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The CEE Wine Fair premieres in London

Organised by Wine Communication, the inaugural tasting event will unite producers from various countries across the region, spanning the Danube to the Black Sea.

The event will showcase producers from 14 countries where attendees will have the chance to discover an array of unique grapes, from Alibernet and Areni to Zghihară and Žilavka, and sample wines from the region’s western to eastern borders. 

• Read more: Furmint February in the spotlight
  

Organisers will hope the tasting will gain more attention than any one country can achieve on its own. The likes of Furmint February and The World of Slovak Wines tastings have helped propel Eastern Europe further into the UK trade’s spotlight, but by pooling resources together, visitor numbers will likely exceed those individual tastings, benefitting the region as a whole.

Exhibitors will comprise wineries seeking representation in the UK market, alongside distributors and importers already featuring CEE wines.

The brainchild of Zsuzsa Toronyi and Caroline Gilby MW of Wine Communication, specialists in CEE wines, the event will spotlight some of the finest wines from this under-tapped part of Europe.

Caroline Gilby MW said: “I've been working in and writing about this region since the beginning of the modern era, and I've seen a complete revolution in winemaking. I have long wanted to share these wines with their authentic but personal stories and tales of challenges overcome. This wine fair is a great opportunity to do just that along with my like-minded event partner Zsuzsa Toronyi.”

Highlighting the appeal of CEE wines to the UK trade, Toronyi added, “For the UK trade, wines from Central and Eastern Europe offer a great opportunity to add interest and excitement, along with new stories, to their wine ranges. After all, this is the last undiscovered part of the wine world with deep authentic roots, unique grapes and modern winemaking combining to bring high quality in the bottle.”

As part of the event, Gilby will lead two masterclasses introducing attendees to the countries and the wines. Wineries seeking distribution will be represented by owners or winemakers, while producers with UK agents will aim to raise awareness among the press, retailers, independents and sommeliers.

The tasting follows the sixth edition of Furmint February in the UK, a tasting with ever-growing visitor numbers designed to educate attendees on the evolution of Hungary's flagship grape Furmint.

According to Wines of Hungary, exports of Hungarian wine to the UK are rising by some 30% a year based on figures for the past five years, with sales in 2022 reaching 7.1m bottles worth around €10.2m. The UK is now the most important market for quality wine exports (some 20% of Hungary’s total).

To sign up for the Ultimate Central & Eastern Europe Wine Fair 2024 click here.

• Caroline Gilby MW
• CEE
• Zsuzsa Toronyi
• Wine Communication
• Ultimate Central & Eastern Europe Wine Fair