The much-anticipated Wine to Asia has been postponed again due to recent flare ups of the more infectious Delta variant that has spread from eastern Nanjing to 27 different cities across China.
The total number of confirmed cases from the Nanjing cluster has grown to more than 350 cases, the highest number for China for over a year but still far smaller than the over 100,000 daily cases reported in the US.
The three-day wine fair was originally planned to kick off on August 12, but due to the spread of Delta variant, it has announced today that the fair has been delayed pending new dates.
Although Wine to Asia is scheduled in Shenzhen, thousands of miles away from Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province in eastern China, the organizers still opted for a cautious approach.
“Following the Emergency Notice issued by the Shenzhen Bao’an District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in view of the Covid-19 outbreak in Nanjing that has spread across provinces and the severe and complex strategy of pandemic prevention and control, Wine to Asia, which was originally scheduled to be held in Shenzhen World Convention and Exhibition Centre (Bao’an) from August 12 to 14, 2021, cannot be held as scheduled.
“Details of the new dates and event agenda will be announced as soon as confirmed,” the organizers announced.
But other pop-up events leading to the fair still went ahead as planned.
A natural wine fair led by the country’s leading natural wine specialist Ziran kicked off today in Shanghai.
There’s also a Bar Choice competition on August 9 between Chinese natural wine and Baijiu cocktails, according to the organizers.
The fair was among the handful wine shows that managed to be held in physical space last year, but this year’s edition was unfortunately hurdled by two unexpected outbreaks first in May and late July.
while sharing the news, Simone Incontro, General Manager of Veronafiere Asia, wrote encouragingly on WeChat in Chinese, “Good things are a long time in coming (好事多磨).”
