This year, the grand event once again took over Olympia London. Hundreds of vendors were on site: Italy, Greece, France, North Macedonia, Serbia, South Africa, Japan, Poland, the US, Chile, Georgia, and even the UK (yes, we have things worth drinking too). The layout reads like a wine map of the world. The crowd is focused and businesslike, with wine-world lingo echoing from every corner: “tannins,” “vintage,” “mouthfeel.” At times, it feels like a summit of the Wine United Nations — if such a thing existed. That said, the illusion occasionally cracks: loud laughter breaks out, someone slaps a colleague on the back with too much gusto, or throws them into a bear hug.

Still, business is very much on the agenda. In one area, changes to trade regulations are being discussed. It might sound like a snoozefest, but attendees nod seriously while sipping wine. Apparently, bureaucratic jargon goes down better with a glass of Shiraz. At London Wine Fair 2025, wine isn’t just a product — it’s a subject of commerce, logistics, contracts, quotas, and certification. And while the conversations happen with glasses in hand, that doesn’t make them any less serious.

Tastings, Lectures, and Buckets

At the heart of the fair are the tasting-lectures. On stage: an elderly sommelier with the voice of a stage actor. Before him: a row of glasses, from which he sips in turn while waxing lyrical about “fruity notes,” “pomegranate acidity,” “a tender tannic embrace,” and other sommelier metaphysics. Each wine is accompanied by a history lesson: the winery’s background, the region’s climate, the preferences of local goats, and the perfect food pairing (usually something no one has on hand). Before him sit a dozen students. Each has the same set of glasses and, crucially, a black bucket. Rule number one of tasting: don’t get drunk. Or at least, don’t look drunk. So participants take polite sips — and spit.

At the other end of the hall, Battle of the Bubbles is underway — a sparkling wine competition. The judges, industry professionals with solemn expressions, assess everything from color and bubbles to the feeling the wine evokes. No flashy entertainment here; precision is key. One judge compares a wine to “August 1996 in Provence.”

Among the many stands, it’s a joy to see familiar faces — the team from 80-20 Wine Bar led by the amazing Mako Abashidze, confidently representing Georgia not just as a country, but as a cultural phenomenon in the world of wine. Their bars and shops in Hackney and Peckham have become pilgrimage sites for anyone wanting to experience the traditions of Kakhetian winemaking and understand why amber wine is not just a color — it’s a philosophy. They don’t just pour Saperavi and Rkatsiteli — they tell stories: of clay qvevri, of customs, of freedom. So if the fair left you with a taste of curiosity, your next stop should be 80-20 Wine Bar.

Despite the name, the fair goes well beyond wine. Among the exhibitors are producers of sake, gin, rum, whiskey, cider, and even non-alcoholic alternatives. Japanese sparkling tea, for instance, is presented with the same attention to detail as a top-tier Riesling. Alcohol-free alcohol has carved out its own growing niche. Attendees are curious, tasting and comparing without mockery or skepticism. It’s now part of the landscape.

Not Just Wine

One of the highlights is a whiskey tasting. The lecturer, with a lion’s mane of hair, describes how a particular Scottish whiskey absorbed the scent of the sea, seaweed, and possibly seagull cries — having been aged by the coast. His tasting technique includes glass-spinning and breathing exercises (inhale, sip, pause, exhale, reflect). The audience listens intently, as though he were reciting Kant, slowly swirling their glasses and pretending to detect hints of sea salt and baked apples on the tongue.

Pairings, Pairings… Wine and Otherwise

By day’s end, the air is thick with the scent of wine — light a match, and there could be trouble. The chatter doesn’t stop, glasses are never empty, and the black buckets overflow. London Wine Fair 2025 isn’t about getting drunk. It’s about taste, nuance, learning, culture, professional connections — and a touch of theatre. But don’t be fooled: in the end, it’s still a celebration… with buckets. And if you left the fair with a pleasant buzz, a bag full of leaflets, and a dream of starting a vineyard in Tuscany — then you’ve done it right.