Compared to other industries the wine trade has been a little slow on the uptake when it comes to recommendation algorithms. Such technology emerged commercially in the late ’90s, alongside the beginnings of ecommerce, and was popularised by platforms such as Amazon (source: A Brief History of Recommender Systems). As a tool for the wine industry, the rise of these programmes has been a little more recent – but their potential is great, according to those already working with them. Those Harpers spoke to agreed the reasons for this slow adoption are tied up with both the structure of the industry and the nuances of the product itself.
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Published: 27 April, 2026
Climate change is an inescapable challenge for many industries, and probably none more so than that of wine, particularly in countries where water is scarce, temperatures fluctuate and weather conditions are unpredictable.
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Published: 13 April, 2026
Can no-alcohol wine ever replicate the taste and complexity of the real deal? Principles of chemistry do prove it to be a challenging conundrum. The ethanol in wine has a vital influence on the sensory experience of the drink and at room temperature ethanol has a greater volatility than water. This means it evaporates more quickly from liquid into gas than water, and in the process carrying with it aromatic compounds like esters. This is just one such effect alcohol has on wine’s nose and flavour. Ultimately, however, the most important taste audience for producers of no-alcohol wine is the end consumer. Harpers spoke to a retailer, an importer and a producer to assess both technological progress and whether this has had an impact on the commercial appeal of no-alcohol wine.
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Published: 17 September, 2025
As businesses increasingly embrace elements of AI to enhance their efficiency and performance, the Harpers team invited our trade readership to take a survey to help build a picture of uptake in the drinks world.
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Published: 15 September, 2025
Just a month after going live, a free online hospitality networking platform by a duo of industry veterans has attracted members from more than 100 cities in 40 countries.
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Familia Torres has recently begun work on a groundbreaking pilot project to concentrate carbon dioxide from wine fermentation in its purest form for reuse at its Pacs del Penedès winery.
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Published: 21 April, 2025
Spring is a joyous time of year but any vineyard operator will tell you it fills them with trepidation. Grape vines first exhibit bud burst at this time of year, a vital stage in the growth cycle. New shoots and green tips emerge on the vine, the very first signs of what will become a cluster of grapes. These nascent buds are also very vulnerable to frost damage, a particular concern in places such as the UK.
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Rarely have I tried to recall an email as quickly as I did after notifying a female contact that it would be great if she could find time to meet up, as I’d heard how busty she was these days.
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My friend Matt likes to confuse algorithms. “Every now and then, I type the first thing that comes into my head into Google, Facebook or Instagram,” he told me. “Emperor penguins, Everest, wrestling, Taylor Smith, cupcakes.” In a world where our digital footprint is used by everyone from advertisers to political parties, it’s a spirited attempt to put AI off the scent.
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Published: 13 February, 2023
Cask specialists, Whisky Partners, has announced the launch of a brand-new app targeted at the world of whisky cask ownership.
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Published: 26 November, 2021
The director general of the OIV has called upon the global wine industry to more quickly embrace the opportunities afforded by new technologies, in order to stay relevant in a fiercely competitive world.
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Published: 14 April, 2021
We’re on the cusp of a new and advanced tech-fuelled era for hospitality as the on-trade begins to reopen, says Jo Gilbert.
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Published: 17 March, 2021
The hospitality sector can expect more seismic shifts in the use of technology when it reopens, according to the latest Go Technology report from CGA and Zonal.
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Published: 08 March, 2021
Technology is set to be a key focus for investment and innovation as hospitality opens up again, according to the latest CGA’s Business Leaders’ Survey.
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Published: 03 March, 2021
As famous for its wines as it is for entrepreneurial spirit and world-beating technology, it’s no surprise that innovation continues to come thick and fast from across the pond. From everyman investment platforms to robotic wine management systems and AI wine matching services, Jo Gilbert rounds up what’s new out of the US.
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Published: 03 February, 2021
Saturnalia aims to overcome the ‘mystery and magic’ surrounding fine wine pricing and scores with space-based technology. Felicity Carter eyes up its heavenly ambitions
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The advance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software is by far the most exciting catalyser of innovation in the wine industry, according to speakers at an Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) webinar held yesterday (17 June).
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At the onset of the ongoing global pandemic, traditional on-trade channels saw sales fall to zero overnight. But what about the wider drinks trade and the interactions within it? Jo Gilbert asks if it's time to reassess tried – and maybe tired – formulas?
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Such has been the upheaval wrought by the Covid pandemic that drinks businesses may have to remain agile in the longer term to meet a changed consumer landscape, with the days of specialism in one route or approach to market numbered.
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Published: 06 February, 2020
Bermar has launched a new wine and Champagne preservation technology driven by a new ePreserve chip that reseals and preserves both still and sparkling for 21 days all in one system.
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