Second EUROVINO Day delivers concentrated industry expertise on successful wine distribution in challenging times
Last Friday, 9 January 2026, the second edition of EUROVINO Day took place at Messe Karlsruhe to kick off the new 2026 trade fair year.
The talk and networking format offered the numerous attendees from wine production and marketing, as well as trade, gastronomy and the press, the opportunity to hear the expertise of high-ranking and experienced specialists from the industry in a keynote speech and two subsequent panel discussions and to gain insights from them. This year, both panel discussions were dedicated to the overarching theme ‘Successful wine distribution in challenging times: ideas and solutions for sales to retailers and upmarket restaurants’.
EUROVINO Day also included preliminary information about the third edition of EUROVINO – trade fair for wine on 1 and 2 March 2026 and encouraged personal exchanges between attendees during a get-together.
‘We are delighted that so many industry players have once again taken advantage of the networking opportunities and additional knowledge offered by EUROVINO Day shortly after the Christmas holidays. The high turnout confirms that EUROVINO Day is a format tailored to the needs of the industry and highlights the importance of the topics and issues addressed. This format, away from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair, proves to be ideal for intensive discussion of these topics,’ explained Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. Together with David Köhler, leading project manager of EUROVINO, she gave an insight into this year's edition of the wine trade fair at the start of EUROVINO Day. Current information on this can be found in the press kit.
In medias res: Experts provide insights from and for practice
Matthias Abt, Sales Manager at Saffer Wein, kicked off this year's EUROVINO Day theme and the two subsequent panel discussions with his keynote speech entitled ‘2026 – What is the market doing, what are we doing? A status assessment and orientation for producers, retailers and restaurateurs‘. He summarized: ’We are experiencing a market in transition, in the process of market consolidation. If you want to be successful, you have to focus on the basics. The starting point is always an excellent product. An efficient cost structure. Focus on one sales channel, specialized expertise.’
Following on from the keynote speech, the first panel discussion, moderated by Dr Hermann Pilz, Chairman of the EUROVINO Advisory Board, focused on trade and addressed the following question: ‘Trade meets selection with a system: what are the decisive success factors for producers and marketers?’
Prof. Dr. Ruth Fleuchaus, professor of wine marketing and management at Heilbronn University, summarized the scientific perspective: ‘The success factors for the wine trade of the future are clear profiling, curated assortments and data-based decisions. Transparency regarding origin, sustainability and quality creates trust. Digital distribution channels, storytelling and individual advice strengthen customer loyalty. Added-value concepts and emotional services surrounding the product can make wine more attractive as a product group.’
Bertram Völkle, owner of Edeka Bertram Völkle Stutensee, also emphasized the aspects of storytelling and advice from a retail perspective: ‘Customers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive and place even more value on a good price-pleasure ratio for wines and customer-oriented services, such as wine tastings, expert advice, interesting storytelling and the appropriate product range.’ For Axel Neiß, owner of Weingut Neiss Kindenheim, the aspect of cooperation within the value chain also plays a decisive role from a producer's perspective: ‘From our point of view, it is not only the quality in the glass that determines success, but also the nature of the collaboration. High quality standards in the vineyard and cellar, combined with clear planning, reliability and market understanding, create the basis for sustainable success. We particularly value partnerships with retailers and restaurateurs who professionally market high-quality wines and work together to develop them further.’
Further insights into the panel discussion on the focus on trade, in which Katja Felke, managing director of Silkes Weinkeller, and Johannes Radke, wine consultant at Weinladen Schmidt, also shared their expertise, Matthias Abt's keynote speech and the preview of EUROVINO 2026 with Britta Wirtz and David Köhler are provided in the full-length live stream on topic block I (held in German). This can be found here at any time.
The second panel discussion of the afternoon, focusing on gastronomy and led by Denis Duhme, wine academic, WSET and sommelier trainer, and first chairman of ‘Die Weinreferenten’ (The Wine Consultants), addressed the question ‘Between enjoyment and calculation: what determines wine purchasing and placement in upscale gastronomy?’
Here, too, representatives from both the supplier and consumer sides engaged in discussion, such as Marcel Kazda, head chef at Garbo zum Löwen in Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen and thus a representative of the catering industry, who emphasized: ‘For me, wine purchasing and placement are determined by the personality of the winemaker, the philosophy of the winery and its wines, which stand out thanks to craftsmanship, care and clean cellar work. They must be created with the same passion and heart that we put into our work in the kitchen and service. Wine is part of a whole, must convince the sommelier and be fairly priced – not cheap, but honestly priced, so that appreciation remains palpable for all sides.’
Jasmin Ohlendorf, hotel manager at Renthof Kassel, added: ‘In upscale gastronomy, it is not only price and margin that determine wine purchasing and placement, but above all emotion, storytelling and reliability. Guests want to experience where a wine comes from and what it stands for – and we need partners who offer quality, continuity and personal contact.’ An opinion that Philipp Gericke, managing director of Wein Wolf, largely underscored with his words: ‘From a distributor's point of view, the answer to the question is: service-oriented solutions offer added value for restaurateurs; the price per bottle is not necessarily the deciding factor.’
The second panel discussion (held in German) with the other participants Susanne Platzer, wine academic and managing director of Culinarium Bavaricum powered by RebBlut, Bettina Schumann, Weinhaus Bettina Schumann (Kaiserstuhl), and sommelier Philipp Spielmann, also from Garbo zum Löwen, can be viewed in full here at any time.
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About EUROVINO
Located in the center of the four largest German wine-growing regions of Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden and Württemberg, EUROVINO is aimed at wine producers, marketers and buyers focusing on the German-speaking and European sales market. Additional content on EUROVINO is available on the trade fair's website at eurovino.info/en and on the social media channels LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Information for visitors, including tickets (identification as a trade visitor is required), can be found at eurovino.info/visit. Relevant information for (potential) exhibitors can be found in the overview at eurovino.info/exhibit.
