ICEX and Grandes Pagos de España: Reverse Missions of Wine Buyers 2027

Key data

Spanish wineries will have in 2027 a concrete opportunity to meet international buyers without leaving their own facilities. ICEX Spain Export and Investment and the Grandes Pagos de España Association have formalized an agreement—published in the BOE on November 3, 2026 with effect from October 23, 2026—to organize reverse mission extensions linked to three key programs in the Spanish wine promotional calendar.

The mechanism is straightforward: foreign buyers and opinion leaders who already participate in events such as Barcelona Wine Week 2027 or the Educator Northwest and Educator Mediterranean 2027 programs extend their stay in Spain to visit wine-growing areas directly. Wineries receive these buyers on their own ground, with all logistics handled by the Association.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement defines a collaboration framework between ICEX and the Grandes Pagos de España Association with the following structural elements:

The joint Monitoring Committee is the body that will determine the exact dates of each reverse mission extension, as well as the locations visited. Until this committee pronounces itself, no definitive dates or destinations have been published.

Economic and operational impact

For participating wineries, the most direct impact is the reduction in the cost of accessing international buyers. In a conventional reverse mission, the winery does not assume the travel and accommodation expenses of the buyers: these costs fall on the Grandes Pagos de España Association as stipulated in the agreement.

The concrete opportunities generated by this agreement are:

• Direct commercial contact with buyers from four major markets: Europe, Asia, America and Oceania.
• Visibility under the umbrella of the "Foods and Wines from Spain" brand, which ICEX projects through its network of Commercial Offices abroad.
• Synergies with Barcelona Wine Week 2027, one of the sector's leading events internationally, which acts as a gateway for buyers before winery visits.
• English-language support guaranteed during visits, which eliminates the language barrier for wineries without specialized foreign trade staff.

The agreement does not specify economic amounts or number of buyer places. Specific figures for participants and budget will be defined in the Monitoring Committee.

Who does it affect?

• Wineries associated with Grandes Pagos de España: they are the primary direct beneficiaries, as the Association is the one organizing and financing the logistics of the visits.
• Wine producers in Spanish wine-growing areas that may be included in the itineraries approved by the Monitoring Committee.
• Spanish wine exporters seeking contacts in European, Asian, American or Oceanian markets.
• Wine prescribers, sommeliers and educators participating in the Educator Northwest and Educator Mediterranean 2027 programs, as recipients of the on-site experience.
• International distributors and importers invited through ICEX's network of Commercial Offices abroad.

Practical example

A winery associated with Grandes Pagos de España located in a wine-growing area in the northwest peninsula could be included in the itinerary of the Educator Northwest 2027 program. In that case, it would receive at its facilities a group of buyers and prescribers from markets such as Asia or America, who have previously participated in Barcelona Wine Week 2027.

The winery would not assume the transport, accommodation, meals or insurance costs of the visitors—these expenses are borne by the Grandes Pagos de España Association—. Additionally, it would have English-language support throughout the visit. The result: a commercial meeting on-site with qualified international buyers, without the cost or logistical complexity of a trade fair or commercial mission abroad.

The specific dates and selection of wineries to be visited will be decided by the joint ICEX — Grandes Pagos de España Monitoring Committee, so interested wineries should activate their contact with the Association as soon as possible.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your winery is a member of Grandes Pagos de España: participation in reverse missions is linked to the Association, which manages logistics and the selection of wineries to be visited.
2. Contact the Grandes Pagos de España Association: express interest in being included in the itineraries of the Educator Northwest 2027, Educator Mediterranean 2027 or Barcelona Wine Week 2027 programs, before the Monitoring Committee sets the definitive dates and destinations.
3. Prepare materials in English: support during visits will be in English; it is advisable to have product sheets, catalogs and winery presentations in that language.
4. Identify priority markets: buyers come from Europe, Asia, America and Oceania. Defining in advance which markets are strategic for your winery allows you to better orient commercial conversations during visits.
5. Coordinate with ICEX: if your winery already works with any ICEX Commercial Office abroad, inform them of your interest in these missions so they can facilitate the identification of relevant buyers from your target market.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23092