Catalan wines show the sector's business strength at ProWein in Düsseldorf

Catalan wines will be strongly represented at ProWein 2023, held from 19 to 21 March in Düsseldorf (Germany), with more than 125 Catalan wineries from the 12 designations of origin recognised in Catalonia, 90 of them (plus 4 wine associations) under the agri-food brand "Catalonia, where wine is culture", organised through the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda – PRODECA.

Catalonia's institutional stand will have an exhibition space of more than 650m², allowing it to showcase the sector's wine potential in a strategic agri-food market such as Germany. For wine and cava, Germany and ProWein are the gateway to the European market, and the participating Catalan companies will be able to show their products to buyers from more than 60 countries. 

ProWein is Europe's most prestigious wine fair , with almost 6,000 international exhibitors  and an estimated 60,000-plus buyers attending. The fair is aimed exclusively at trade visitors from sectors including catering services, hotels, hospitality, wine and spirits shops, wholesale and retail outlets, import and export and online sales. Held annually, in 2023 the fair returns to its usual dates after the 2020 and 2021 cancellations and the 2022 change of dates. 

Catalonia's institutional participation in ProWein through PRODECA reflects the sector's commercial commitment internationally. Taking part in the fair allows the participating wineries to establish and consolidate trade contacts in one of the main buying markets for Catalan wines and cavas.

Catalan wineries taking part in ProWein:

PRODECA and INCAVI present the international Catalan Wines website

PRODECA's managing director, Ramon Sentmartí, and the director general of the Catalan Institute of Vine and Wine (INCAVI), Alba Balcells, will visit the fair on 19 and 20 March and discuss with the participating wineries the commercial impact of taking part. The directors of PRODECA and INCAVI will present the international website catalanwines.com on Monday 20 March at 10.30am , for promoting and publicising Catalan wine and wine culture. This new tool, run by INCAVI, is at the service of the whole wine sector and aims to be the gateway to Catalan wine for international audiences wanting to learn about the reality and history of Catalonia's wines and vineyards.

The website delivers on INCAVI's Strategic Plan, #HoritzóINCAVI2025, drawn up by consensus with the sector and its various players. It launches a web portal bringing together the country's history, Designations of Origin and collective brands, wineries and wine tourism offers, to present and explain them around the world.

Catalan wineries' commercial news at ProWein

ProWein will also be an opportunity for the companies taking part under the brand "Catalonia, where wine is culture" to present their latest commercial and corporate news. The fair is the ideal occasion for wineries to introduce their new wines and cavas to international audiences, such as Buil & Giné, Clos Montblanc, Empordàlia, Sumarroca, Vinya Escudé, Avgvstus Forvm, Acústic, Albet i Noya, U mes u, Caves Bolet, Vinícola de Nulles and Wine in Tube.  The latter also plans to present a new packaging format to improve product preservation and transport and reduce environmental impact. 

The cava industry association AECAVA, taking part in ProWein with 11 wineries, will be present for the first time under the "Comtats de Barcelona" designation.

ProWein is a place for Catalan wineries to meet, celebrate and present new launches. Acústic, marking its 20th anniversary this year, is announcing its new 2,000 m² winery at Finca l'Hostal, on the outskirts of Marçà (Priorat). Buil & Giné will again receive Gold in the 2023 Mundus Vini awards, run by the prestigious German publisher Meininger Verlag, for its Giné Giné and Joan Giné wines. These are some of the announcements to be made at ProWein.

Germany, wine's gateway to Europe

The wine and cava sector exported €632.20 million in 2022, growth of 1.97% in value and a fall of 2.77% in volume on 2021. Cava is consolidating as the sector's driver with 50% of value and 55% of export volume, growing 5.11% in value and 6.75% in volume. Wine, by contrast, saw exports fall 3.24% in value and 17.38% in volume on 2021 because of declines in its two main destination markets (the United Kingdom and the United States). 

Catalonia exports its wines and cava to 157 markets worldwide. More than 44% goes to European Union countries and 55% to third markets. The European Union accounts for almost half of world wine and cava consumption: according to Euromonitor International, consumption is expected to grow by more than 4% in volume over the next four years.

Germany, the second destination worldwide for Catalan wine and cava exports and the first in Europe, imported Catalan wines and cavas worth €71.39 million, down 4.58% on the previous year because of falling household consumption (4%) and that market's own imports (21.75%).

For all these reasons, ProWein is the gateway to other European markets for many Catalan wine companies. The preference for wines from within the EU, PDO or PGI wines and varietal wines makes Catalan wineries particularly appreciated in the European market.