Jean-Hugues Gros, wine merchant at Odisseia Wines in Portugal (100,000 L of production) found the Hopwine concept interesting: “I said to myself why not! The website was well designed, with detailed files to know the winegrowers and their ranges, sorted by region. The tasting samples may have been a bit small, allowing professionals to sample only once. However, this avoids sending entire bottles of the range to each prospect. For about forty people interested, the cost came to me at less than 2000 euros. For a classic show, just exporting the range to interested customers would have cost me more! Not to mention the savings in transport, accommodation, etc … Of course, you do not have direct contact with clients, but you can contact them again afterwards. I am ready to repeat the experience of the virtual fair. “

Louis Poitout observes that the show attracted “restaurants or wine merchants who never make the trip to the usual professional salons”. He also appreciated that the contact professions were clearly indicated.
In the end, he believes he has gained new contacts that he considers promising, including a New York restaurateur and wine merchant whose contact details he gave to his importer. “I found the applicants to be interesting. There weren’t too many “tourists” compared to some lounges “.

Françoise Feuillat-Juillot and her daughter Camille were also won over by the idea. “It allowed us to stay in touch with prospects and customers and to have contacts in new countries. Beyond the fair itself, they also appreciated the presence that this induced on social networks for their field, thanks to the communication made at the show.

Because of this dear pandemic, I have seen a number of shows being canceled one after the other. For a professional always on the lookout for new talent, this is a bit boring. Hopwine fell like a blessing. In a simple and intuitive way, I was able to order the tasting boxes to taste. And I even went to meet after the deconfinement of one of the areas which was a real crush for me. My only regret is that many exhibitors refused to send samples to pure internet players.

I’m in Australia and received my samples from Hopwine. I’m incredibly impressed by the quality of the samples. I was really sceptical about how the wine would taste after transfer into small plastic bottles before being transported 16,000km across the planet (via Cologne/Germany, Kentucky/USA, and Hawaii to Australia with UPS!) but they taste completely unaffected by the process. Very impressed. Bravo Hopwine and bravo Vinovae!»

The Hopwine Wine Fair was a very pleasant experience: while I was initially cautious in principle, appreciating by nature the contact with the harvesting producers and their tastings, the route offered by Hopwine turned out to be very effective.

First step: the website allows you to discover the producers and their offers in a very rich way, and the virtual stand visit is very natural and fluid, as is the choice of samples.

Second moment: the reception of the tasting samples took place on schedule, and what a pleasant surprise when opening the boxes, (moreover very careful in their presentation): each sample reproduces the dressing of the wine of the producer!

Last step, the tasting session: a real success. The dose is sufficient, all the wines perfectly preserved, and being able to taste all the series of wines in succession is a real plus, especially in a context of calm much more conducive to concentration and analysis than a living room. “real” in which the tasting conditions will be more uncertain.

Thanks to Hopwine for this new, very efficient way of discovering new wines, while saving time and saving travel.