How to Navigate a Wine Fair

How To Navigate a Wine Fair

Bryce Sanders, President

Perceptive Business Solutions Inc.

You know all about trade shows.? Sometimes they are limited to industry professionals.? Others are consumer shows.? Hundreds of exhibitors set up booths in near rows.? Held in a convention hall, it’s like an indoor city with streets.? As a wine fan, you might have the opportunity to attend one of these events, often called a wine fair.? You pay for admission.? How can you maximize the experience?

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I attended one in New York City in November.? 200+ exhibitors, many showcasing the finest wines in the world.? It wasn’t cheap, yet the experience represented good value for committed wine fans like me.? This two-and-a-half-hour experience required a plan.

1.????? Plan to spend the night.? There is no way anyone should sample wines nonstop for over two hours, then get behind the wheel of a car at night.? What could possibly go wrong?? We booked tickets in the summer, but we booked a hotel room in the Spring.? Book early.? The closer you get to the date, the higher the hotel room rates, as more conventions are booked at the same time.

2.????? Have a plan.? Weeks before the event, the organization published the floor plans, showing the location of each exhibitor booth.? I went over the map with a yellow highlighter, picking out 60+ of the 200+ exhibitors I wanted to visit.? If there are wine producers you always wanted to try, this is your chance.? Don’t plan on using the random walk theory.

3.????? Have a large lunch.? That was part of my plan.? I found a good French restaurant, opted for Cassoulet and tried to limit my wine intake at lunch. (I was unsuccessful).? You want some solid food in your system before tasting wines.

4.????? It is OK to pour away wine.? Attendees walked around with a wine glass in hand.? All the exhibitor stands has waste buckets and carafes of water.? Some wines you want to finish.? Others you try and can pour out the excess.?

5.????? Drink plenty of water.? Although the wine producer, owner or exhibitor might be only pouring a taste, 60+ wines add up!? I tried drinking some water between each wine.? There were bottles on hand, but I was fine with the carafes.

6.????? Eat some food.? My strategy was to divide the evening event into 30-minute segments.? I would walk and taste for a while, take a break, then get back to “work.”? The event put out two great spreads of food.? One was antipasto themed cold food and the second, on the addition exhibition floor was hot dishes like sliced steak.? I confess I did nor follow my own advice.? I stopped and rested but skipped eating.

7.????? Engage with the winemakers.? These events often have the famous winemakers themselves, on hand pouring their wines.? Although they only pour a taste into your glass, I suspect they would pour again if you were chatting with them.? This is an opportunity to learn about their best vintages and what made them great.

8.????? Bring back literature.? Like industry conferences, each exhibitor usually has fact sheets and business cards.? The business cards are handy because (I suspect) they would be open to arranging a personal tour, or at least a small group tour, if you visited their property and gave advance notice.? This helps you organize your thoughts afterwards.

The one thing I wish I did was to bring a friend.? This can be fun as a solo activity, but it helps to have a friend you can nudge while saying. “Isn’t this great!”? That will be part of my plan for next year.

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Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc.? He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry.? His book, “Captivating the Wealthy Investor” is available on Amazon.