Crowded stands like Famille Perrin, Champagne Henri Giraud, Boisset, the 12 families of the Primum Familiae Vini association, as well as major players like the head of Total Wine, representatives of Canadian monopolies, the world’s best sommeliers, magnificent dinners…I was impressed by Wine Paris 2025. With 80% of the most important journalists in the wine industry, we had meetings in every direction. Even more surprising: this year, Wednesday (the third and last day) was packed with appointments until 5pm, whereas my Wine Paris & Vinexpo agenda usually stopped on the second day. I was blown away by Wine Paris.
Between resilience and renewal, the world of wine has mapped out its future. Just a few years ago, who would have imagined Paris becoming the nerve center of the wine world? With 52,622 visitors, 45% of whom came from 154 countries, Wine Paris 2025 confirmed its status as the must-attend event for global players in the wine and spirits industry. But beyond the record attendance, another reality became apparent: that of a sector in the throes of change, seeking to reinvent itself in an increasingly complex economic (and climatic) context.
The contrast is striking: at a time when global statistics point to a continuing decline in wine consumption, when Bordeaux is going through one of the most serious crises in its recent history, and when the threat of new US taxes looms large, Wine Paris was the scene of a rare and unexpected enthusiasm. The show’s aisles were bursting with creative energy. The stands of the great champagne houses were there, and even Moët Hennessy (without a stand this year) attracted attention by organizing a conference on the agroecological initiatives of its vineyards.
In this climate of global uncertainty, innovation is more than ever a necessity. Of course, I was asked a lot about artificial intelligence. Conversations have also focused on the younger generations, whose expectations in terms of responsible consumption and transparency are reshaping the sector. There was also a clear desire to refocus on the customer experience, in the image of certain pioneering estates that are investing in immersive courses to reconnect consumers with the land and know-how.
Wine Paris 2025 proved that the industry, though shaken, has lost none of its ability to reinvent itself. At every stand and conference, there was this contagious optimism, driven by fruitful exchanges and a shared desire to rebuild. Far from being a mere trade show, Wine Paris has become a veritable laboratory of ideas. While the current period could lend itself to fatalism, it was boldness and innovation that dominated these three days. While the future remains uncertain, one thing is certain: the world of wine still has a lot to offer, provided we reinvent ourselves with courage and imagination.
Contact Guillaume Jourdan via LinkedIn
