The 2023 Daejeon International Wine Expo took place on September 3 to 10, with the week-long program separating events for sommeliers, professionals, as well as the general public. The expo was open to regular wine enthusiasts on September 8 to 10 during the Wine Trade Show, providing both domestic and international winemakers and wine distributors the opportunity to showcase their cellar stock to non-professional attendees. 

The Daejeon International Wine Expo is an annual event, with this year’s expo being the 30^th to occur since its induction. The Daejeon Convention Centre was home to over 200 companies from 16 different countries, with many notable wine-making nations being represented such as Greece, Spain, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, and Georgia — the Guest Country of this year’s festival, argued to be the birthplace of winemaking and considered the oldest winemaking region in the world.

The first five days of the expo included the 11^th annual wine competition, as well as a wine seminar for selected professionals. These invitation-only events happened behind closed doors. Winners of the competition were announced in the closing days of the expo. The wine trade show and the seminar opened to the public during the last three days, and members of the general public were allowed to browse stalls promoting wines from various regions of the world, as well as related foods and accessories. At the center of the conference hall was an open wine tasting zone, where wine sellers had placed samples of their bottles that attendees could taste at their leisure. Provided on those tables were directions on how to taste wine, what other sensory features about the wine to look out for, as well as information on the type of wine provided. 

There were wine offerings that ranged all types of flavor palates. Expo attendees had the opportunity to taste the notable crisp acidity from Italian whites (often a great pairing with food), the unique flavors from the South African “Pinotage” grapes, the rustic and full-bodied red wines of northern Greece, and the unmistakable velvety texture of Georgian wines, among many other offerings. Two of the more unique offerings were sweet wines from a wine delegation from Greece, the signature line of which was called “Nectar” — named after one of two forms of sustenance of the Gods in Greek Mythology — and German Gluehwein, more commonly known as mulled wine. Many of the Korean attendees enjoyed a new experience in tasting the warm mulled wine, which many Europeans attribute to Christmas traditions.

Younger Korean winemakers were also showcasing their winemaking abilities, with flavor profiles more suited to a traditional Korean drinking scene — slightly sweeter, lighter, and lower in tannins. Notably in this category was South Korean winery Eau de Lune, which was displaying two of their wine ranges: Grand Tigre and Bebemaru. There were also other traditional Korean liquors being showcased, including various types of Makgeolli (Korean rice wine), bamboo wine, and other spirits infused with traditional medicinal herbs and roots such as ginseng.

Alongside the wine varieties, there were a multitude of wine accessories and wine-associated foods on offer, including cheeses, chocolates, wine coolers, decanters, and wine glasses. The range of prices of all the items on offer was broad enough to cover the more experienced and affluent wine connoisseur right down to the inexperienced university student looking for a day trip in Daejeon.

For the casual wine drinker, this event is a great way to expand the horizons of your taste palate. The free tasting zone was a great idea on the part of the event organizers to provide the opportunity to those who were more introverted or less knowledgeable about wines to find their suitable taste at their own pace. Each sample bottle had the winemaker, country of origin, and wine type on the label, so that those who were interested could find the corresponding stalls. The event sold wine glasses at the venue to those who came unprepared for wine tastings, so that no one would be left out during the event. It is highly recommended that one attends this annual event during their stay in Daejeon.