Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

New Zealand Tasting: Podcast

Published: 23 July, 2008

The first Harpers' podcast, sponsored by New Zealand Winegrowers and produced by the UK Wine Show, gives behind-the-scene insight at this industry tasting.

Vodka product marketed for women only: Video Report

Published: 23 July, 2008

A Russian drinks company has launched a vodka product targeted specifically at women.

Dr. Greg Jones, climatologist and viticulturist: Harpers TV interview

Published: 23 July, 2008

Dr Greg Jones, climatologist from the Southern Oregon University, spoke to Harpers in the latest of our series of interviews from Barcelona's Climate Change and Wine Conference 2008.

Vanquish Wine: Harpers TV interview

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jimmy Metta and David Elghanayan, founders of Vanquish Wine, speak to Harpers' Simon Ellis-Jones about their boutique premium brand wine business.

Tony Sharley, Banrock Station: Video interview

Published: 23 July, 2008

Harpers caught up with Tony Sharley, Manager at Banrock Station, at the Climate Change and Wine Conference 2008.

Oz Clarke on climate change: Video interview

Published: 23 July, 2008

Oz Clarke, wine writer and TV presenter, speaks exclusively to Harpers at the 2008 Climate Change and Wine Conference in Barcelona.

Angelo Gaja's Master Class: Video interview

Published: 23 July, 2008

Angelo Gaja, the famed Piedmontese winemaker, speaks to Harpers' Simon Ellis-Jones at his London master class in January in an exclusive interview brought to you in association with armit.

Harpers TV goes behind the scenes at Bibendum

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bibendum's January tasting saw the launch of the first Harpers TV video cast.

All for one and one for all

Published: 23 July, 2008

There are not many hotels that can claim to have cleaners and receptions with WSET qualifications.

Rupert Clevely, CEO, Geronimo Inns

Published: 23 July, 2008

After 20 years of working as managing director of Veuve Clicquot (UK) and international marketing director for Veuve Clicquot, Rupert Clevely founded the Geronimo group of pubs in 1995 with his wife, Joanna. The company now has 15 sites in London and around the M25, including the Black Swan at Ockham in Surrey and the Tin Goose pubs in Heathrow's Terminals 1 and 3. Next year Geronimo Inns Ltd will open a pub in St Pancras to coincide with the launch of the Eurostar service. Clevely's father, John Clevely MW, is responsible for the wine lists at Geronimo Inns.
Suppliers: Berkmann, Enotria, Louis Latour.

Perfection in print

Published: 23 July, 2008

Most wine lovers and industry professionals will have little difficulty naming their favourite restaurants and wine lists, but ask them to say what makes a good wine list and you'll find widely differing views.

Split decision

Published: 23 July, 2008

It is inconceivable that the Cte d'Or would ever be regarded as a single entity, with no recognition of the differences between a Puligny-Montrachet and a Meursault. Yet, for the Clare Valley in South Australia, this is how it is. Though similar in length to the Cte d'Or, the Clare Valley is lumped into one catch-all appellation. But if you have ever tasted a selection of Rieslings from Polish Hill River, Watervale and Sevenhill this is clearly not one homogeneous zone.

Tour de France

Published: 23 July, 2008

When: Wednesday 14 March, 10am-5.30pm
Where: The Nursery End Pavilion, Lord's Cricket Ground, London NW8
Contact: Tina Coady on 01638 614 775 or register at www.franceunderoneroof.co.uk

California calling

Published: 23 July, 2008

Venue: Royal Horticultural Halls, London
Date: Tuesday 13 March, 10.30am-5.30pm

The Interview: Jorge Fernandez and Rick Wells, Proprietors, Fernandez and Wells, Soho, London

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jorge Fernandez, a Londoner of Spanish parentage, has spent most of his career conceptualising and running coffee bars. He opened the Caf at Foyles, which his wife now runs, and for several years was the general manager at the Monmouth Coffee Company. Rick Wells was born in Zimbabwe, where he lived until he was 10. He has spent his career to date reporting on Africa for the BBC, and a few years ago, pursuing his passion for wine, he started a small business sourcing and importing wines for friends. A regular Monmouth customer, Wells got to know Fernandez and realised that both dreamed of opening up a shop. Fernandez and Wells, a deli-cum-wine shop focusing on wine, cheese and cured meat from France, Italy and Spain, opened in January, and a new venue specialising in coffee, cake and chocolate will open later this year. Some wines are specially sourced by Wells, others are supplied by John Armit and Enotria .

Malts make the mix

Published: 23 July, 2008

Blended Scotch accounts for around 90% of total Scotch whisky sales, which sounds great, but blends have been experiencing a gentle, sustained decline in the UK. There's a particular lack of understanding and appreciation among younger consumers, who are focused on vodka and its amazing mixability.

A flavour of the nation

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Italian Trade Commission (ICE) will hold a UK trade tasting for the first time in eight years on Wednesday. With no generic body, Italian tastings in the UK have focused on single Italian regions that wanted to promote their wines, but now ICE has united more than 60 producers from the north, south and islands. Every producer will send a representative, and there will be a tasting in Dublin two days before the London event.

The spirit of success

Published: 23 July, 2008

If there has been one undisputed champion of the UK drinks market during the past decade it has been vodka. The clear viscous liquid with no discernible colour and little in the way of aroma or flavour has won over legions of (mostly younger) consumers, and in recent years has grown to become the UK's largest spirit category, accounting for around 28% of the UK market. The previous champion, blended whisky, has been sent sprawling on to the canvas by the young upstart and now holds just 25% of the total market (AC Nielsen total market MAT to end of December 2006). Overall, the vodka market has grown by 55% since 1997 (Euromonitor), reaching 75 million litres last year, an astonishing compound growth rate of around 5% each and every year.

The Interview: Chris Connolly, managing director, Connolly's (Wine Merchants) Ltd

Published: 23 July, 2008

Tucked under a railway arch beneath Snowhill station is a rare gem, Birmingham's only independent retail wine specialist. The Connolly family have been involved in the wine trade for over four generations, but the current business was established by Pat Connolly in 1976. Chris, then training as an estate agent, joined his father in 1979, simply to provide cover. Now 47, he has succeeded his father as managing director, and last year Connolly's celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Hungary's coming of age

Published: 23 July, 2008

Hungary lays claim to possibly the worst evening of my wine-buying career on a visit to a newly privatised winery back in the early 1990s. In spite of memories of spectacularly nasty wine and even grimmer food, it was clear then that the country's great strength was, and is, its people.