Edinburgh’s on-trade has experienced a “bit of a boom” since the Covid pandemic, believes Stuart Skea, Harpers Top 50 Sommelier and head somm at Michelin-starred Lyla. The restaurant opened its doors in 2023, for example, quickly gaining rewards and renown in the three years since.
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Over the past two years, spend in indie merchants has fallen by 5%, according to a recent Independent Off-Trade Report from Liberty Wines. Interestingly, by far the biggest contributor to this decline is a drop in footfall, with increases in spend per visit not enough to offset this.
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Liberty Wines has welcomed Savage Wines, bringing the trailblazing Cape winery founded by Duncan Savage into its South African portfolio.
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Importer Liberty Wines has added two more projects from well-known winemaker Telmo Rodríguez. Also joining its Spanish portfolio is Valencia’s Javi Revert as well as Rías Baixas’s Forjas del Salnés.
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Liberty Wines has boosted its southern Italian portfolio with the addition of Quintodecimo and Bella-Colonna estates.
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Ahead of importer Liberty Wines’ Autumn Portfolio Tasting tomorrow (Tuesday 15 September), Harpers caught up with CEO Tom Platt to discuss a strong past year of trading for the distributor, with “double-digit” sales growth; the importance of adapting operations to customer feedback; and Liberty’s landmark 30th anniversary next year.
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Portuguese wine giant Sogrape’s two leading port houses – Sandeman and Porto Ferreira – have both declared 2024 vintage ports.
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Distributor Liberty Wines has partnered with leading Spanish winemaker Raúl Pérez (pictured) in the UK.
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Distributor Liberty Wines has expanded its Mediterranean portfolio, partnering with leading Greek wine producers Kir-Yianni (from Macedonia) and Domaine Sigalas (from Santorini).
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Leading Provençal producer Maison Saint Aix has appointed distributor Liberty Wines as its UK agent.
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Once a stalwart of Bordeaux and still the dominant grape of Cahors, these days Malbec seems more at home in Argentina, where it is unequivocally the country’s flagship variety. Planted on 47,000ha, across 12 different provinces, Malbec accounts for more than 42% of red plantings and a quarter of the country’s harvest.
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Liberty Wines has announced new distribution agreements with two Spanish producers. The importer is adding Ribeira Sacra’s Adega Algueira and Tenerife’s Ocampo to its offering.
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Liberty Wines CEO Tom Platt continues our summer Q&A series with a measured take on the challenges to the trade.
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From family to sovereign wealth fund-owned, the shape of wholesale ownership in the UK is diverse. An examination of the top 10 of the Harpers Top 50 Drinks Wholesalers 2024 highlights this ever-changing picture, showing how ownership has evolved in recent years.
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Despite the British penchant for a celebratory glass of bubbly, Champagne has not escaped difficulties wrought by an array of industry headwinds. The revered style has seen total yearly shipments fall 9.4% in 2024, compared to 2023, according to CIVC, a continuation of a downward trend seen since the Covid highs of 2021.
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Liberty Wines’ first ever Independent Off-Trade Wine Report paints a cautiously optimistic picture for the future. Jo Gilbert reports
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As the year’s final quarter unfolds, Liberty Wines remains committed to providing strong service and support across all departments, from sales to logistics. The company's recent Autumn/Winter tasting event highlighted the importance of offering a diverse range of high-quality wines to inspire consumer spending and maintain market leadership.
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James Bayley digs deep into what makes a wine list tick.
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An amped up Tom Platt, CEO of Liberty Wines, was keen to share his optimism this week as the trade steams ahead into the last months of 2024, with a particular focus on a handful of new Italian wines and a “significantly developed” Spain category striking a chord with visitors at Tuesday's (17 September) autumn tasting.
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Liberty Wines has been appointed as the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for Gunderloch, one of the Rheinhessen’s most respected producers.
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