Over 70 Sessions across Seven Stages
LONDON Wine Fair director Hannah Tovey is upbeat with this year’s annual London Wine the fair.
It is having a “bumper year.”
The international trade fair is seeing 15% year-on-year growth in 2025, despite a backdrop of tough trading conditions.
Exhibitors are upgrading to bigger stands, with standouts from Asia and emerging territories.
Now in its 43rd year, the three-day trade show takes place on 19-21 May in the newly refurbished £1.3bln Olympia London. Find out more and register here.
The event kicks off with a panel discussion on Monday, 10.15am on the Centre Stage with: Staying Grounded: Making Sense of a Rapidly Changing World, featuring Miles Beale, chief executive, Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), Simon Stannard. director of policy, WSTA, David Richardson, regulatory & commercial affairs director, WSTA.
Followed by a panel discussion: Amid the shifting tectonic plates of global trade wars, how can UK wine businesses survive (and thrive)? at 11.30am.
The main fair will see exhibitors from the usual wine regions and alternative regions – Japan, China, Romania and Serbia.
Specialist importer Vinum Eurus, who represents 10 wineries from China, is returning to the show with a huge increase in stand space.
Japan has also taken up a 50% larger stand, after its debut appearance at LWF 2024. It will be showcasing a portfolio of sake, shochu and wine.
Plus, there are 44 Portuguese wineries, all looking for listings, exhibiting in Wines Unearthed.
Wines Unearthed, co-founded by northern-based Judy Kendrick, JK Marketing, is celebrating its 10th year at the London Wine Fair.
This year, the pavilion will feature over 50 wineries from 13 countries, all seeking UK and international distribution, including 23 producers from Wines of Portugal.
Other producers include France; Spain; Italy; Germany; Austria; South Africa; Turkey; Canada; Chile; New Zealand; Switzerland; Albania; Argentina; Armenia; Belgium and Irish wine. You can find a full list of participating producers here:
France is also investing significantly at this year’s fair, with 26 independent producers exhibiting, a significant increase on 2024.
Vin IGP Méditerranée is increasing its presence by 50% on account of the continued growth of rosé wine; and CIVP. Vins De Provence will host a masterclass on the first day.
Following the success of their 2024 show; Mentzendorff have increased their footprint by 10 sq. metres, in order to showcase more of their premium portfolio.
Other UK top agents exhibiting include Awin Barratt Siegel; Buckingham Schenk; EWGA; Hatch Mansfield; Felix Solis; Lanchester Wines; Liquid Diamond Wines, Marcato Direct; Richmond Wine Agencies and WX Brands.
Signature Serve
Spirits are taking centre-stage at this year’s event, with a dedicated lounge and theatre zone.
There are 28 exhibitors showcasing spirits and mixer brands including: V Rum; Beckford’s Rum; BrewDog Distilling Co.; Brixton Spirits; Toretto; DREAMSAKE; Old Monk Rum; Mahiki Drinks; Poetica Distillery; Renais Gin; Sagrado; Distillery 031; Wolfie’s Whisky; and Karmaceuticals.
The lounge will feature rotating content and book signings from leading drinks authors and also act as s space for exhibitors to hold business meetings.
In addition, there will be a Signature Serve Theatre with four panel and tasting sessions each day, featuring speakers including Dawn Davies MW, head buyer at Speciality Drinks, Hawksmoor beverage director Liam Davey and spirits and hospitality writer Millie Milliken.
Spirits will represent around 10% of the event in 2025, where in previous years it was less than 5%.
London Wine Fair highlights
Sessions
The topics of this year’s sessions will shine a spotlight on the global economy, tariffs, duty and sustainability, beginning with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s annual State of the Nation address taking place on 19 May at 10:15am.
Look out for the Judgement of London, a tasting paying homage to Steven Spurrier’s landmark 1976 Judgement of Paris.
This year’s Icon Tasting theme is the Battle of the Bubbles, a double-blind tasting pitting Champagnes against exceptional sparkling wines from around the world.
The wines will be selected by Sarah Abbott MW, wine marketing consultant and co-founder of The Old Vine Conference; and Ronan Sayburn MS, CEO of The Court of Master Sommeliers.
This tasting will feature a panel of approximately 20 esteemed judges, including notable buyers, sommeliers and wine writers, such as Jancis Robinson OBE MW. The event will take place on Monday 20 May, with results unveiled on Centre Stage the following day.
Following on from the bubbles theme; Famille Moutard will hold a session on bubbles at 12pm in the Education Zone and host tastings with the Champagne and Burgundy house, Monday and Tuesday on Lanchester Wines stand (B30) at 2.30pm.
These sessions will explore some of Moutard’s most intriguing cuvées, including rare varietal Champagnes and elegant expressions from their expanding Burgundian range.
Northern-based Lanchester Wines will also unveil Tommy Bacco 0%, the first alcohol-free sparkling wine from Italy’s Vinicola Tombacco.
Diversity and Inclusion
London Wine Fair is introducing its Introducing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant, Alya Lilani as its DE&I ambassador.
“This appointment highlights our dedication to making London Wine Fair an inclusive event where diverse voices are valued.”
DE&I focused sessions
DE&I – from awareness to action!
Tuesday 20th May
12:45pm, Centre Stage
This panel discussion will bring voices from across the wine industry – winemakers, importers, distributors and trade professionals – to move beyond awareness and into action.
The Conversations Leaders Should Be Having – But Aren’t
Tuesday 20th May
5:15pm, Centre Stage
A candid conversation with industry leaders confronting the unspoken challenges in the UK drinks sector.
Neurodiversity: The Competitive Edge in Wine, Spirits & Hospitality
Wednesday 21st May
3:30pm, Centre Stage
Join Aidy Smith, broadcaster, journalist, inclusivity advocate and the world’s only global TV presenter with Tourette Syndrome, for a vital session exploring why neurodivergent individuals are a remarkable asset to the wine, spirits and hospitality industries.
Veritas Wine Awards Tasting – South Africa
A tasting of all the competition’s Double Gold wines and some selected brandies will be available to attendees. There will be 26 white wines and 29 red wines together with two brandies at the tasting.
Monday 19th May,
4:00pm Gallery Suite
The Burnt Brunch Panel
Join the Canned Wine Group & The Burnt Chef Project for the first LWF ‘Burnt Brunch’ Panel: “The Human Side of Hospitality – Nurturing Talent and Mental Health in a High-Pressure Industry.
Signature Serve Lounge
Tuesday 20th May 10.30am-11.45am
Meet the Authors
The following writers will be signing copies of their latest books – Sam Caporn MW, Oz Clarke, Alice Lascelles & Ian Wisnieski.
Signature Serve Lounge
Monday 19th May
4pm – 6pm
Pop-up Tastings
We are hosting three pop-up tastings, which will run all day, they are:
Monday 19th May – Business France
Tuesday 20th May – Wines of South Africa
Wednesday 21st May – IWSC walk-around tasting with Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
Over 70 Sessions across Seven Stages
To accommodate the ever-growing roster of content we have launched, not one, but two new theatres this year! The Tasting Space and The Signature Serve Theatre.
Sessions on these new theatres include:
Spirit of the Continent: The Rise of African Distilling in the UK, with Liam Davy
Monday, 19 May, 11:30 am
Signature Serve Theatre
First taste: A session exploring first releases from distilleries around the world, with Millie Milliken
Tuesday, 20 May, 11:30 am
Signature Serve Theatre
How top retail and on-trade buyers curate the ultimate alcohol-free drinks range for their customers, with Laura Willoughby
Tuesday, 20 May, 12:45 pm
Signature Serve Theatre
The Drinks Business Theatre Takeover: Pinot Grigio DOC delle Venezie: A journey through Italy’s most important white wine region
Monday, 19 May, 10:30 am
The Tasting Space
Brand collabs in drinks: How do you make them work?
Wednesday, 21 May, 10:30 am
The Tasting Space
All LWF and Signature Serve ticket holders will receive access to the ‘Essential Planner’ platform where you can add these sessions to your personal schedule.
Exhibitor highlights
Tbilvino
This year, Tbilvino, one of Georgia’s largest wineries, will be showcasing its full range, including its newly launched flagship premium wine collection, now available through Berkmann Wine Cellars. George Margvelashvili, founder of Tbilvino Wines, says: “Our premium flagship wines are brand-new to market and we’re excited to showcase these at London Wine Fair. These wines represent a bold new concept for Tbilvino that we’ve developed to meet the growing demand for Georgian wine in the UK, especially since the launch of direct flights from the UK to our country.”
Mentzendorff
The wine importer will run a series of Mini Masterclasses and Feature Pour sessions including ‘Mastering time: Wines with a decade or more of Ageing’, which will be hosted in conjunction with Libération Tardive and comprises an exclusive tasting celebrating wines with 10 or more years of ageing.
Sicilia DOC
Sicilia DOC will showcase 14 different wineries at its booth this year. Wines from participating producers will be poured at the Tosi Gorgonzola Bar and Tappo Enoteca, with five wines taking the spotlight each day.
On 21 May, from 3pm–3.45pm, the Consorzio will have a seminar during the Education Zone Session at the fair, presenting six wines and varieties.
VSPT
The Chilean group will showcase its full portfolio available in the UK at stand D46. As a highlight, VSPT Wine Group will be focusing on two main updates: the recent refresh of the Castillo de Molina brand and the company’s latest launch, 35 South.
Canned Wine Group
Having signed a new three-year partnership with London Wine Fair, the group will exhibit its Canned Wine Co. flagship brand and The Copper Crew organic wines, doubling its stand space for 2025. Co-founder and CCO Ben Franks praised the fair for providing a “brilliant opportunity to continue the conversation of drinking less”.
Indie Connect
The WSTA is launching Indie Connect: A WSTA Community Collab, its first London Wine Fair (LWF) fringe event, aimed exclusively at independent drinks merchants.
20 May 2025, from 5-7pm at The Hand & Flower pub, near Olympia. The event follows a WSTA panel on omnichannel retailing and offers networking, knowledge sharing, and insights from industry partners in a relaxed setting.
Click here for more information and to register.