If I had to choose one single wine show to go to I would have a hard time choose between Millésime Bio and Vinisud. But since Millésime Bio has just finished I must admit that it is at the top of my mind, at least at the moment. It has some great advantages. Fore example: it is of reasonable size and above all, the average quality of the exhibitors is excellent, and it is does not have any gigantic plenty-of-marketing-dollars stands.
I freely admit that the fact that it is “bio”, organic wine, does not count for me as a main advantage (nor drawback). My main focus is the quality of the wines and if the producer happens to be organic – fine (and they all are at MB). The show is great for someone who is looking for new, small to medium size, character full wineries.
The most challenging thing with a wine fair like this, at least if you go there to discover new producers, is to know who to visit. There are many hundreds of wine producers and you have to make a stringent selection. Do your homework, read what others say, as for recommendations etc. I have been very lucky this year – I met many very interesting producers, some old but mostly new.
If you plan to go there next year (or if you just want some good names) here is a list of some of those that I met this year at MB and that I warmly recommend for you to try, in no particular order:
- Meinklang, Austria
- Pares Balta, Spain (Catalonia)
- Viña Ijalba, Spain
- San Polino, Italy
- Badia a Coltibuono, Italy (Chianti)
- Bott-Geyl, Alsace
- Domain Meyer, Alsace
- Marcel Deiss, Alsace
- Domaine Duseigneur, Rhône
- Plantamur, Italy (Puglia)
- Domaine Grand Guilhem, Languedoc
- Clos de l’Anhel, Languedoc
- Domaine Turner Pageot, Languedoc
- Domaine Canet Valette, Languedoc
- Thierry Valette / Clos Puy Arnaud, Bordeaux
- Bret Brothers / Domaine la Soufrandière, Burgundy
- Domaine Conte de Floris, Languedoc
