Tina Caputo: an American wine editor's first experience of English wine

Last week I ventured into a strange new wine-tasting territory: Kent. While visiting London for a two-week vacation/work stint (I'm normally based in Sonoma County), I was able to tag along with a group of British journalists on a visit to Hush Heath Estate, boutique producer of rosé sparkling wines.

Henry Butler blog: we need good service, transparency and a stop to cutting out value

Henry Butler, of Butlers Wine Cellar, Brighton, on how we need good service, transparency and to put an end to the obsession of discounting from suppliers.

Cavendish Wines' Scott Trutwein - dialogue between indies and suppliers 'is a must'

From the well appointed surrounds of London's Soho Hotel Harper's hosted a thought-provoking debate surrounding the role of suppliers to the independents.

Mike Paul on why independents do deserve a more disciplined service from suppliers

I've been following the debate around channel strategy with great interest and with some surprise. The UK trade is in my view more professional than ever which implies that the rather ad hoc basis on which many suppliers, and indeed retailers, went about developing their business in the last century has been replaced by a more strategic mindset. And whilst I accept that the recession has put more pressure on companies to take business where they can the intensity of the debate suggests that a surprising number of suppliers are attempting to "run with the hare and also with the hounds".

Blog: Anne Krebiehl does Australian Shiraz

Anne Krebiehl blogs on Australian Shiraz tasting.

BWT blog: why you can't afford to miss it

Showcasing top-quality, limited-volume wines is the Boutique Wineries Tasting on September 20 at The Business Design Centre in Islington, London.

Harpers blog - neighbourhood pub restores Croydon's pride

A tale of riots, community spirit and hundreds of yellow post-it notes:

Tom Sandham: celebrating alcohol live at the Edinburgh Fringe

The other day I was lying in bed after a late night in Edinburgh and had This Morning on. True story - living the dream.

Justin Keay: a tour of Alsace

Many wine regions lay claim to being the world's most attractive but Alsace has a better claim than most.

Giles Cooke MW, marketing director at Alliance Wine

Giles Cooke MW, marketing director at Alliance Wine, blogs on the on-trade opportunities in selling wines by the glass.

Douglas Blyde blog: Made in Yorkshire cocktail competition

The final of the inaugural cocktail competition Made in Yorkshire took place at Leeds' 13th floor SkyLounge at the Mint Hotel on August 1, a day officially designated Yorkshire Day. As well as the city's nightlife, organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and SLB Public Relations intended the event to highlight the county's bounty of local produce. Consequently competitors were required to include a minimum of one local ingredient whether wine, rhubarb, carrot or relish.

Geoffrey Dean: Provence blog, Part Two

Warning, this blog may make you hungry

Food matching with wine may have caught on in a big way, but when it comes to whisky the concept still has a long distance to go before it earns such widespread acceptance.

Geoffrey Dean: Provence blog, Part One, Chateau Minuty

This is, of course, the time of the year when legions of well-heeled Brits (and yes Russians) flock to St Tropez and other famous spots on the French Riviera. Well, the southern Provence natives are about to launch a kind of reverse invasion of their own this summer when one of the leading crus classes from the C?tes de Provence, Chateau Minuty, attempts to secure a bridgehead in the British wine market.

Susanna Forbes: Can England teach the world about making wine?

John Radford: my thoughts on Valencia's new Vino de Pago

With the news that the regional government of Valencia has ratified its first (and Spain's tenth) Vino de Pago - Finca Terrerazo - perhaps it's time to clear up the confusion about what a 'pago' really is.

Anne Krebiehl blogs from the Definitive Italian Tasting

An embarrassment of riches, that's the only fit way to describe the Definitive Italian Tasting at Lord's on June 28 2011.

Vinexpo 2011: An independent merchant's view

Karl Walton, the manager of Hennings Wine Merchants in Petworth, West Sussex gives his views of his trip to Vinexpo

Vinexpo blog - what does it take to be crowned Best Sommelier of the World?

Harpers features editor Laura Clark blogs from Vinexpo 2011.

Nick Eve, communications expert, on successful drinks marketing

Continually shifting consumer behaviour is something every industry has to contend with. Keeping up with the consumer, or better still, aiming to outguess where the next trend will come from is probably what keeps most marketers awake at night. So when recent research findings came in that alcohol consumption in licensed premises is at an all time low, there already were quite a few clever drink's brands who had forecast this would be happening and were doing something about it.