Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Champagne Top 100 launched in London

Published: 03 March, 2020

London fine-wine club 67 Pall Mall is partnering with wine-event and education provider Scala Wine to launch The Champagne Top 100.

Smartphones boost consumer interest in wine while ‘knowledge’ slides

Published: 20 January, 2020

The world’s wine drinkers are quickly becoming a population of confident connoisseurs thanks to widespread access to the internet and the ubiquity of smartphones. But are they any more knowledgeable offline?

Low and no on-trade sales soar by nearly 50%

Published: 02 December, 2019

Sales of no- and low-alcohol drinks in the on-trade have risen nearly 50% in the last year, according to a new report from food-and-drink sector analysts CGA.

Gin: Ascending the throne

Published: 14 November, 2019

It’s been on the cards for some time. Back in 2014, there were rumblings that gin was poised to overtake vodka as the UK’s spirit of choice in time for the new decade.

Gin months away from eclipsing vodka as the UK’s biggest spirits category

Published: 30 October, 2019

After years of forecasting and speculation, gin is poised to finally push ahead of vodka as the UK’s biggest spirits category in 2020, with flavoured variants pushing the category to ever greater heights.

Entry-level malts lead whisky category to new heights

Published: 23 October, 2019

A raft of innovation has boosted the fortunes and the accessibility of whisk(e)y in the UK, a new report has revealed.

Prestige Champagne fizzes as sub-£20 falls

Published: 29 August, 2019

Research has shown that Champagne is experiencing continued uplift at the premium end of the spectrum, with brands leading the category to a higher average price per bottle.

Montblanc named a sponsor of the Louis Roederer Wine Writer Awards

Published: 18 July, 2019

Montblanc is to sponsor the Emerging Wine Writer category at this year's Louis Roederer Wine Writer Awards.

Think Gin Debate: Innovation vs Integrity

Published: 19 June, 2019

As flavoured gins continue to drive rapid growth and innovation in the category, concern grows over how to ‘future proof’ the spirit and prevent it becoming a victim of its own success.

Alcohol sales fall worldwide, but with recovery to follow, predicts the IWSR

Published: 31 May, 2019

Global alcohol consumption fell back by 1.6% in 2018, according to new data from the IWSR, with some 27.6 billion nine-litre cases being consumed.

UK retains top five status as global market for still and sparkling imports

Published: 22 May, 2019

The UK remains the world’s second biggest importer of still and sparkling wine, analysts have confirmed - despite the era of high volume wine sales being “over for good”.

Armit backs Italy with several new agency partnerships

Published: 07 March, 2019

Armit Wines is flexing its muscles in its Italian portfolio, having added several new producers through agencies or partner agencies.

Distell names new premium wine company

Published: 15 January, 2019

South African juggernaut Distell has officially announced the launch of its new premium wine division which will go by the name Libertas Vineyards and Estates.

Number of regular UK wine drinkers drops by one million in three years

Published: 13 December, 2018

Britain is steadily losing its core wine drinkers to other beverage categories, while those who remain loyal to the category are drinking less often.

Think Whisky 2018: Wising up to whisky

Published: 08 October, 2018

Despite being the second biggest spirits category in the UK, accounting for 21% of sales (Nielsen/CGA, year to June 2018), big opportunities exist for whisk(e)y if it can grow engagement with women and younger adults, who currently shy away from the category.

Pernod Ricard plugs Scotch growth back into NPD with new launch

Published: 30 August, 2018

Pernod Ricard is capitalising on encouraging growth in the Scotch category with the launch of its new Chivas XV.

Premium spirits worth 40% more to the on-trade at Christmas

Published: 17 August, 2018

The shift to premium spirits has happened and is here to stay, opening up a multimillion pound opportunity for the UK’s bars and restaurants this festive season.