In what can only be described as turbulent times for the industry – marred by everything from a looming Brexit to duty hikes, staff shortages alongside wage increases and a significant drop in Britain’s core wine drinkers – the trade is facing an uphill struggle with good news stories few and far between.
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This year marks 100 years since the birth of the new king of the cocktail world. Named after a thirsty Count who requested gin rather than soda water to be added to his favourite tipple, the negroni has played the long game, delighting drinkers with simple balance of Campari, sweet Italian vermouth, and of course, the juniper-based spirit. Today, it is number one cocktail served with gin – even more popular than the martini.
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The UK market continues to be the shop window for the world of wine, with the on-trade driving premium sales.
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Sceptics have long argued that sustainable business practices are a drag on competitiveness. But, as Andrew Catchpole reports, one UK wine company is proving them wrong
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Food compatibility and top-quality wines have made Austria a secret weapon for sommeliers wanting to impress their guests. Jo Gilbert looks at which varieties, regions and styles head their lists.
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The launch of a new trading platform for the drinks trade promises to disrupt existing business models. Jo Gilbert investigates
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Turkey’s indigenous varieties offer a wealth of options to explore. Peter McCombie MW takes the country’s temperature
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Value for money and a wealth of styles is making up for the lack of a stand-out varietal star in Portugal. Charles Metcalfe reports
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Harpers partnered with Wines Direct to bring you this original survey, comparing UK consumer attitudes and purchasing habits with regard to French wines between 2014 and 2019.
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Innovations in wine closures are coming thick and fast, driven by sustainability, convenience and quality control. Lisa Riley investigates their impact
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Counting Daphne’s, Scott’s, Sexy Fish, Caprice, the fast-growing Ivy Collection, J. Sheeky and Harry’s Bar among its swish restaurants and watering holes, Caprice Holdings can be seen as something of a barometer for trends sweeping through the premium on-trade. And the same can be said of the drinks offer, which morphs from cool cocktails to fine wines – and everything in between – across the various brands and estates.
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An old timbered barn in the heart of the rustic, misty Bas Armagnac region is perhaps the last place you’d expect to find a pop-up cocktail bar, let alone one that could pass muster in the hipper quarters of New York or London. But shakers are shaking, drinks being dispensed, with the artfully tattooed bar guru Luis Inchaurraga of Madrid Mixology mixing up a host of fabulous Armagnac-based drinks.
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Harpers invited a panel of independent merchants and sommeliers to join Grant Burge chief winemaker Craig Stansborough to talk, taste and pair his Barossa styles with some demanding dishes. Andrew Catchpole was on hand to assess the feedback on these modern Australian wines and their place in the premium drinking repertoire.
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Three years on from Seedlip’s launch, moderation is on the up while the number of regular wine drinkers in the UK is going down. Low and no alcohol might be the category the wine trade didn’t want, but it’s here to stay, says Jo Gilbert
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As New Zealand struggles to establish regionality, Loire winemakers in the “home” of Sauvignon Blanc are re-carving their identity by putting their unique soils front and centre. Jo Gilbert reports
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As the WSET hits 50, Andrew Catchpole talks to chief executive Ian Harris MBE about driving forward a great British export
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Fun fact: the Oxford Word of the Year 2018 was “toxic”. Why toxic, you ask? Every year, the eminent Oxford University institution chooses a word or expression that is judged to “reflect the ethos, mood or preoccupations of the passing year” and have “lasting potential as a term of cultural significance”.
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Rum’s challenges and opportunities are clearly visible in the on-trade, where it is widely championed by bartenders and misunderstood by consumers. Jo Gilbert sets out to explore the many ways thisclassic party drink is unlocking its full potential
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The number of leaders with confidence in the future of their own company within the eating and drinking-out market took a knock in the three months to November 2018, according to the latest CGA Business Confidence Survey.
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It’s well reported that Australian wine sales into mainland China have been booming, driven by a compelling mix of favourable trade deals, attractiveness of style to Chinese consumers and a firm commitment by the Australian industry to push into that market. Moreover, as with many other territories around the world, the US included, such buyers are prepared to pay a good price for the pleasure of listing the wines.
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