Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Q&A: Paul Jenkins and Guillem Kerambrun

Published: 28 March, 2017

Harpers met Caprice Holdings & The Birley Group's purchasing director and its head sommelier/group wine buyer at Annabel's to discuss buying across such a diverse portfolio

Q&A: Steven Spurrier, wine expert and ex-merchant

Published: 23 February, 2017

Six years into his collaboration with Furleigh Estate in Dorset, the veteran wine expert and Judgment of Paris author caught up with Harpers about whether now is really English wine's time to shine.

Q&A: Courtney Quattrini, Vivino

Published: 06 February, 2017

As scan-and-share wine app Vivino tops 21 million users globally and begins to evolve its sales and data potential, we asked its communications guru for a download on what to expect next.

Q&A: Emma Gao, winemaker-director, Silver Heights

Published: 27 January, 2017

A stalwart of Calon-Segur, Emma Gao is head winemaker at Silver Heights, China's foremost boutique winery. James Lawrence talks inspiration, investment and imperialism with the Torres China winemaker

What lies ahead for 2017?

Published: 13 December, 2016

As a tumultuous year draws to a close, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the challenges, ongoing trends and opportunities in 2017

Q&A: Pierre Seillan, winemaker at Jackson Family Wines

Published: 07 November, 2016

Since setting off from Bordeaux to discover Sonoma County and make wines for the Jackson Family Wines (JFW) in the mid-1990s, it has been winemaker Pierre Seillan's goal to tap into the potential and diversity of the Sonoma terroi

Q&A: Xavier Rousset MS and Gearoid Devaney MS, Cabotte

Published: 04 November, 2016

Xavier Rousset MS and Gearoid Devaney MS, restaurateur and wine importer respectively, have opened a Burgundy oasis in the City, realising a long-held dream.

Q&A: Rosie Finn, Neudorf Vineyards

Published: 21 October, 2016

New Zealand's Family of Twelve is still coming to terms with the loss of one of its founding members and first chairman, Richard Riddiford, who passed away recently.

Q&A: Ken Forrester, owner, Forrester Wines

Published: 14 October, 2016

The man known as Mr Chenin tells Harpers how he views the South African wine market's evolution over the past 20 years - and what his plans are now after selling a significant stake in his business to French group AdVini.

Q&A: ?Ewan Murray, The Wine Society

Published: 10 October, 2016

PR manager Ewan Murray has been with The Wine Society for over a decade. We spoke to him about what makes this cooperative retailer so different

The other side of life: Marblehead's Jeremy Rockett

Published: 10 October, 2016

We in the drinks biz are so passionate about our trade that sometimes it's easy to forget that our colleagues have other interests.

Q&A: Fraser McIlwraith, G1 Group

Published: 03 October, 2016

As the head of business development at Scotland's largest hospitality group, Fraser McIlwraith has the intimidating task of juggling increasingly strict government legislation with the needs of big business. We caught up with him to find out how he keeps G1 Group well stocked.

Q&A: Armelle Cruse, the vice president of Crus Bourgeois du Medoc

Published: 29 September, 2016

At a tasting of the 2014 Official Selection of Crus Bourgeois du Medoc, Justin Keay spoke with Armelle Cruse, the vice president of Crus Bourgeois du Medoc about the organisation's ambitious new classification plans.

Q&A: Ian Harris, Wine & Spirit Education Trust

Published: 15 September, 2016

During his 14-year stint at the helm, Ian Harris has transformed the WSET into the leading global wine education body.

Q&A: Andrew Shaw, group wine buying director, Conviviality PLC

Published: 06 September, 2016

Conviviality PLC operates under numerous trading identities, including its retail arms Bargain Booze and Wine Rack. Having acquired leading wholesaler Matthew Clark in 2015, Conviviality added Bibendum PLB to its armoury in May 2016, with that group already operating a multi-channel sales strategy - Bibendum focusing on the on-trade, PLB on multiple off-trade and Walker & Wodehouse looking after the independent sector.

Q&A: Aidan Bowie, senior bartender, Dandelyan

Published: 10 August, 2016

The Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year GB 2016 talks to about how there's more to being a top bartender than just making a great cocktail.

Q&A: Chester Osborn, head of D'Arenberg Wines

Published: 04 August, 2016

Chester Osborn, a man famous for his loud shirts and the flamboyant head of D'Arenberg Wines, talks to Angela Mount about his winemaking ethos and his quirkily-named wines.

Q&A: Andres Caballeros, winemaker director, Carolina Wine Brands

Published: 14 June, 2016

The winemaker director at Carolina Wine Brands talks about saving and promoting Chile's viticultural diversity.

Q&A: Guillermo de Aranzabal, president, La Rioja Alta

Published: 06 June, 2016

Armit Wines' La Rioja Alta is known for its 890 and 904 wines - key years in the founding of the original winery. Harpers.co.uk caught up with the winery's fifth-generation president to find out what the Rioja label means to his business.

Q&A: Andrew Lundy, managing director, Vino

Published: 03 June, 2016

Rising from the ashes of Wine Rack after it went into administration in 2009, Edinburgh-based independent merchant Vino has garnered a reputation for a no-nonsense, fresh and fun approach to wine selling.