The London Wine Fair, scheduled for May 19-21, 2025, at Olympia London, will bring together over 10,000 drinks industry professionals for the UK's premier wine trade event, featuring more than 400 exhibitors across specialized zones including the new Signature Serve area dedicated to premium spirits and mixers.
The Signature Serve Spirits Showcase
The Signature Serve spirits showcase marks a significant expansion for the 2025 London Wine Fair, responding to the growing crossover between wine and spirits buying roles in the UK market. Located adjacent to the Mindful Drinking Experience, Japan Pavilion, and Centre Stage, this premium spirits destination will feature a carefully curated selection of 25 exhibitors including Beckford's Rum, BrewDog Distilling Co., Brixton Spirits, and Wolfie's Whisky.
Led by industry heavyweights Millie Milliken, an award-winning drinks writer, and Liam Davy, Head of Bars at Hawksmoor Restaurants, Signature Serve addresses a clear market need-41% of the fair's 2024 on-trade visitors were spirits buyers, while 26% of off-trade visitors had spirits purchasing responsibilities. The showcase will feature a dedicated theater highlighting spirits innovation, an exclusive opening night VIP event where exhibitors will prepare signature cocktails reflecting cutting-edge trends, and specialized content designed to appeal to serious spirits buyers from prestigious establishments like Caprice Holdings, Harrods, Waitrose, and The Whisky Exchange.
Japanese Pavilion Expansion
The Japan Pavilion returns to London Wine Fair 2025 with a 50% larger footprint, expanding to over 150 square meters following its successful debut in 2024. Located at Stand L40, this enhanced showcase will feature 20 exhibitors presenting an impressive array of Japanese craft beverages including sake, shochu, whisky, gin, liqueurs, and wine.
Visitors can experience Japan's rich brewing traditions, recently recognized by UNESCO which added traditional sake-making with koji mold to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2024.
The pavilion offers several unique experiences:
- Daily cocktail tastings featuring innovative drinks crafted from exhibitors' products
- Special Tasting Sessions in the Walk-up Tasting Theatre on May 19th (16:30) and May 20th (14:30)
- Exhibitors include Sicx Kyoto Distillery, Akashi-Tai Sake Brewery, Zen-Noh International, and Hishinuma
The Japan Pavilion's significant expansion reflects growing UK market interest in Japanese beverages and aligns with London Wine Fair's broader strategy of showcasing emerging territories alongside traditional wine regions.
The Judgement of London Competition
The 2025 Judgement of London will continue the tradition established in 2024, paying homage to Steven Spurrier's landmark 1976 Judgement of Paris. This year's event, themed "Battle of the Bubbles," will feature a double-blind tasting pitting top Champagnes against premium sparkling wines from around the world. The tasting will take place on Monday, May 19, with results revealed on Wednesday, May 21, at 2 p.m. on the Centre Stage at Olympia London.
The competition will be curated by Sarah Abbott MW and Ronan Sayburn MS, who will oversee the selection of 12 pairs of wines matched by style, grape variety, terroir, age, and production method. A distinguished panel of approximately 20 judges, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, will evaluate each wine under strict examination conditions. The 2024 event demonstrated the global parity in fine wine quality, with European wines narrowly edging out Rest of World competitors by just 0.65%, suggesting the 2025 competition will likely be equally competitive as it continues to benchmark the evolving fine wine landscape.
Accommodation for Attendees – Mercure London Paddington Hotel:
For guests attending the London Wine Fair 2025, the Mercure London Paddington Hotel offers stylish 4-star accommodation with superb transport links. Located just moments from Paddington Station, the hotel provides fast access to Olympia London via the District Line or London Overground.
Features include:
- Comfortable rooms with modern amenities
- On-site fitness centre
- Free high-speed Wi-Fi
- Restaurant and lounge bar
- 24-hour front desk and concierge service
Ideal for both local and international guests, the Mercure London Paddington combines convenience with comfort—making it an excellent choice for trade visitors and exhibitors alike.
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