurs. Standout brands include Jodhpur Gin (above) and Relicario Rum.
Inspired by India, Jodhpur Original contains 13 botanicals native to the country. The range includes Baori (floral), Spicy (spiced), Mandore (citrus) and the limited-edition aged iteration, Reserve. Relicario, meanwhile, is a blend of fine Dominican rums complemented by line extensions, including Peated Finish aged in peated malt whisky barrels from Speyside in Scotland, and a Vermouth Finish in Italian mancino vecchio vermouth barrels from Asti, Piemonte.
Black Tears/Pardela Spirits – Hall 5.2 Stand D029
Black Tears Dry Spiced Rum (above) – a blend of Cuban rum, coffee, cocoa and aji dulce (Cuban sweet chilli pepper), with just 9g of sugar per litre – will be showcased by its French distributor, Pardela Spirits. According to owner Island Rum Brands, Black Tears is now the fastest-growing super-premium spiced rum brand in the UK, after achieving a 150% increase in volume and 109% in value in the country’s multiple grocery channels over the past 12 months (Nielsen data). Its most significant UK listing is with Waitrose, which increased distribution from 108 to 200 stores in August.
Commercial director Helena Zakmane believes that “such a significant positive performance trend” indicates that consumers “appreciate the product and are making repeat purchases – one of the most important trackers of brand success”.
La Martiniquaise-Bardinet – Hall 5.2 Stand D007
Several brands from La Martiniquaise-Bardinet’s extensive portfolio will be showcased at Wine Paris, including Cutty Sark (above) and Glen Moray whiskies, Saint James Rhum, Generous Gin French Gin, Cognac Gautier and liqueurs from the “emblematic” Burgundy house Lejay Lagoute.
The independent, family-run group will also have a presence at The Infinite Bar in partnership with some of the best bars in Paris. Operating since 1934, La Martiniquaise acquired fellow French company Bardinet in 1993, forming La Martiniquaise-Bardinet. The group became the majority shareholder of Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits six years ago.
Les Bienheureux – Hall 5.2 Stand C007-8
France’s Les Bienheureux believes that its focus on innovation has enabled the young company – it commenced operations in 2015 – to establish its Bellevoye Blended Malt brand (above) as “the No.1 French whisky in sales by value” and “gain an enviable number of medals for its El Pasador de Oro Rum brand, distilled in Guatemala”.
Registering five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 85%, Les Bienheureux aims to keep up the momentum by investing 10% of its sales into R&D. The company has also purchased its own brewery and distillery in Cognac, Bercloux.
Spiribam – Hall 5.2 Stands A131, A135 & B136
Spiribam produces and distributes a raft of “renowned rum brands” from Martinique, St Lucia and Mauritius, as well as Cartron, a super-premium crème liqueur range from Burgundy. The rum portfolio includes Rhum Clément, Rhum J.M, Chairman’s Reserve, Bounty Rum, Admiral Rodney, Arcane and Beach House Spiced.
The group recently invested in a new RTD facility in the UK and will leverage Wine Paris to promote its new RTD brand SHAK.R (above). Designed for the on-premise channel, SHAK.R “aims to deliver bar-quality cocktails into venues where bartender skills are not available”.
Spirit France Diffusion – Hall 5.2 Stand D112
French group Spirit France specialises in the production and marketing of “exceptional spirits” from French AOCs. Its portfolio includes Père Magloire, Boulard and Lecompte calvados, Janneau (above) and Le Marque armagnacs, Pomme Doublée apple aperitif and Le Verger French regional liqueur.
Present in around 80 markets, Spirit France claims to be “the world leader in the production of calvados and armagnac from unique terroirs, combining tradition, excellence and innovation. Today, half the bottles of calvados sold abroad come from our cellars, and Janneau is the most exported armagnac brand in the world”.
