Three days, thousands of potential connections and one chance to make an impression. As South African producers prepare for Wine Paris 2027, Carolyn Martin, co-founder and marketing director of Creation Wines, shares what it takes to turn a trade exhibition into meaningful business. From choosing the right buyers to knowing which wines to pour, her advice is simple: arrive prepared, stay curious and remember that relationships matter more than business cards.

WineLand: Creation has built a strong international reputation. Why does Wine Paris remain such an important event for you?

Carolyn: Wine Paris has become one vast think tank for wine. In just three days, you can meet importers, distributors, retailers, sommeliers, media and investors, many of whom arrive knowing exactly what they are looking for and have the authority to make decisions.

For Creation, it is an opportunity to strengthen relationships with existing partners, explore new markets and participate in broader conversations about where the wine industry is heading. Having all those people under one roof makes it an essential part of our international strategy.

 

WineLand: With so many potential buyers, how do you decide who to meet and which wines to take?

Carolyn: Our existing partners always come first. Those relationships are the foundation of our business.

We then research potential buyers who are a genuine fit for our wines, our story and the volumes we can supply. The important meetings are booked before we leave South Africa, but we deliberately leave room for unexpected conversations at the stand.

We are also selective about the wines we present. Rather than pouring everything, we choose fewer wines that suit the buyer's profile. It makes the tasting more focused and the conversation more relevant.

 

WineLand: Hundreds of producers will be competing for attention. What makes a South African wine memorable to an international buyer?

Carolyn: Be specific. Buyers remember a wine that could only come from one place.

For Creation, that place is the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, with its cool maritime climate and ancient shale, sandstone and quartz soils. These conditions give our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay their distinctive tension and freshness.

We let the wine start the conversation and the place explain it.

But the story goes beyond geography. At Creation, terroir also includes the flora, fauna and people. We want buyers to understand that they are not simply choosing a wine. They are choosing a philosophy and the people behind it.

 

WineLand: What can producers learn at Wine Paris beyond securing new orders?

Carolyn: You get a real sense of where the international wine market is heading, directly from the people buying and selling wine.

Sustainability has become central to buyer conversations, while interest in provenance, individual vineyard sites and wine diversity continues to grow.

These conversations have influenced how we position Creation internationally. We lead with place and people rather than a long list of wines.

We also approach sustainability as regenerative leadership. It is about caring for the land, empowering people and building something that will last. That broader understanding increasingly matters to international buyers.

 

WineLand: Looking ahead to Wine Paris 2027, where do you see the opportunities for South Africa, and what would you tell a producer exhibiting for the first time?

Carolyn: I believe the timing favours South Africa. International buyers are looking for value without compromising integrity, and South Africa can offer distinctive, age-worthy wines with genuine provenance.

I would also love to see regular seminars and tastings on the South African stand. They would give us more opportunities to tell our collective story and introduce buyers to the diversity of our wines.

For producers attending for the first time, I would suggest six things:

  1. Book your meetings early. Identify the buyers you want to reach before you leave and make proper use of the event app.
  2. Know your story. Be able to explain what makes your wine different in one sentence, and have a wine that proves it.
  3. Pour fewer wines. Choose them carefully and present them with conviction.
  4. Be present. Spend time on your stand, ask questions and remain open to unexpected conversations. Some of the best opportunities are unplanned.
  5. Follow up quickly. Contact potential partners within a week, while the conversation is still fresh.
  6. Support fellow South Africans. We have a stronger story to tell together than we do individually.
  7. Above all, remember that Paris is not about collecting business cards. It is about building relationships.

Wine Paris 2027 takes place from 15 to 17 February at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Visit www.wineparis.com for more information.