Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Vinexpo Asia recently concluded its highly anticipated return to Asia. The leading international trade show for the wine and spirits sector in the region, Vinexpo Asia exceeded expectations. The well-attended event drew an impressive turnout, generated substantial business opportunities, and facilitated knowledge sharing, strengthening its position as the premier gathering for industry professionals in the region. Held at the Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore, attendance to the three-day event exceeded the estimated 8,000, with a remarkable and diverse 9,989 professionals hailing from 64 countries turning up to the expo. The top five visiting countries were Singapore, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand and the top 5 exhibiting producers were France, Italy, Australia, USA and Spain. With an event featuring 1,000 exhibitors from 35 countries and other activities spanning just three days, having a game plan is imperative. The Vinexpo website provided a handy guide to prepare for the tradeshow. Attendees were able to optimize their experience by having access to the online catalogs through their personal Vinexpo profiles and do research weeks prior to the event, as well as sign up for masterclasses, and schedule appointments with exhibitors. There was so much to try and experience at Vinexpo Asia. Here are a few things that stood out to us at the event. NOTABLE WINES It’s a daunting task to choose notable wines from the exhibition, since we were unable to try most of them. Winemakers from all over the world converged at Vinexpo Asia, and there was something for everyone in the vast selection of wines. There was a mix of big wine houses and distributors (like Penfolds, LVMH, and Cloud Bay) and smaller outfits who are trying to find a foothold in the region. We decided to focus on the more unknown brands that caught our attention. We met father and son duo Kevin O’Brien of Kangarilla Road Vineyard (sustainable wines) and Charlie O’Brien of Silent Noise (natural wines), of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Kangarilla Road vineyard respects each grape variety, and they have taken the leaves of each grape, showing off the leaf’s structure and form, using it as its portfolios label design. They practice sustainable wine production by choosing organic and bio-dynamics grapes, and making sure the wine making process is respectful of the environment. The Primitivo is what piqued our curiosity. We know that this Italian grape variety is not common in McLaren Vale, so it is rare to find. The Devil’s Whiskers 2018 Shiraz was also a delicious standout in their line for us. This wine as all what you can expect of a Shiraz from McLaren Vale. Its expression is true from its fruit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Majestic Putney (@majesticwineputney) Silent Noise‘s Charlie O’Brien is the youngest winemaker in McLaren Vale to have his own line of natural wines. For those not yet familiar with this wine trend (not just a trend, but finally here to stay), it is good for you as they have no industrial additives, no sulfites, using the best natural process in wine making and by its process of using only indigenous grape varieties on their regions. (We’ll go into natural wines more in an upcoming article). The 2022 Silent Noise FRO was our favorite. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Silent Noise (@silentnoisewine) Ministry of Clouds is the winery that blew our minds. They have a dizzying lineup of fantastic wines we still can’t get over from. Definitely our favorite from this year’s Vinexpo Asia. Their wines are elegant and gastronomic.The winery is the brainchild of the couple Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood. They have a modern take on classic styles. They clearly love wine, and this binds them together and allows them to create these beautiful expressions. Their Rosé is bone dry and their Grenache has lifted fruity aromatic and black fruit notes. The Pinot Syrah was a stunning standout. Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of “golden joinery”, was the inspiration for their limited releases made of a blend of the best grapes of the year. It is elegant, layered, with bright acidity. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ministry Of Clouds Wines (@ministryofcloudswines) Howard Park, a sustainable wine maker from Margaret River, Western Australia, also made an impression on us (we loved their Cabernet Sauvignon). We also enjoyed Petite Selve and Bonnet Huteau Vignerons from France, and Sunu and Betz Family Wine from Washington. TALKS AND MASTERCLASSES Empowering Women in Wine & Spirits talk The Vinexpo Academy offered guests exclusive tasting sessions, industry talks, and award ceremonies. The Empowering Women in Wine & Spirits talk led by Nimmi Malhotra was a great discourse on the challenges and triumphs of women in the industry. The Leveraging Top 10 Wine & Spirits Market Trends in Asia talk provided valuable insights on trends, latest figures, opportunities, and challenges in key Asian markets. Star Wine List, the global guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants, presented their first Asian wine list awards (The Philippines wasn’t included in this year’s list, but we’re hoping Star WIne List establishes itself here in the near future.). The History of California in 5 Glasses masterclass looked into the history of California wines through a tasting of five wines. There were many more masterclasses and talks we were interested in, but a lot of them were already full or conflicted with other classes and also took time away from exploring the exhibition floor. Star WIne List Awards OTHER SPIRITS Wine may have been the star of the trade show, but other spirits were the supporting cast, and provided a respite from the free flowing wine. Cognac, French whisky brand Bellevoy, Sovinello 2Go RTD Spritz, Neisson Rhum from Martinique caught our attention. But Sentir Mezcal captured our taste buds. Sentir Mezcal cocktails section Premium Sentir Mezcal PRESS AND BUSINESS AREA Vinexpo is a tradeshow, first and foremost, so facilitating business meetings was key to the event’s success. Having a designated area for this purpose, with private rooms and pocket zones, was essential. Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium Group, expressed his delight at Vinexpo Asia’s highly praised comeback, stating: “The positive feedback about this year’s event in Singapore demonstrated the immense potential and significance of the Asian market for the wine and spirits industry. We are excited to announce that Vinexpo Asia 2024 will be held in Hong Kong, building upon the achievements of this year’s edition as well as in Singapore in 2025. We look forward to further empowering the industry and delivering even greater value to our participants in the future years.” Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium Group | from The Drinks Business Vinexpo Asia 2023 was a resounding success and has certainly made an impression on the whole region. The annual event is committed to delivering a world-class experience and fostering business connection and is a driving force in elevating the wine and spirits industry in Asia. Vinexpo Asia 2023’s success sets up the stage for the next Vinexpo Asia 2024 in Hong Kong and Vinexpo Asia 2025 in Singapore. Visit the Vinexpo Asia website for more details and follow Vinexposium on Facebook and Instagram for news and updates about future events.