The Buyer | Wine Paris analysis: A changing drinks world looking for answers

“There is a wine world out there looking for answers.” Which is how Boutinot’s Mike Best MW succinctly summed up the mood at this month’s pivotal Wine Paris. It’s also probably why there was a record 63,541 people from right across the world of wine (and spirits) that travelled to the French capital no doubt in search for, and in the hope of finding at least some of the answers to the problems everyone in the global drinks industry is facing. Whether they found them or not is another question, but despite all the headwinds and trading difficulties there was a real sense of purpose, ambition and momentum at the show. A realisation that this is an industry at a crossroads and the decisions we collectively, and individually, take now will determine who are going to be the winners and losers in the years ahead. But what was really being discussed by buyers and producers at the show? What challenges did they hope to solve? What opportunities did they hope to find? Richard Siddle in the first of a series of reports from Wine Paris was there to find out.