Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Billecart-Salmon appoints Mathieu Roland-Billecart CEO

Published: 07 November, 2018

Champagne Billecart-Salmon has appointed Mathieu Roland-Billecart to the position of chief executive officer.

Accolade sparkling head and wine icon Ed Carr on launching Tasmanian fizz onto the world stage

Published: 01 November, 2018

Fresh from his win at the Lifetime Achievement Awards at last week’s Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London, Ed Carr, group head sparkling winemaker at Accolade Wines talked to Harpers about putting Tasmania on the map.

All the trimmings: alternatives to pair with Christmas

Published: 29 October, 2018

As summer slides inexorably into autumn, we Brits start ringing the seasonal changes. Light cotton shirts give way to warm sweaters, then the coats come out of seasonal hibernation. Afterwards there’s the annual dither about whether or not to switch the central heating on yet. Before you know it they’ll be playing Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas on a continuous loop in every shopping mall and supermarket between Land’s End and John O’Groats and offering deals on anything from Play Station consoles to family-sized boxes of Quality Street.

Official launch of ‘maximum bubbles, zero waste’ fizz preserver

Published: 23 October, 2018

A Champagne and sparkling wine preserver that promises to keep fizz in optimum condition for up to four weeks has been officially launched to the on-trade following a trial in a selection of high end restaurants.

The Whisky Exchange launches Champagne event

Published: 18 October, 2018

The Whisky Exchange has launched a Champagne event to ‘revive’ the category in the UK.

Champagne sees increase in trade share

Published: 05 October, 2018

Champagne’s trade share has risen from 1% to 8% by value in the past eight years, with the number of unique Champagnes trading having multiplied in the same time frame, according to a new report.

Piper Heidsieck appoints new Chef de Cave

Published: 24 September, 2018

Piper Heidsieck has appointed Émilien Boutillat as its new Chef de Cave.

Copestick Murray adds first Champagne to I Heart portfolio

Published: 10 September, 2018

Copestick Murray, owned by German group Henkell which recently purchased Freixenet to form the world’s largest sparkling wine supplier, has added the first Champagne to its I Heart range to replicate the success of the brand’s Prosecco.

FMV bolsters Champagne menu with Leclerc Briant

Published: 10 September, 2018

Fields, Morris & Verdin (FMV) has expanded its Champagne portfolio with the addition of Leclerc Briant.

Nicolas Feuillatte appoints Castelnau as part of on-trade UK strategy

Published: 03 September, 2018

Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte has appointed Castelnau Wine Agencies (CWA) as part of its strategy to secure its on-trade presence throughout the UK.

Jascots adds Sekt producer Schloss Vaux to tap fizz trend

Published: 02 September, 2018

Jascots has added Sekt Estate producer Schloss Vaux to its portfolio to tap Brits’ continued thirst for bubbles.

Billecart-Salmon releases bicentenary cuvée and unveils new cellar

Published: 10 August, 2018

Billecart-Salmon has launched a collector’s cuvée and unveiled a new cellar as part of its bicentenary celebrations.

Industry urged to better market English sparkling as poll shows 85% British consumers ‘don’t have a clue’

Published: 03 August, 2018

British consumers are ‘clueless’ when it comes to English sparkling wine, a survey has revealed.

Record-breaking weather means Champagne harvest will begin in August

Published: 27 July, 2018

The 2018 Champagne harvest will become only the fifth vintage in the last 15 years to begin in August, according to the Comité Champagne.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Are wine drinkers being duped?

Published: 23 July, 2018

So, it’s au revoir to Monsieur Paillard, for 20 years the President of the Commission for the Protection of Champagne. He has thrown his toys out of the pram at the news that Champagne Palmer has signed an exclusive distribution deal in the US with Constellation Brand’s fine wine division.

Northern talent dominates Champagne Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year

Published: 17 July, 2018

Alex Freguin, head sommelier at Moor Hall in Ormskirk, West Lancashire has been crowned the Champagne Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year 2018.

Nyetimber reveals plans to grow exports

Published: 12 July, 2018

Nyetimber has revealed plans to expand its international reach with the aim growing its exports to 20% in the next 10 years.

Lack of centralised name for English wine ‘huge lost opportunity’

Published: 09 July, 2018

The lack of a centralised name for English wine has been described as a “huge lost opportunity” and has spurred on research to unveil how to fulfil the category’s potential.

English winemakers experiment with Charmat method

Published: 26 June, 2018

A number of English winemakers are breaking with convention to produce fizz made using a method more often associated with Prosecco.

Plumpton College introduces awareness day to highlight ‘light strike’ damage

Published: 20 June, 2018

Plumpton College has, in partnership with Sparkling Wine World Championship (CSWWC) and Nyetimber introduced a ‘light strike’ awareness day coinciding with summer solstice - the longest day of the year.