NewswireToday - /newswire/ - London, United Kingdom, 2008/11/17 - The next Millésime Bio trade fair, the world’s only professional trade fair devoted to organic wines, will be held in Montpellier (in southern France) from 26 to 28 January 2009.

Millésime Bio is organised by the Inter-professional Association of Organic Wines from Languedoc-Roussillon (AIVB – LR).

Millésime Bio 2009 will welcome over 300 exhibitors – including winegrowers, bottlers and shippers – from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as from France.

Millésime Bio is exclusively devoted to organic wines. The event offers a way of presenting wines that is open to all, with a self-service wine-tasting area to introduce new products and a sociable atmosphere for professional tastings. There are also catering facilities available at the trade fair.

The diverse range of exhibitors make Millésime Bio the leading trade fair for professionals in the sector. Over 1,000 visitors attended the 2008 event (one-third of whom were international participants), representing a 30% increase on 2007. Indeed, the trade show has continued to build on its success, attracting a growing number of visitors each year.

As a result of this success, the trade fair will now be held in Montpellier in odd years and in the nearby town of Perpignan in even years. This will provide increased exhibition space. There will also be improved access to accommodation, with a wider choice of hotel rooms on offer, as well as more straightforward access by air.

The Millésime Bio Contest, a competition for organic wines connected to the trade show, takes place every year in November. The prizes will be awarded during the Millésime Bio trade fair on 27 January 2009. The purpose of this competition, which is being held for the second time, is to recognise the quality of organic wine, as has been demonstrated by the many medals awarded to organic winegrowers in conventional wine competitions.

According to the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), by late 2006 organic farming accounted for a total worldwide surface area of 30 million hectares (all surfaces), representing almost a threefold increase in the worldwide certified surface area between 1999 and 2006. Worldwide turnover from organic farming in 2006 was approximately €25 billion, a rise of 53% on 2000.

Organic winegrowing can help to tackle environmental problems by safeguarding water quality, helping to protect winegrowers’ and consumers’ health, maintaining biodiversity, and diversifying the economy in rural areas.

In 2007, organically farmed vineyards in France covered almost 22,500 hectares, an increase of over 20% on 2006. The region of Languedoc-Roussillon had the largest number of organic vineyards in France (6,140 hectares), followed by Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (5,294 hectares) and Aquitaine (3,065 hectares).

About Millésime Bio
Millésime Bio (millesime-bio.com) is being organised by the Inter-professional Association of Organic Wines from Languedoc-Roussillon (AIVB – LR). AIVB-LR was founded in 1991 by organic winegrowers from the region, in order to collectively promote their wines.

Millésime Bio will be held at the Exhibition Centre in Montpellier (in southern France) from 26 to 28 January 2009.

Written by / Agency / Source: FTPB (French Technology Press Bureau)

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