Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Tesco sticks out its neck with restaurant chain acquisition

Published: 13 March, 2013

Tesco has acquired restaurant chain Giraffe for £48.6 million.

Minimum pricing in death throes

Published: 13 March, 2013

David Cameron's plan for minimum alcohol pricing are set to be axed, according to reports.

Inverarity Morton widens sales reach

Published: 13 March, 2013

Independent drinks merchant Inverarity Morton is increasing its national sales resource with a new area team in Scotland and the appointment of a business development manager to its south west England division.

London International Wine Fair will be "solid event" say organisers

Published: 12 March, 2013

The London International Wine Fair organisers have said they are positive that "2013 will be a solid event", despite some high profile dropouts. LIWF anticipates the fair at London's ExCeL centre will have over 500 exhibitors and 10,000 trade visitors.

Union warning as Diageo announces £100m restructure

Published: 12 March, 2013

Unite the union has warned Diageo that is must not make its UK and Irish workforces pay for business realignment in its...

Mangrove to distribute Blackwell rum

Published: 12 March, 2013

Mangrove is to distribute Jamaican rum brand Blackwell. The rum was created by music entrepreneur Chris Blackwell who founded Island Records.

Banrock Station launches Vote for Nature campaign

Published: 12 March, 2013

Accolade Wine is to donate £100,000 to the National Trust as part of a tie-up with the conservation charity and its Banrock Station brand.

Basset judge on sherry and food matching competition

Published: 12 March, 2013

UK sommelier and hotelier Gerard Basset OBE will be joining the judging panel of The Sherry Institute of Spain's bi-annual international food and sherry matching competition.

Champagne proves quality still comes first

Published: 01 March, 2013

Supermarket price wars may be attracting consumers to certain Champagnes, but independent retailers claim quality is still the key in their stores, as Carol Emmas rpeorts

Royal Tokaji releases 2007 single vineyard wines

Published: 01 March, 2013

Royal Tokaji has released the 2007 vintage of its six Puttonyos single vineyard wines.

Hine family releases limited 1983 Cognac duo

Published: 01 March, 2013

The Hine family has, over the years, acquired the intuitive skill of judging when an individual young Cognac has the potential to develop into something very special.

De Bortoli adds to Deen Vat Series with Vat 1 Durif

Published: 01 March, 2013

Winning a host of awards across Australia last year is the De Bortoli Wines' Deen Vat 1 Durif 2010 (rrp £9.29) from its Deen Vat Series range.

Chile puts faith in virgin terroir

Published: 01 March, 2013

In the second instalment of our Chile focus, Laura Heywood meets the winemakers exploring new territory in a bid to push terroir-driven wines

Regions vs brands: What's right for France?

Published: 01 March, 2013

With regions as well known as those in France, is there any point in marketing by brand instead of region? Laura Heywood...

ProWein 2013: Why it's the place to be

Published: 01 March, 2013

ProWein is going from strength to strength with sell-out exhibition space, high customer satisfaction and new...

Has the British market lost favour with the French?

Published: 01 March, 2013

There has been lots of noise on either side of the Channel in the past few years about how the French don't really need the UK market any more. How they don't like us any more, how we're tighter than the Dutch and the Germans, and if the French don't succeed here, there are other markets, more dynamic and happier to pay a higher price.

Romanian Pinot 'surprisingly good' says Halewood

Published: 01 March, 2013

Halewood Romania has launched a "surprisingly good Pinot Noir campaign" in a bid to encourage the UK wine trade to look at the quality and value of its wine.

Oddbins' head buyer Emma Nichols departs

Published: 01 March, 2013

Oddbins' head buyer Emma Nichols has left the business, Harpers can reveal.

Oddbins on track for profit despite £1.1m loss in first months of new company

Published: 01 March, 2013

Oddbins has insisted it is on track to make a profit within three years after it reported a £1.1 million loss in the first months of operation under new management in 2011.