Chicago, November 3, 2008 (word count: 579)

High-resolution pictures and logo are available on request.

Organized by the Inter-professional Association of Organic Wines from Languedoc-Roussillon (AIVB – LR), the next Millésime (pronounced “meal-ay-zeem”) Bio  trade show will be held at the Exhibition Center in Montpellier (in Hérault, Southern France) from Monday, January 26, to Wednesday, January 28, 2009. Millésime Bio is the world’s only trade show devoted to organic wines and reserved for professionals.

In order to meet the expectations of wine buyers seeking to assemble a comprehensive range of organic wines, Millésime Bio will be hosting more than 300 exhibitors this year (winegrowers, packagers, and shippers) from Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Romania, and more.

“The” organic wine trade show changes address

The country and company diversity makes it the leading trade show for professionals. There has been a constant increase in the number of visitors since its creation over a decade ago. Last year saw over 1,000 visitors, including one-third foreign, representing a 30% increase from the year before. In response to such success, the trade show now alternates between Montpellier in odd years and Perpignan in even years, which facilitates:

- Working under better conditions, thanks to increased exhibition space

- Easier accommodation with extended and diversified hotel capacity

- Direct airline access

A one-of-a-kind trade show, sociable and highly professional

The characteristics that have made the success of Millésime Bio remain unchanged:

- A professional trade show exclusively devoted to wines made with grapes from organic farming

- A way of presenting the wines that is egalitarian and identical for all

- A self-service wine tasting area to introduce new products

- A sociable atmosphere for professional sampling, with catering available within trade show premises

Millésime Bio Contest: Millésime Bio trade show’s international wine competition

The second edition of “Millésime Bio Contest,” Millésime Bio’s competition for wines made with grapes from organic farming, takes place every year in November. The awarding of the medal-winning wines’ diplomas will be held on January 27, 2009, at the Millésime Bio trade show 2009.

The purpose of this competition is to foster acknowledgment of organic wine quality, as testified by the many medals awarded to organic winegrowers in conventional wine competitions.

The organic food industry: a booming market

Organic winegrowing provides answers to the planet’s major environmental challenges: protecting water quality, protecting winegrowers’ and consumers’ health, maintaining biodiversity, diversifying ventures in rural areas, etc.

According to IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), by late 2006 organic farming accounted for a total surface area of 30 million hectares (74 million acres), all surfaces considered, representing almost a threefold increase in the worldwide certified surface area between 1999 and 2006. Worldwide turnover stood at about EUR 25 billion (32 billion USD), a 53% increase as compared to 2000.

In 2007 in France, organically farmed vineyards accounted for close to 22,500 hectares, (56,000 acres) an increase in excess of 20% as compared to 2006. Languedoc-Rousillon was the first organic vineyard in France (6,140 hectares; 15,200 acres), followed by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (5,294 hectares; 13,000 acres) and Aquitaine (3,065 hectares; 7,500 acres).

For more information, please contact:

AIVB -LR
Ms. Cendrine Vimont
Millésime Bio Communication
Arcades Jacques Coeur, Bldg. C
Route de Boirargues
34970 Lattes
FRANCE
Tel.: +33 (0)4 99 13 30 43
E-mail: vimont.aivb@orange.fr
Web: www.millesime-bio.com

or:

FRENCH TECHNOLOGY PRESS OFFICE
205 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3740
Chicago, IL 60601
Fax: (312) 327-5261
E-mail: contact.ftpo@ubifrance.fr

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