Torres has become the latest wine producer to pull out of this year’s Vinexpo event in Bordeaux, joining fellow high-profile absentees Gallo and Constellation.
The Spanish company, which usually has a large stand in the event’s main exhibition hall, said it would use the money saved to support its growers.
‘We feel that in this current situation the more responsible approach is to save the money they would have spent on Vinexpo and use it to support the farmers and the grape prices in their hour of need,’ said a Torres spokesperson.
‘It is currently a buyer’s market for grapes, but these are farmers that Torres has worked with for many years and we wish to continue working with them.’
Gallo and Constellation pulled out of the biennial wine fair late last year, as both companies looked to reduce costs in the current economic downturn.
The Torres spokesperson added that the pull-out was ‘not a long-term strategy’, and that Torres would almost certainly return to Vinexpo in 2011.
Reacting to the cancellations of Gallo and Constellation, Vinexpo chief executive Robert Beynat said both had signalled their intention to exhibit again in two years.
‘It’s part of a general strategy to cut advertising and to cut other shows,’ he said.
Champagne house Taittinger has also pulled out – citing the absence of UK agents and distributors.
‘We know that many of our agents or distributors are not planning to visit Vinexpo, for example Hatch Mansfield, our UK representatives,’ said a spokesperson.
‘With so many of our representatives missing this year it sadly does not make it commercially viable for us to attend this year’.
Written by Richard Woodard
