MORGES, SWITZERLAND – Arvinis, a major wine fair held in Morges every April since 1996, is moving to Montreux as of spring 2017. The event, scheduled for 26 April to 1 May, will be held at the 2m2c centre, a five-minute walk from the Montreux train station.

The fair pulls in more than 20,000 people each year and attracts more than 150 wineries. It serves as the opener for the French-language regions’ wine-tasting season, with many producers showing their latest vintage wines for the first time.

Arvinis has been held next to the train station in Morges since the fair began, but the Halles CFF, its home, is part of the rail company’s major renovation and rebuilding scheme in the area, and Arvinis was told it would have to move.

Five finalists

The new location was announced 31 May after months of searching and competition among the five towns named as finalists. The event is privately owned, but given its significance to the wine industry in Vaud, the canton participated in the selection process.

Morges, Bulle, Geneva (Palexpo), Lausanne (Beaulieu) and Montreux were still under consideration in January, but the first three were excluded for lack of a long-term option (Morges), already hosting an event where wine features (Bulles, the salon de Goût et Terroir) or general location (Geneva).

Montreux as the final choice was due in part to the 2m2c’s closeness to a train station, with 70% of visitors using the train, and because it is a relatively new building that will make it easier to adapt Arvinis to visitors’ and producers’ needs, as well as enlarge slightly the number of wineries taking part.

Last year’s event offered visitors the option to taste 2,500 wines.