(Foreign Trade Administration at the Israeli Ministry of Economy)
The seven largest Israeli wineries - Carmel, Golan Heights, Teperberg 1870, Recanati, Galil Mountain, Tavor and Yatir - showcased more than 100 types of their finest wines at the Israeli booth at the leading wine expo in Europe: the
ProWein International Trade Fair. The fair took place this week (March 15-17) in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Production by these seven wineries together makes up more than 60% of Israel's wine output. This is the first time they independently decided to team up to represent Israel in what is considered the world's most important wine expo. Each winery offered tastings as well as five joint tasting events, accompanied by talks by Master of Wine Ms. Caro Mourer which presented the Israeli wine industry from its historical beginnings to the present. Each talk included guided tastings of wines from all seven wineries.
According to the wineries' export directors, the decision to exhibit together comes from an understanding that the Israeli wine industry, which is growing in reputation around the world, can be better exposed through a collaborative effort.
The Israeli trade mission to Berlin from the Foreign Trade Administration in the Israeli Ministry of Economy, led by Director of the Israel Trade Center at the Embassy of Israel in BerlinHemdat Sagie, accompanied the wineries in previous expos and helped promote the Israeli booth in this exhibition as well. The assistance included providing financial support for establishing the booth, promoting and marketing the booth through the different platforms of the Israeli Trade Mission and inviting buyers, importers and food companies to visit the Israeli exhibition. The event takes place as
Israel and Germany mark 50 years of diplomatic ties and is part of a number of special events organized by the Israeli Trade Mission in Berlin to highlight the economic relations between the two countries.
The Israeli wine market is growing on annual basis and its revenue totals $220 million per year. Today there are 250 active wineries in Israel, fifty which of are large-scale and the rest boutique wineries. The scale of production reaches 40 million bottles (including grape juice). According to the Israel Export Institute, some 20% of Israeli wine production is exported for consumption around the world.
The ProWein Dusseldorf International Trade Fair is one in a series of international wine expos held by international wine company ProWein every year. Fifty countries exhibit at the Dusseldorf exhibition, which takes place from Sunday to Tuesday this week. Organizers believe some 1.2 million people will come to the expo, 60% from outside Germany.
Hemdat Sagi, Director of the Israel Trade Mission of the Israeli Ministry of Economy, at the Embassy of Israel in Berlin, said, "Israeli wines are establishing an international reputation for quality, adhering to the most stringent standards and winning praise from the world’s leading wine experts. Our goal is to bring them to the shelves of German stores, before a market of 82 million consumers, not all of whom are aware of the advantages of Israeli wines. ProWein, the largest expo of its kind, is the best place to do this and we are happy to support the wineries, especially during this special year."
The Foreign Trade Administration
at the Israeli Ministry of Economy is an authority entrusted with
advancing Israel's exports and international trade policy. It operates
through its 41 trade missions throughout the world which assist Israeli exporters in finding opportunities for cooperation and business in the markets in which they operate.