Organised by the Inter-professional Association of Organic Wines from Languedoc-Roussillon (AIVB – LR), the next Millésime Bio trade fair will be held at the Exhibition Centre in Montpellier (in Hérault, Southern France) from Monday January 26th to Wednesday January 28th, 2009. Millésime Bio is the world’s only trade fair devoted to organic wines and reserved to professionals. In order to meet the expectations of wine buyers seeking to assemble a comprehensive range of organic wines, Millésime Bio will be hosting over 300 exhibitors this year (winegrowers, packagers and shippers) from Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Romania and more.
“The” organic wine trade fair changes address
This country and company diversity makes it the leading trade fair for professionals, who are fully aware of the fact, witness the constant increase in the number of visitors since its creation (over 1,000 visitors, including one-third foreign, in 2008, representing a 30% increase). In response to such success, since 2008 the trade fair alternates between Montpellier in odd years and Perpignan in even years, which facilitates:
- Working under better conditions, thanks to increased exhibition space
- Easier accommodation with extended and diversified hotel capacity
- Straightforward airline access
A one-of-a-kind trade fair, sociable and highly professional
The characteristics that have made the success of Millésime Bio remain unchanged:
- A professional trade fair exclusively devoted to wines made with grapes from organic farming
- A way of presenting the wines that is egalitarian and identical for all
- A self-service wine tasting area to introduce new products
- A sociable atmosphere for professional sampling, with catering available within trade fair premises
Millésime Bio Contest: Millésime Bio trade fair’s international wine competition
The second edition of “Millésime Bio Contest”, Millésime Bio trade fair’s competition for wines made with grapes from organic farming, takes place every year in November. The awarding of medal-winning wines’ diplomas will be held on January 27th, 2009 at the Millésime Bio trade fair 2009.
The purpose of this competition is to foster acknowledgment of organic wine quality, as testified by the many medals awarded to organic winegrowers in conventional wine competitions.
The organic food industry: a booming market
Organic winegrowing provides answers to our planet’s major environmental challenges: protecting water quality, protecting winegrowers’ and consumers’ health, maintaining biodiversity, diversifying ventures in rural areas, etc.
According to IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), by late 2006 organic farming accounted for a total surface area of 30 million hectares, all surfaces considered, representing almost a threefold increase in the worldwide certified surface area between 1999 and 2006. Worldwide turnover stood at about €25bn, a 53% increase as compared to 2000.
In 2007 in France, organically-farmed vineyards accounted for close to 22,500 hectares, an increase in excess of 20% as compared to 2006; Languedoc-Rousillon was the 1st organic vineyard in France (6,140 hectares), followed by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (5,294 hectares) and Aquitaine (3,065 hectares).
