The summer has begun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the London Wine Trade Fair has come to a close. The annual fair has now moved to a new location in the heart of London, and this new venue seems to have sparked new energy to what had been a fading event. The Ciatti stand was busy for most of the three day event, and we thank those of you who had the opportunity to visit us during the show.

It is clear, after spending several days with suppliers from all around the globe, that there is ample supply of bulk wine in the market. Most of the talk of oversupply revolved around the market situation in Spain. Rumors of low priced offers were confirmed, as many suppliers have very attractive offers on both generic and selected varietals from the La Mancha region.

Markets in the Southern Hemisphere remain active, with Chilean and Australian pricing continuing to be attractive to global buyers. Argentine suppliers continue to struggle, and it appears that the government will again study ways to offer support to the market. 

The direction of the bulk market will now be dictated by the size of the coming crops in both Europe and the United States, and buyers and sellers alike now wait to see how those crops will size up. Predictions vary, and weather can change expectations quickly, but we know the next sixty days will be interesting.

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