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In the early 1950s, the first wine ship, the new Linth, docked at Zurich’s Bürkliplatz – the Expovina wine fair was born. Nearly 70 years later, this 15-day wine fair attracts approximately 70,000 visitors each year with its eleven wine cruises. Expovina general manager Pascal Schlittler (59) gives information about the behind-the-scenes of the big event in his interview with Blick.
Mr. Schlittler, in a few days Expovina Weinschiff, one of the largest wine fairs in Switzerland, will begin. Are you ready?
Pascal Schlittler: In any case! We are prepared and we are really looking forward to it.
After a break due to the pandemic, the first Expovina Wine Cruise event took place last year under your leadership. What conclusion did you draw?
We have achieved a lot in a short time. Participation in last year’s edition was quite high and we also implemented many new ideas. For example, an electronic calendar (electronic fair application or catalogue) or food stores on the pier in front of the ships.
Were you happy with everything?
Not exactly, labels still have potential. Last year, our guest country, Armenia, was very excited. But as Swiss wines continue to evolve, I increasingly ask myself whether we need to focus more on our country.
Is this why the canton of Vaud is the largest guest region this time?
That’s one reason. Expovina and Vaud have been friends for decades. In the past, when Expovina had a problem or two, the people of Vaud were always there for us. When the Office des Vins Vaudois suggested choosing Vaud as the host region, we immediately agreed. Did you know that there are eight different AOCs in the canton of Vaud alone? Approximately 18 Vaud winemakers will present their latest products at MS Rosenstadt. So there’s a lot to discover. By the way, these are all small businesses and offers change every day.
Do Swiss wines also make up a large proportion overall?
Half of the approximately 4,000 wines probably come from Switzerland. Special attention is also paid to the award-winning wines of the Expovina Wine Trophy 2023. Many Swiss wines won this year.
What does Expovina think about natural wines, PIWIs or non-alcoholic wines?
Demand for wines in these categories remains relatively modest. With the host countries Armenia and Georgia, we already had a lot of natural wines on our ships in the past. With the newly introduced Expovina pop-up concept Neptun, we actually have a good platform to give more stage to these types of wines.
Pop-up concept Neptune?
Not every wine shop can afford to rent a booth on one of our wine ships for two weeks. That’s why there are now pop-ups where individual stands are rented on a weekly basis. Smaller wine shops should also have the opportunity to promote their wines. I want to have a full pop-up next year! This year the offer was well received as all the pop-up stands were already full.
In the past, wine stores made half their annual sales during the two weeks of the Expovina Wine Cruise. Is this still the case today?
No way. While visitors used to order wine by the case, today they order individual bottles. In general, we think that cost pressure is increasing in the wine industry. Retailers have to fight harder for every franc of sales than they did a decade ago.
You are also giving master classes this year, what can you tell us about them?
I’m particularly proud of this. Almost every day, experts from the wine world comment on exciting wine topics. On Saturday, November 4, Master of Wine Ivan Barbic will give a masterclass on the Best-of Expovina Wine Award 2023. A basic etiquette course or a sparkling private lesson on sparkling wines will also be offered.
What are your suggestions for the quietest times and days to visit?
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are the quietest times between 13.00 and 15.00. It is busiest from half past four to seven in the evening. Thursday, Friday and Saturday will probably be the most visited days this year.
Finally, do you have any insider tips for our readers?
With just a few minutes of preparation, you can easily choose the booths you really want to visit at home. Experience has shown that people always spontaneously stop at other stands when going between individual stands, but this method allows them to taste their favorite wines. My personal highlight this year is our fondue boat. Melted cheese became an indispensable part of this year’s guest area, matching perfectly with Vaud white wines.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
