Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

My View: Ethical Trends

Published: 18 January, 2007

Trends these days in the food industry are the greener and more ethical the better.

My View: Spotlight on South Africa

Published: 18 January, 2007

South Africa is under the UK wine trade spotlight, with everyone pontificating on the best way forward.

I had vowed not to write about retail this month and to consider some of the areas, that I am exploring in my new guise which after years of my necessarily streamlined vision of focussing on life within the rather large goldfish bowl of multiple retail, my eyes have been opened, and mind awakened to pastures new, as I work, in various of my new guises with on-trade, wholesale and specialists and learn to understand the different and varied demands and requirements of these sectors of the business.

My View: Attracting new talent

Published: 18 January, 2007

Attracting talent from the wider FMCG sector is not new to the wine industry.

When desire is lacking

Published: 18 January, 2007

Every time I visit South Africa on wine business I come away with a feeling of unrealised potential.

Level playing field in Scotch market

Published: 18 January, 2007

David Williamson of The Scotch Whisky Association looks at India's recent abolition of the additional customs duty on imported spirit drinks.

My View: Weights and measures legislation is not draconian

Published: 18 January, 2007

The ruling on Selfridges' Enomatic machine might seem draconian to some, but as a body that advises on such weights and measures legislation, we see the sound reasoning behind this.

Tories lacking in new ideas

Published: 18 January, 2007

After 10 years of Labour Government I felt a little bit of anticipation waiting to see the Conservative policy proposals to tackle alcohol misuse.

Justice for hidden gems

Published: 18 January, 2007

All I passed were a few unkind but surely well-merited remarks about English wine, and I am assailed on all sides.

My View: The EU wine reforms

Published: 18 January, 2007

The first thing to say about the proposed EU wine reforms is they are nothing more than an updated discussion document.

Where's the after service?

Published: 18 January, 2007

The lifeblood of the wine industry is tastings. Be it on the Olympic scale, as in Vinexpo last month, or the small regional tastings that take place up and down the country every week of the year.

It's good to talk!

Published: 18 January, 2007

So, Vinexpo is over for another two years the airline check in tickets have been discarded, the buses ferrying the great and good of the international wine trade from Vinexpo, to Chateau dinner, to hotel, have reverted to ferrying the local Bordeaux community about their business, and the might of the UK wine trade, in all its guises, has trudged back to the UK, via such illustrious routes as Luton and Stanstead and was it all worth it? I wonder?

Indy 500 survey is the most useful

Published: 18 January, 2007

The Indy 500 survey, as reported in Harpers magazine in recent weeks, was prompted by a number of California wineries seeking routes to the UK market other than via the major retailers.

Don't forget consumers: Angela Mount

Published: 18 January, 2007

Communicationthe most important and powerful tool we have at our disposal and we are not using it wisely enough, not just to consumers, but within our industry.

Notes on small tastings - Malcolm Gluck

Published: 18 January, 2007

I don't enter wine writing competitions. I don't put people up for such awards either.

Focus on South Africa - Joanne Simon

Published: 18 January, 2007

After his somewhat overdue first visit to the Cape in March, Wine Spectator senior writer James Molesworth wrote that "Syrah has now taken the lead as South Africa's top varietals" - an opinion not shared by the judges at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, which took place last week and is arguably South Africa's most credible (that is, tough) wine competition.

Producers: think laterally to succeed - Michael Paul

Published: 18 January, 2007

At a presentation at Cape 2006 James Herrick, the Wine Prophet, equated the wine market in the UK to an hour glass or less prosaically to Marilyn Monroe - thousands of producers attempting to reach millions of consumers through an increasingly consolidating route to market.

An inspiring tale of the American Dream

Published: 18 January, 2007

E&J?Gallo Wine Company
Ernest and Julio were instrumental in introducing US consumers to wine and creating the modern American wine market. Ernest was among the pioneers of wine advertising on television, and he launched many memorable wine advertising campaigns.

Mutual benefit, by Nicolas Belfrage MW and Franco Ziliani

Published: 18 January, 2007

Many years ago the Italian Trade Commission, fondly known as ICE (EE-chay), came up with a great idea. In conjunction with several of the major wine-producing regions, they would sponsor a series of week-long trips on the part of (relatively youthful) MWs keen to improve their knowledge of those regions.

Strength in numbers, by Joanne Simon

Published: 18 January, 2007

After what has been described as a near-perfect' growing season, it seems that South African wine will be the first of the 2007 vintage to reach Europe. What's more, the crop appears to be 0.5% lower than in 2006 - smaller than originally feared.