Millesime Bio is currently on out in Montpellier, and although I’m not out there right now myself, I was lucky enough to be asked to head out a couple of weeks ago to judge the medal winners for the week ahead. Some belting wines and some fantastic figures showcasing the rise of organic wines…
Millesime Bio is the largest organic wine fair in the world. Now entering its 27th year, it’s gone from a mere 30 producers in 1993 to over 1300 in 2020 across four massive halls of the Montpellier Expo.
I was down there 2 weeks ago to judge the medal winners for this week’s show. Of all the take homes and feelings I had from the experience, one stuck out as possibly the most nit picking issue I could have raised. Why it stuck in my head I’ll never know, but I did, and weirdly enough there were some murmurings of agreement. Let’s see what you fine people think…
It’s with great pride as Europeans that we can proudly state that the winemakers here are leading the way. 90% of the world’s certified organic vineyards are in the EU, with 4 out of every 5 of those in the BIG 3 countries of Italy, France, and Spain.
One of the main reasons for these impressive figures is the EU drive to certify the producers as organic and give the consumer piece of mind at the checkout. That also counts for any wines made outside the EU, but for sale in the EU. The handy green leaf on the back label, first adorned from 2012, tells you all you need to know without any of the waffle across all products on the shelves, not just wine.
None of this “wines made from organic grapes” or “certified organic grapes” or whatever that you get around the world. No this is less words, same info. So simple, so effective, and a cracking marketing tool for nearly a decade now.
Ok, so here’s where I get silly, ridiculously picky and this post goes off on a tangent. The green leaf label. Half the producers at Millesime Bio had it printed in boring, horrible, dull, black and white or grey scale. Don’t do that guys and girls, please print it in green. Looks a bit…I don’t know…happier. And we could all do with a bit of cheering up now and again, right? 🙂
Right?
Ok, just me then 🙂
However, for more in depth “wine trade” views on Millesime Bio and the continued rise of organic wine…
CHECK OUT MY TRADE PIECE IN THE BUYER
CHECK OUT MY DISCUSSION PIECE IN HARPERS WINE
