BARCELONA – The wealth and variety of the country’s soils, sustainability, and the strong alliance between wine and gastronomy have been the main trends and thematic axes of the third edition of Barcelona Wine Week (BWW), held from 5 to 7 of February with great participation success. Over 800 exhibiting companies, 70 prestigious labels represented, about 8,000 business meetings between national and international exhibitors and buyers, and around 50 scheduled activities consolidate its position as the leading Spanish quality wine fair.
The 828 exhibiting companies of Barcelona Wine Week – 27% more than the previous edition in 2022 – from all wine-producing territories in Spain, have showcased nearly a thousand new references at the fair, which has had full occupancy of Pavilion 8 of the Montjuïc venue of Fira de Barcelona during its three days of celebration.
The event has generated significant business opportunities with the visit of over 20,000 professionals, 20% of whom are from 80 countries, mainly European and American. Among the attendees were more than 600 major international buyers invited by the organization, from strategic markets for the export of Spanish wine such as the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, or China, who participated in around 8,000 scheduled meetings between participating companies and wineries. Also, the organization of Barcelona Wine Week estimates that the economic impact generated by the fair is around 12 million euros.
The president of Barcelona Wine Week, Javier Pagés, stressed that “in this edition, the fair has positioned itself decisively as the best sectoral meeting point for all wine industry professionals in Spain. A unique platform for business and promotion for the sector, from where to project the quality, variety, and diversity of Spanish wine internationally.”
For J. Antoni Valls, general director of Alimentaria Exhibitions, “this edition has broken records in every way, both in terms of company participation and the support and trust of institutions, organizations, and professionals in the sector. This success confirms the success of our commitment to promoting a fair that represents and values the quality and power of Spanish wine to contribute to the internationalization of its companies, and to the knowledge and consumption of it, both in the national and international markets.”
More than 185,000 wine glasses tasted
During the celebration of BWW, more than 185,000 wine glasses have been served, between the tastings offered by exhibitors, and those organized within the extensive program of activities of the fair. Masters of Wine such as Tim Atkin, Pedro Ballesteros, Norrel Robertson; Andreas Kuback and Alvaro Ribalta; the Parker ranking taster, Luis Gutiérrez; sommeliers turned into renowned winemakers or wine producers have made up the line-up of the program of tastings, presentations, round tables, and debates.
A sustainable fair
BWW is a pioneer in sustainability and zero waste. 70% of the furniture and stands at the fair are reused every edition, and the carpet is eco-friendly.
In this regard, as part of its sustainable strategy, BWW has collaborated with Ecovidrio, which has collected more than 21,000 bottles during the fair, twice as much as the previous edition, and with the Catalan Cork Institute, which has gathered 4,500 cork stoppers for recycling.
Organized by Fira Barcelona through its Alimentaria Exhibitions company, BWW has had the support of the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), and ICEX Spain Export and Investment. The next edition will be held from February 5 to 7, 2024, also at the Montjuic venue of Fira de Barcelona.
