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Wine knowledge to go

Useful tips and tricks for your business

Anyone who works in the wine industry knows that customers have lots of questions - and are always presenting you with new challenges. To make your day-to-day work easier, ProWein magazine now has lots of useful tips and tricks for your business in the form of wine expertise to go. For example, do you have to take back a wine that has tartar? How do you explain the difference between semi-dry and off-dry to customers? And is non-alcoholic wine really the future of the wine trade? These and many other topics can now be found under wine expertise to go.

Proxy: Tapping into new target groups by not crying

Wines that actually aren’t wines, don’t want to be, and yet are still compared to them? Welcome to the world of proxies, which are currently stirring up the alcohol-free alternatives segment quite a bit.

Fireplace Wines – Increasing Sales in the Colder Months
As the days grow shorter, leaves begin to turn, and temperatures drop, the time for so-called fireplace wines arrives. But what exactly falls into this category?

Wine with Fondue: A True Sales Guarantee
Although genetically identical, they often take separate paths in perception and marketing — Primitivo and Zinfandel, depending on whether the wine originates from Italy or the United States.

Primitivo and Zinfandel: A Grape Variety with Guaranteed Sales
Although genetically identical, they often take separate paths in perception and marketing — Primitivo and Zinfandel, depending on whether the wine originates from Italy or the United States.

Wine and Chocolate: Double the Indulgence for Your Customers
Even though the international wine trade has long recognized that the combination of wine and chocolate is a true win-win when it comes to indulgence, consumers are often surprised at first.

Bordeaux Blends Around the World
They have become indispensable in international wine retail: Bordeaux blends – wines modeled after those from Bordeaux. Only now, every country has developed its own distinct style. But do these wines actually guarantee strong sales?

Cape Blend: South Africa’s Cuvée Jewel
Some might say a Cape Blend is just another Bordeaux-style blend. But it’s not quite that simple. Thanks to the inclusion of Pinotage, it offers not only an international flavour profile but also a distinct South African terroir identity. That makes it particularly interesting for the global wine trade.

Rosé around the World
Rosé wines have been experiencing a remarkable upswing for years - even though global wine consumption is steadily declining. For the international specialist wine trade, rosés therefore offer exciting opportunities to boost sales again.

Low-alcohol wine: light enjoyment for hot summer days
Discover how low-alcohol wine is the ideal refreshment in summer - perfect for carefree moments of enjoyment.

Summer wine: a slender pleasure for your customers
When the sun shines regularly again and the temperatures rise, everyone is talking about it again. We are, of course, talking about summer wine. But how do you actually define it? And which wines are particularly suitable for this category? We have a few tips for you!

Perlwein: an underrated sparkling wine?
Perlwein occupies a special place in the fascinating world of wine. As a semi-sparkling wine, it is cleverly positioned between still wine and sparkling wine. Let's delve into the nuances of semi-sparkling wine and explore its significance for the international wine trade.

Sparkling wine in focus: trends, challenges and market opportunities
Sparkling wine continues to grow: Prosecco innovates, Champagne is under pressure, Crémant is booming, Cava is struggling with the climate, sparkling wine remains stable, England is becoming a challenger.

Piwi grape varieties: a wine alternative for the trade?
When it comes to sustainability and climate protection, it's hard to avoid Piwi wines. The so-called fungus-resistant grape varieties have a good eco-balance. But do they also sell well in the wine trade? Here we look at the advantages and disadvantages so that you can better orient yourself for your business.

Wine Gift
Admittedly, with customers looking for a wine gift, it’s not easy to get rich in the wine retail business. Nevertheless, there are lucrative ideas related to wine gifts that can significantly increase sales. Here, we present a few ideas.

Sweet wine - Sweet wines of the world
Trockenbeerenauslese or ice wine? Or would you prefer a Sauternes? How about a Vin Santos or a Vin de Constance? Sweet wines are as seductive as they are diverse. What follows is an overview.

Prädikat wine: Germany's residual sweet wine system
What actually distinguishes a quality wine from a Prädikat wine? And which Prädikat wines actually exist? What follows is a compact overview so that you can inform your customers efficiently.

Non-alcoholic sparkling wine: more customer acceptance?
Alcohol-free wines are said to be on the rise, but still have a difficult time in the specialist wine trade. The situation is different for non-alcoholic sparkling wine. It is already selling well. For reasons. Let's delve a little deeper.

Christmas wines: Drawing on the full potential for your customers
For the wine trade, the Advent season usually begins by early November at the latest. To make the most of the Christmas business, it's very worthwhile to be well-prepared for the busiest time of the year. The topic of Christmas wine, in particular, attracts significant attention. We’ve put together some ideas to boost your Christmas sales.

Lightstrike: a wine defect requiring compensation?
Among the world's wine faults, the taste of light is the least well-known among consumers. Alongside cork taint, it occurs most frequently. But how does this wine defect actually occur? And do wine merchants actually have to replace the bottle?

Cork: Do you have to exchange corked wine?
Cork taint is probably by far the most common wine defect in the world. Also known as cork taint, cork taste or simply TCA. As a wine merchant, you have to deal with it very often. But what are your rights and obligations when customers complain about a corked wine?

Sparkling wines: A bubbly selection for special moments
Whether it's Christmas, New Year's Eve, a birthday, a wedding, or any other festive occasion, most consumers consider a sparkling wine essential for celebrating a special moment. When choosing a sparkling wine, factors such as the occasion and taste, alongside the price, are often more important than the origin. We’ve put together an overview for you.

Verjus: Non-alcoholic wine alternative for specialty retail
Nowadays, almost every wine retailer offers non-alcoholic alternatives for their customers. However, it doesn't have to be limited to de-alcoholized wine. Verjus can be a wonderful substitute and is also versatile in its uses.

Rosé Wine: Overview of Production and Styles
Direct Pressing or Maceration? Mineral and elegant, or fruity and charming? Rosé wine today comes in many different styles, which can be confusing for customers. That's why here's a concise overview.

White Wines with Cult Status
By spring at the latest, customers are on the lookout for the next great white wine for sunny days. This is precisely why it’s worth stocking white wines with a certain cult status. Here, we reveal some of these standout options.

Valentine's Day: Vinophile Sales Ideas for the Day of Love
So far, only a few wine retailers have focused on targeted sales promotions for Valentine's Day. However, it's possible to boost sales around the day of love not only with the almost obligatory sparkling wines and rosés. We have some additional ideas for you.

Alcohol-Free Wine: The Future of the Wine Trade?
More and more people are consuming less alcohol. This trend is reflected in the steadily declining wine sales worldwide. However, when it comes to alcohol-free wine, the forecasts are actually positive. Learn here why alcohol-free wine has a future—and how it is made.

FEINHERB vs. Semi-Dry: Is it really all the same?
In German wines, "feinherb" and "semi-dry" are often equated, which is generally accurate but not always. To help your customers better understand the term "feinherb," we’ve done some research for you. Unlike "semi-dry," "feinherb" is not defined or codified in German wine law.

Decanting and aerating in your wine routine
A frequently asked question by customers is whether the wine they have purchased needs to be decanted. Most people actually mean aerating when they ask this. But how do you best explain the difference between decanting and aerating to your customers? And when is it necessary? You’ll find the answers here!

Aperitif: 8 Ideas for your customers
Sparkling wines of all tastes and styles are the classic choice for an aperitif. They are as versatile as they are varied, making them an ideal base for combinations with other ingredients. But what if your customers want to enjoy something different as an aperitif? Here are 8 tips to surprise and inspire your clientele, because a little variety never hurts when it comes to indulgence.

Tartrate crystals: no reason for complaint
Sooner or later, every wine merchant will face this scenario: an unhappy customer presents a wine cork or a tissue, with the famous small crystals known as tartrates clearly visible. For someone encountering tartrates for the first time, it’s easy to assume that these particles shouldn’t be in the wine, which would indicate a flaw.

Sommelier: Duties and training
Whether in gastronomy, the hotel industry, or a wine shop with an associated gastronomic concept – sommeliers can work in all these market sectors. But what exactly does a sommelier do? And how and where can you train to become a sommelier? We have summarized all this and much more for you here.
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Knowledge about the wine and spirits world!

Whether you are interested in the in-depth analysis of the ProWein Business Report or want to expand your wine knowledge with the ProWein Magazine use our knowledge to drive your business forward and build customer confidence.


Knowledge about the wine and spirits world!




Whether you are interested in the in-depth analysis of the ProWein Business Report or want to expand your wine knowledge with the ProWein Magazine use our knowledge to drive your business forward and build customer confidence.
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