WBWE and the future of wine exhibitions
· 2 min read

Business cannot stop, which is why World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) Asia is launching its latest innovation: The Virtual Wine Exhibition (VWE).
The VWE is an online trading system by which wineries can establish direct contact with buyers through virtual communication technologies such as High Definition screens. This way wineries and producers can maintain a stand at the fair without having to move from their country of origin.
How does Virtual Wine Exhibition work?
Wineries send their wines to China via a secure system. The samples are received, processed and transferred to the fair by WBWE team, guaranteeing optimum care and logistics.
The samples will be displayed at the fair in the standard way: including the promotional support of a stand with the image, logo and staff at the winery’s disposal.
Meetings will be carried out at the winery’s stand where Chinese professionals will be able to taste wine assisted by the staff representing the winery and an English/Chinese translation service. They will be able to resolve any queries and close deals with the winery managers via the Virtual Wine Exhibition’s high tech communication system.
The fair assures the attendance of professionals from China: buyers, supermarket purchasing managers, consultants from major chains, managers of leading distribution companies in Asia, the media, etc. – all of whom will receive information about the participating wineries in advance.
This way winery managers will be able to do business from their offices or place of origin, while virtually attending the fair with the same trading warranty as if they were in China.
It’s still too soon to be certain that the fairs of the future will follow this route, but no-one wants to risk stopping exports while they wait to see what unfolds.
China thirst for wine is greater than ever. So see you at the Virtual Wine Exhibition on 12 and 13 July in Yantai (China).
More from
Markets, business and trade

Does Government know what it’s costing you?
A decision made in Pretoria can change the way a wine business operates. But who makes sure the people making those decisions understand what happens on the ground? South Africa Wine’s Jordyn Goeieman takes us inside the often unseen work of influencing the policies that affect the industry.

All roads lead to Wine Paris
With professionals from more than 169 countries attending Wine Paris in 2026, the exhibition has become an increasingly important meeting point for the global wine trade. Nicolas Cuissard, Director of Wine Paris, speaks to WineLand about the exhibition’s growing international influence, opportunities for South African producers and what it takes to turn participation into business.

Before you bottle it, can you sell it?
A good wine and an attractive label are not enough to build a sustainable business. South Africa Wine’s Phil Bowes explains why finding customers, testing assumptions and understanding the numbers should come before committing to a new wine brand.
