|  After four years of existence, the WBWE event is considered a unique place for debate and crucial decision-making about the bulk wine market, which represents between 35% and 40% of the global trade generating €2.5-3.0 million in exports. The exhibition is endorsed by the International Organisation of Vines and Wines (OIV) which India joined in 2011.
Federico Castellucci, the Director General of OIV, who had come to Delhi in September last year as a special guest at the 200th wine event and the 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner of the Delhi Wine Club at Hotel Hyatt Regency, will inaugurate the conference the theme for which is, ‘Which wines do consumers prefer? A journey across the favorite varieties and wines of the consumer countries”.
Castellucci, who is a firm supporter of the exhibition, informs delWine from New York, ‘I have always been supporting the exhibition since I believe we must take into account this particular aspect of the market which constitutes 40% of the export in quantity, 10% in value and is very sensitive to the basic prices fluctuating from one country to the other for supply.’
Definition of bulk wine is rather nebulous at the moment. Federico elaborates, ‘any container beyond two liters is considered bulk. This gives us no transparency for statistics of the huge Bag in box market and similar containers. OIV has requested the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to modify the combined nomenclature taking this issue into account. Basically, we believe that containers beyond at least ten liters should be considered as bulk.’ Commenting on the issue of wines bottled by producers in their wineries vs. that of the bottlers, he admits, ‘of course the bulk wine trade gives more advantages to the traders than the growers. But it may help the growers in some surplus situations.’ Since long, OIV has established a set of rules for safe bulk wine transportation and storage.
 Organized by the Spanish company Pomona Keepers, the WBWE positions itself as an exclusive space for dissemination of latest information about what is the latest in bulk wines from around the world, fresh after the harvest. Last year 130 producers from 11 countries showcased their products to around 4000 visitors from over 40 different countries. The Wine Group and Kendall Farms from the USA, Caviro and Cantina di Soave, two of several Italian co-operatives, took part in the Exhibition. Both France and Italy were well represented as producers, besides several wineries that attended from Argentina, Australia, Chile, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, South Africa and Uruguay.
A.S Wadhwa, CEO and Director of Delhi-based import company, Nature’s Bounty was one of the visitors. He says it was a worthwhile experience and they started dialogue with a couple of participants and he hopes to be there this year as well.
World Bulk Wine Exhibition does not claim to be a wine fair oriented towards mass participation. But according to the organisers, 30% of total world production showcasing their products ensures that the buyers are offered good choices. Marie Lange, Head of Purchasing of a Swiss company endorses the view. Her company Bataillard AG is an importer with bottling facilities in Switzerland. They buy bulk wine from several countries including China and bottle them as bottled-in-origin wines from those countries; wine laws within the non-EU Switzerland allow that possibility. She is a frequent visitor to the WBWE and already buys from some of the participants. Looking for new sources, she informs delWine that she plans to attend this year as well.
Another regular visitor who can be spotted because of his distinguished white beard is John Salvi MW, who is a regular panelist with his wife Petronella at one of the conference events. Just back in Bordeaux after a month long trip to China, he says, ‘It’s a show organisd by the Spanish and is very Spanish in the way things are organised. However as bulk wine shipments are increasing exponentially in many countries, it is becoming very important and is attracting major buyers such as the Canadian and Scandinavian Monopolies.’
 Highly recommending to those in India and elsewhere seriously interested in bulk imports he says, ‘whichever way you look at it, and however it is organised, bulk wine shipments are massive today-even in England. Bag in box, cheaper shipping costs and carbon footprints are major reasons for it.’
Indian producers looking for bulk wines would be interested in the Exhibition as many of these participants offer bottling and private labeling as well. No other venue presents as grand an opportunity as WBWE to taste bulk wines from over a hundred producers. Paul Robert Blom, a wine broker in Netherlands and a fellow judge at Mundusvini, lives in the north of Amsterdam. He is a regular visitor and supporter of the show and its venue. ‘Other big cities like London and Frankfurt are not very convenient places. Amsterdam is a very central hub and there are trains to the venue Amsterdam RAI, every 7 minutes from the airport. One can come in the morning and return in the evening,’ he says. He does caution that the Show is more a trade oriented than a winery oriented event.
For an earlier article, visit World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam . If you are interested to visit the show and would like more details, please visit:
http://www.worldbulkwine.com
Subhash Arora
Tags: World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE), Amsterdam, International Organisation of Vines and Wines (OIV), Federico Castellucci, Bulk Wine, Pomona Keepers, Bataillard AG, John Salvi MW, |