VieVinum 2026 Reinforces Its Position Among the World’s Leading Wine Fairs

Between 16 and 18 May, VieVinum once more brought the international wine industry together at the Hofburg in Vienna. The 2026 edition of the fair allowed 500 Austrian wineries to present their wines to an international audience of industry experts. The Austrian Wine Marketing Board (Austrian Wine) invited more than 1,000 trade professionals from over 50 different countries to Vienna. These included the world’s best sommeliers, renowned international media and wine importers, as well as a number of leading figures from the global wine industry.
 “The huge international turnout clearly shows that Austrian wines are in tune with current trends,” confirms CEO of Austrian Wine, Chris Yorke. “Austrian wines are known for their high quality and environmentally conscious production methods, not to mention their freshness and lightness, which is currently much sought-after among international wine consumers.”
 Austrian Wine welcomed an outstanding line-up of international guests to Vienna, including Raimonds Tomsons (reigning World Sommelier Champion of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI)), Joris Gutierrez Garcia (ASI Best Sommelier of the Americas) and Reeze Choi (ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific). These were joined by dozens of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers from around the world who enjoyed experiencing the diversity and quality of Austrian wines first-hand.
VieVinum drives wine exportsOrganised by M.A.C. Hoffmann, VieVinum has been key to ensuring the long-term success of Austrian wine exports since the first edition of the fair in 1998. As Yorke explains, “Austrian wines already enjoy a very high market share in the domestic market, which leaves them little potential for growth. That’s why exports are so important for us. Every bottle sold on the international market takes the pressure off the domestic market and opens up additional perspectives for the Austrian wine industry. This, again, underlines the huge significance of VieVinum.”
Terroir Talks: spotlight on Austria’s diverse originsBesides the fair itself, a first-class programme of side events provided visitors with a unique insight into the Austrian wine industry. One of the highlights was the large Austrian Wine flight tasting “Terroir Talks” that took place the day before the fair and was attended by more than 400 people. A total of 22 flights enabled participants to taste 120 internationally best-rated Austrian wines. These were split into themed categories such as “Grüner Veltliner: Shaped by Origin”, “Limestone & Slate: Shaping Structure” and “Styrian Sauvignon Reloaded”. The tastings were an impressive opportunity to explore just how much origin, soil and climate determine the character of Austrian wines.
 Shiva Chaurasiya, Best Sommelier of India, Sommelier at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore
“I really want to thank the Austrian Wine Team for bringing me to VieVinum! It was an amazing experience and really changed my perspective on Austrian wines. With their fresh and crisp character, I think they are a perfect match for Indian and Chinese cuisine. I’m really looking forward to learn more about Austrian wines in the future – I can’t wait for VieVinum 2028!”