Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Liberty Wines apprentice scheme opens

Published: 16 September, 2020

Applications are now open for the apprentice scheme run by London-based importer and wholesaler Liberty Wines.

Wine GB 2020 awards announced

Published: 08 September, 2020

Hattingley Valley Wines has won the Supreme Champion trophy for its King’s Cuvée 2014 at the 2020 Wine GB Awards, which were revealed in a virtual ceremony today.

English wine exports double

Published: 08 September, 2020

Exports of English wine more than doubled in 2019 while sales overall rocketed 70%, according to the latest data from Wine GB released today.

Low and no sales on the rise

Published: 07 September, 2020

Sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks are up 30% year-on-year in the off-trade, with consumer spend on alcohol-free spirits hitting £5.4m, according to data from Nielsen.

Mud House pushes outdoors lifestyles in new global campaign

Published: 11 August, 2020

Leading NZ wine brand Mud House has launched a new global campaign titled ‘Taste the Adventure’.

Beer is the big post-lockdown winner as pubs lead on-trade recovery

Published: 03 August, 2020

Out-of-home drinks sales are continuing to nudge upwards after the end of lockdown, with pubs and beer in most demand so far, it has emerged.

Ramón Bilbao targets organic certification for vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2020

Spanish producer Ramón Bilbao has begun the three-year process of converting its Rioja and Rueda vineyards to organic production methods.

Deliveroo and Majestic tie-in expands following lockdown growth

Published: 09 July, 2020

Deliveroo and Majestic Wine have announced another major expansion to their delivery partnership, taking the number of participating stores from 83 to 137.

Alcohol to not rebound globally until 2024

Published: 26 May, 2020

It will take five years for the global alcohol category to get back to pre-Covid health, the IWSR has predicted, with double digit declines expected to the hit the category this year.

All systems go for pink Prosecco

Published: 22 May, 2020

Prosecco DOC Rosé has now been enshrined in Italian law, meaning the trade can expect to see the first official ‘pink Proseccos’ hitting shelves in 2021.

31 Days of German Riesling powers ahead

Published: 19 May, 2020

July is still the month for German Riesling in the UK, with the promotion once again heading back to British businesses.

Nyetimber expands across Kent with 205,000 new vines

Published: 18 May, 2020

Nyetimber has gone ahead with plans to rapidly expand its area under vine, with a major planting of 42ha at a new site in Kent.

Volumes up in "exceptional" South African harvest

Published: 05 May, 2020

South Africa’s 2020 harvest is up 8.2% on the previous year, according to the Vinpro harvest report released today.

French wines weaken on fine-wine market

Published: 01 April, 2020

France’s premier wine regions continue to weaken on the fine-wine market, according to the first-quarter 2020 trading data released this morning by Liv-ex.

Early harvest for Santa Rita as heat wave bites

Published: 31 March, 2020

A heat wave in South America has had a dramatic impact on the country’s grape harvest, according to a mid-harvest report from leading producer Santa Rita.

Profile: Lift off for Buckingham Schenk

Published: 30 March, 2020

With help from the Schenk Group mothership, Buckingham Schenk is evolving from a predominantly retail-led own-label proposition to becoming a multichannel player with a stall of agency and exclusive brands. Last month, Jo Gilbert spoke to MD Craig Durham about the company's latest reinvention

Q&A: Christopher Delalonde MS, The Dorchester

Published: 16 March, 2020

Jo Gilbert catches up with the straight-talking former Sommelier of the Year about The Dorchester’s new wine vault, keeping abreast of five wine lists and why Gordon Ramsay is the best boss he ever had

Aldi strips out Prosecco duplicates for Cava

Published: 13 March, 2020

Aldi is aiming to bring more variety to its customers via rationalisation of its latest seasonal range which will see greater inclusion of more experimental styles and varietals.

Austria wine exports hit record high

Published: 13 March, 2020

Austria’s wine industry posted record export growth figures in 2019 by both value and volume.

Yellow Tail and Casillero del Diablo continue dominance of global power list

Published: 09 March, 2020

Australia and Chile have once again topped Wine Intelligence’s list of the world’s power brands, with Yellow Tail and Casillero del Diablo holding onto their spots in first and second place for the third year in a row.