Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Five minutes with Thibault Lavergne, Wine Story

Published: 05 March, 2024

Andrew Catchpole caught up with Thibault Lavergne of Wine Story at Vin, London’s leading French tasting, to find out what makes this specialist importer tick

Soapbox: Somm tips on ordering wine

Published: 21 November, 2023

Aulis’s Charles Carron Brown irons out the mistakes commonly made in approaching a somm, helping to bag the wine a diner wants, rather than the one the somm wants them to drink.

SWA open for entries

Published: 02 November, 2023

After a Covid-delivered hiatus of several years, the Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA), the UK’s premier on-trade wine competition, is back with a bang and ready to receive this year’s exciting entries.

Q&A: Isa Bal MS, co-owner, Trivet

Published: 19 October, 2023

Andrew Catchpole catches up with Isa Bal MS, sommelier, restaurateur and new chair of the Sommelier Wine Awards.

Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Bella Babbit, NoMad London

Published: 21 August, 2023

Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Bella Babbit, wine director, NoMad London, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.

Gosset Matchmakers 2023 finalists announced

Published: 15 August, 2023

The Champagne Gosset Matchmakers competition has revealed the top sommelier/chef teams who have made it to the final stages for 2023, where they will be battling out to be crowned top of the class.

Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Matteo Furlan, The Dorchester London

Published: 14 August, 2023

Mid way through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Matteo Furlan, head of wines, The Dorchester London, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.

Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Vanessa Stolz, Restaurant Pine

Published: 02 August, 2023

Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Vanessa Stolz, head sommelier at Restaurant Pine, to find out how the year has gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.

Kai Mayfair sommelier takes home the 2023 UK Ruinart gong

Published: 22 February, 2023

Mateusz Kowlczyk of Kai Mayfair has been announced as the winner of the 2023 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, taking home the title in the seventh year of the competition.

2023 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge open for entries

Published: 23 January, 2023

The 2023 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge is officially open for entries, with an all-expenses paid trip to Champagne on the line.

The sommelier work shift

Published: 10 November, 2022

Chefs used to steal all the limelight in restaurants, leaving front-of-house in the shadows, except for a few exalted characters who managed to gain notoriety across the trade. The rise of the superstar sommelier, however, shifted more focus to the service side, with films and documentaries adding to the allure of the wine gurus fronting the drinks offer that complements the food.

Gosset Matchmakers 2022 winners announced

Published: 30 September, 2022

A chef and sommelier team from Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester has been crowned the winners of Gosset Matchmakers 2022, beating out tough competition from peers in Hampshire and Edinburgh.

Looking ahead: Jonathan Kleeman, Restaurant Story

Published: 24 August, 2022

With the first half of 2022 already history, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, ongoing trends and opportunities.

Gosset Matchmakers Competition returns for its seventh year

Published: 09 May, 2022

Champagne Gosset welcome entries for the 2022 edition of its landmark Matchmakers Competition, run in collaboration with The Sommelier Collective and Le Cordon Bleu in London.

The changing role of the sommelier

Published: 05 May, 2022

Restaurants across the country are still suffering the devastating effects of Covid and face a tidal wave of soaring costs, including a return to 20% VAT.

Chianti Classico UK Sommelier Ambassador Competition is launched

Published: 14 April, 2022

The Consorzio Chianti Classico will select its first UK ambassador in September.

L’Enclume becomes star of the north with a Michelin first

Published: 16 February, 2022

The latest iteration of the Michelin star list has unveiled a first for the north of England with Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume clinching a watershed three stars.

South of France to open new somm school

Published: 03 November, 2021

The Roussillon region is to host what is described as a “unique training centre” for sommeliers, planned to open in September 2022.

Last chance to enter Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship

Published: 18 May, 2021

UK-based Sommeliers have until 28 May to send in their application for the Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship – the annual travel bursary created in honour of the late Gerard Basset OBE, MS, MW, MSc (OIV).

Latimer appoints ex-somm Caroline Brangé to head up sales

Published: 14 April, 2021

Latimer Vintners has appointed ex-sommelier Caroline Brangé to head up its on and off-trade sales, working closely with London’s hospitality establishments as they prepare to re-open their doors.