Image copyright: Jean-Pierre Got 2018
My parents used to be in the import-export business in China, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Guangzhou international bi-annual trade fairs (Spring and Autumn) were to me, as a child, awe inspiring grand occasions. Not only because I vaguely understood it as a representation of China as some sort of formidable manufacturing machine for the world, but also, it was a period of personal anxiety, pride and expectations. Anxiety, because my parents would be simultaneously absent, and many weeks prior, during and after the fair they would be incredibly busy and almost unreachable, and my nanny would appear marginally meaner than usual. Pride, because my parents suddenly seemed to be rather important people, speaking in foreign tongues, being transported in style and stayed in shiny tall hotels — that really meant something special in the 80s in China — they were even wearing fresh flower lapels! And of course, great expectations, as I usually get a large selection of novelties upon their return.
Today, China is the 5th largest global importer of wine in terms of volume, and the 4th largest importer by value (OIV figures). It is expected to become the world’s second largest importer of wine by 2020, overtaking UK and France and trailing only behind the USA, with an estimated import value of $22 billion (CAWS estimates).
So it is no surprise that Guangzhou would play host to the largest and oldest professional wine and spirits exhibition in China mainland, Interwine (also held bi-annually in Spring and Autumn).
Boasting over 1, 000 exhibitors from over 50 countries under 50,000 square metres of exhibition space, it attracts similar number of visitors to the world famous Vinexpo wine exhibition – over 40,000.
Here I would like to highlight two special events at the fair:
50 Wine Posters by Jean-Pierre Got
The artist has been specially commissioned by Interwine to produce unique posters that combine the themes of China and wine.
DAWA 2018 winning wine tasting
Eight award-winning wines from the 2018 Decanter Asia Wine Awards will be available to taste at the main trade event.
Interwine: 9th – 11th November 2018, China Import & Export Fair, Pazhou Complex.
Winepeek.com 