The organic wine sector is navigating a complex global landscape, marked by declining wine consumption and an uncertain economic and geopolitical environment, noted Nicolas Richarme, president of the organizing association SudVinBio, at the start of the fair.
However, he emphasized, “Paradoxically, demand for organic wine is not declining—neither in France nor in export markets.” Jacques Frelin, co-founder of the fair and a pioneer of organic wine for 42 years, agreed: “We are in a difficult economic situation right now, but organic wines are faring better than conventional ones.”
Jeanne Fabre, president of the fair, welcomed the “stable” visitor numbers. “Among the attendees, 80% were French professionals, while 20% came from abroad, many from Northern Europe, Canada, and even the U.S.,” she noted. Although the organizers' expectation of 11,000 visitors was overly ambitious, Millésime Bio 2025 still attracted around 1,900 international buyers. Among them, approximately 380 came from the U.S., Canada, and Asia. They were met by some 1,500 exhibitors.
A major draw for visitors was the Enoteca, with its vast selection of wines and beers honored in the Challenge Millésime Bio competition. There was also a notable offering of barrel samples, though only eight white wines made from disease-resistant grape varieties (PIWIs). Among them, Jacques Frelin’s Floréal and the cuvées from Domaine La Clausade and La Colombette stood out.
The selection of biodynamic wines was rather sparse. Among the “Wines of the World,” there were only four whites, including the impressive Grand Fohberg Chardonnay 2023 from Weingut Trautwein in Baden and the outstanding Riesling Signatur 2022 from Gustavshof in Rheinhessen. The only red was Kaufmann’s highly convincing Rheingau Spätburgunder 2022.
Different Reactions
Heidi van den Akker, Export Manager at Calmel & Joseph, criticized the stand distribution, saying it made it difficult for buyers to navigate. However, she noted: “This time, I had more export customers than in previous years, but no new contacts. Millésime Bio serves as a preview for the big wine fairs.”
Martine Becker, who has represented Domaine Jean Becker from Alsace at the fair since 2004, initially gained many customers there. “I have the impression that people now prefer to go to Paris, like the great sommeliers,” she remarked. “And the well-known French journalists stay there as well.”
“When I first participated in 2017, there were around 700 winemakers,” recalled Corinna Faravel, a German winemaker at La Martinelle in the southern Rhône. “Then the fair expanded significantly, bringing in much more business, but it has remained a pleasant event. I see some existing customers here, along with a few new ones, so I’m satisfied.”
For Marcel Bühler, a Swiss winemaker at Domaine des Enfants in Roussillon, the fair meant long days with little activity. “Many specialist retailers still attend, but far fewer importers. But I like the Salon,” said Bühler. His fellow Swiss winemaker, Nicolas Haenis, who runs Domaine Malmont above Séguret, was attending for the first time. “There weren’t that many visitors, but those who came to see me had already researched Malmont on the fair’s website,” he said. As a result, he made good contacts and secured an immediate order.
Château Gasqui from Gonfaron, recently taken over by Klaus and Tanja Heller, also made its Millésime Bio debut, presenting the promising 2024 vintage. Their lineup included the rosé Citius and, under the new Altus range, an original Ugni Blanc and an elegant Cinsault. Meanwhile, from Mâcon, Olivier Louis Paviot’s Dormy stood out, specializing in Chardonnay and working with the terroirs of AOPs Mâcon Villages, Bourgogne, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Pouilly-Loché, and Pouilly-Fuissé in a differentiated approach.
The largest crowds gathered in Hall B3, where 120 winemakers from Biodyvin came together to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their syndicate, including many well-known names. Alexandre Sichel, who took over the Corbières estate founded by his grandfather in 2019 and renamed it Domaine Peter Sichel, drew particular attention with his exceptionally fresh, infusion-style wines—a counterpoint to traditional extraction-based winemaking with techniques such as whole-berry fermentation.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Cazes, now a consultant for Biodyvin, led an engaging masterclass in which he explained the association’s biodynamic philosophy, which now has 240 members, illustrating his points through a tasting of five carefully selected wines.
Mixed Outlooks
Naturally, the 2024 vintage was a key topic at the fair, as many producers suffered severely reduced harvest yields, whether due to fungal pressure or extreme drought. Jean Lignères of Château La Baronne in Corbières was particularly affected by the lack of water. Looking ahead, he sees irrigation as essential, though water management in the south remains unregulated.
After years of promoting green cover crops, Lignères believes a shift in approach is necessary. “We now have to plant cover crops much earlier and remove them by early March, as the competition for water is too strong. We will return to what the old winemakers used to do: one hoeing is worth two waterings.” Such discussions will likely shape debates in the coming months.
NoLow
The final conference of the fair was dedicated to the topic: “No-Low: What Prospects for Organic Wines and Spirits?” Pascal Laville, an inspector at INAO responsible for organic wines, provided an overview of current EU regulations on dealcoholization. In April 2024, an expert group from the European Commission issued a favorable report on vacuum distillation for organic wines, and approval is expected soon.
Mathilde Boulachin, who founded the Pierre Chavin brand of non-alcoholic beverages in Béziers 15 years ago and now exports to 65 countries, highlighted the rapid growth of the global no-low market, estimating its current value at $13 billion (€12.5 billion). She has already launched the first dealcoholized conventional Vin de France, predicting that the next edition of Millésime Bio will likely feature the first fully organic dealcoholized wines.
