Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Five minutes with Talal Madi, Ixsir

Published: 03 December, 2024

Over a preview of Ixsir’s 2024 vintage, the Lebanese winery’s CEO shares some insights with James Bayley.

California set for ‘memorable vintage’ following fast-paced growing season and harvest

Published: 28 November, 2024

The 2024 California harvest got off to an early start in many regions following a rainy winter, a cool spring and a warm summer during a year which has left a lasting impression on vintners, the California Wine Institute said.

Loire Valley producers reeling from 'unprecedented climatic conditions' in 2024

Published: 20 November, 2024

Vintage 2024 in the Loire Valley has been described as "one of the most trying years in recent decades” for growers in north-western France.

Rhône Valley producers optimistic despite 'Homeric vintage' in 2024

Published: 18 November, 2024

As the dust settles on another roller coaster vintage, winemakers across the Rhône Valley are nonetheless confident that their wines will showcase “fruit, tension and balance” - as much for white wines as for reds and rosés.

Fladgate Partnership releases 2024 harvest report

Published: 21 October, 2024

In the wake of an overall cool vintage, expectations remain high in the Douro Valley, with initial reports suggesting that year's crop will showcase “vibrant fruit, fine tannins, and remarkable acidity”.

Ixsir defies the odds to complete harvest

Published: 18 October, 2024

Lebanese winery Ixsir has managed to complete another successful harvest despite devastating socio-economic challenges in the region, including daily bombings in areas such as the Bekaa valley and a deepening crisis in the conflict with Israel.

South Africa hopeful of recovery after ‘challenging’ 2024 harvest

Published: 15 October, 2024

After a difficult 2024 season, which was characterised by floods, frost and strong winds, South African wine producers are optimistic about the 2025 harvest.

Lower harvest volume forecast for Austria

Published: 10 September, 2024

Austria has declared a 'very early vintage' for 2024, with volumes expected to be considerably lower than the recent average.

WineGB looks back on ‘miracle’ harvest

Published: 21 December, 2023

WineGB is celebrating what it believes will be Great Britain’s largest-ever grape harvest as freshly collected data reveals 2023 is set to produce a record-breaking estimated 20 million bottles – twice the size of Britain’s previous record year in 2018.

Ribera harvest battles ‘pronounced and changing climate’

Published: 06 December, 2023

Ribera del Duero is celebrating a bigger than expected harvest, with this year’s crop up by 12% and the grapes achieving optimal levels of ripeness despite being one of the ‘most complex harvests to date’.

Gusbourne follows English wine boom with record harvest

Published: 23 October, 2023

English sparkling and fine wine producer, Gusbourne, has followed in the footsteps of several other domestic wineries in 2023, by announcing a record-breaking harvest.

Nyetimber announces biggest ever harvest

Published: 29 September, 2023

English sparkling pioneer Nyetimber has revealed that harvest 2023 will be its biggest ever, with 350ha of vines to be harvested, up almost 8% on last year.

Spain's vintage 2022: Challenges across the board

Published: 11 January, 2023

Wines from Spain has released its annual harvest report for the 2022 vintage in Spain.

2022 harvest puts Sogevinus ‘to the test’

Published: 28 November, 2022

Leading Port and still wine producer Sogevinus is celebrating making its way through a "very difficult and challenging harvest", which was able to overcome significant viticultural challenges, including heat intensity and the lack of rainfall, particularly when it came to lower altitude vines.

Extreme summer shrinks Cava harvest in 2022

Published: 19 October, 2022

Cava's regulatory council has issued a statement about the difficult growing season this year, characterised by “continuous and above-average high temperatures, along with successive heat waves in late spring and early summer.”

Chapel Down to produce two million bottles from 2022

Published: 17 October, 2022

The UK's largest winery has published an update on vintage 2022 in southern England, celebrating “both the exceptional grape quality and yield”.

Burgundy optimistic about 2022 vintage, despite August heatwave

Published: 26 September, 2022

Early indications suggest that Burgundy will produce a good volume of high-quality wine from the 2022 vintage, exceeding initial expectations.

Frost, hail and heat, but Bordeaux predicts ‘quality is there’ in 2022

Published: 06 September, 2022

Having experienced one of its earliest starts to harvest on record, and with climatic extremes to the fore throughout growing season, Bordeaux is predicting a “very promising” vintage, according to Vins de Bordeaux.

Relief for New Zealand's ‘severely depleted’ cellars

Published: 01 September, 2022

New Zealand has reported a healthier harvest and a boost for the country’s inflation-hit supply chain after 2022 delivered in terms of size.

Record-breaking early harvest for Spain

Published: 18 August, 2022

Spain has recorded some of its earliest ever harvests this year, with many parts of the country bringing picking forward in order to mitigate a barrage of wildfires, widespread drought and “constant heat”.