Wine regions are coming to town at two very different venues in November: aboard the Lake Zürich fleet at Bürkliplatz and in the historic halls of the Badischer Bahnhof in Basel. Expovina runs from 29 October to 12 November 2026; the Badischer Weinbahnhof follows on 14 November. An international selection at one, a focus on a single German wine-growing region at the other.
Both events bring wine origins to where their audiences live. Yet their programmes have different emphases: Zürich offers guidance through a vast wine world, while Basel explores differences within a neighbouring region.
Zürich: Finding Your Way Among Many Origins
For Expovina, the organiser lists around 200 exhibitors and some 4,000 wines from 33 countries. Portugal is the guest country. This time, the fair is not taking place exclusively on boats: because of low water levels, a lakeside pavilion covering around 1,000 square metres has been set up. Some location details in the printed catalogue may therefore be out of date.
There are several strands to the educational offering. A digital fair companion brings together wines, exhibitors and the programme. Masterclasses in the Captain’s Lounge aboard the Schwan ferry cover regions, among other topics; a changing line-up of guest regions is planned for the Swan Tasting Bar. Alongside conversations at the stands, there are thus dedicated opportunities to explore a selection of wines grouped by theme.
Award-winning wines from the Expovina Wine Trophy also feature at the fair. Accolades therefore sit alongside educational formats. Information about a bottle’s geographical origin, its grape variety and the work in the cellar, however, comes only from the relevant product details and explanations. A medal alone does not answer these questions.
Basel: Exploring a Region’s Diversity
The Badischer Weinbahnhof announces more than 30 producers at Gare du Nord in the Badischer Bahnhof on 14 November, from 2pm to 8pm. According to the organiser, this is the seventh edition. The published list of producers stretches from Weil am Rhein and Istein via Ihringen and Königschaffhausen to Durbach and St. Leon-Rot.
The geographical scope is therefore narrower than in Zürich, but by no means uniform. Baden is divided into nine wine-growing districts. The German Wine Institute highlights Gutedel in Markgräflerland, while red and white Pinot varieties play an important role in Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg. Simply identifying a producer’s district helps to give a more precise sense of the broad regional name Baden.
An exhibitor profile published by the organiser shows how origin and craftsmanship come together: for Gutedel at Weingut am Schlipf in Weil am Rhein, it mentions skin fermentation and extended lees ageing. This is, first and foremost, information about production, not an independent tasting description. It does, however, make clear why the grape variety alone does not fully explain a wine.
What Lies Behind a Region’s Name
The word volcano, too, only partly explains Kaiserstuhl. The state geological survey describes a small-scale patchwork of parent rocks and soils there; large areas are characterised by loess. The precise location of a vineyard is therefore more revealing than a sweeping label based on rock type. The significance of the site for a particular wine needs to be explained case by case.
The programmes thus offer two opportunities for comparison: between countries and regions in Zürich, and between producers within one region in Basel. Which approach gives audiences a better understanding cannot be deduced from the announcements. The offerings are documented, not their educational impact. When it comes to explaining a bottle, however, location, grape variety and maturation each provide different information from scores and prices.
Original reviewed by the editors · 5 November 2026
