Aldi launches premium Winemasters’ Lot wines for festive season

Aldi is introducing a ‘super premium’ wine range, Winemasters’ Lot, in time for the festive season, to complement and build on their Specially Selected selection. The wines will be available from 8 November, available in stores and online.

Liberty Wines goes ‘carbon neutral plus’

Liberty Wines has revealed that it has become the only ‘carbon neutral plus’ UK wine supplier – offsetting more emissions than the business generates.

BWS sales continue to fall in grocery sector

Grocery alcohol sales fell by 6% for the 12 weeks to 3 October due to the impact of the reopening of the on-trade, the latest data from Kantar has revealed.

Nyetimber unveiled as wine producer of the year

Nyetimber was unveiled as Wine Producer of the Year in the first-ever Tim Atkin MW England Special Wine Report.

Revolution sees strong trading from pent up demand

Pent up demand has seen Revolution Bars, the 67-strong bar group, report strong trading well ahead of expectations.

Prosecco Superiore reports ‘excellent quality’ harvest

Producers in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG in Veneto are reporting an excellent quality 2021 harvest.

France performs against the odds

France has emerged from the pandemic in rude health with the “staggering” performance of rosé and impressive bounce-back from Champagne only representing the tip of what this wine powerhouse has to offer, as Jo Gilbert reports.

Seltzers: Hard at work

The big news from the US is that hard seltzers’ meteoric rise is finally levelling off. Jo Gilbert looks at the category’s trajectory in the UK and how it is piggybacking off the success of canned products.

Fladgate Partnership heralds return to “normal”, though warm winters and hail persist

The Fladgate Partnership has welcomed the return of normal weather conditions in the Douro, with a mild summer in 2021 allowing for differentiated ripening across vineyards and lending “flavour, elegance and natural acidity to the grapes”.

WSET celebrates unprecedented intake of students in 2020

A record number of students were awarded WSET qualifications during the previous academic year, according to the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Champagne anticipating the arrival of a 'classical' vintage

After a run of atypically warm growing seasons, the Champenoise are joyous at the return of a high-acid, 'classical' vintage.

‘Return to normality’ impacts sales of BWS in grocery sector

The latest data released by Kantar indicates that UK drinkers are consuming less alcohol at home, with total grocery sales of BWS falling significantly over the past three months.

English and Welsh wine exports soar despite pandemic disruption

Exports of English and Welsh wine – both still and sparkling – have risen dramatically over the past 12 months, despite the on-going challenges of the Covid pandemic.

Encirc expands filling capability by 40%

UK glass manufacturer Encirc is set to expand its filling capacity by 40%, increasing its wine filling capacity by 75 million litres over the next year, to meet growing demand.

No-shows cost sector £17.6bn

Customers not turning up for their bookings are costing the hospitality sector £17.6bn each year, according to a new CGA and Zonal report.

UK helps boost sales recovery at Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard, producer of Campo Viejo and Absolut has announced a “dynamic rebound” of sales in Europe following a tough 2020, with the UK, Germany and Eastern Europe offsetting declines in Spain, Ireland and Travel Retail.

Optimism among hospitality professionals dips

Optimism among hospitality professionals has dipped amid staffing challenges and safety concerns, according to a new survey by CGA and CPL Learning.

Grocery sales impacted as traditional shopping behaviour returns

Shoppers are returning to stores to make regular, smaller purchases and a divide is beginning to emerge among online grocery shoppers, new grocery data has revealed.

Restaurants and bars emerge as the big winners of Freedom Day

Britain’s managed pub, restaurant and bar groups lifted sales back close to pre-Covid-19 levels in July, new data has revealed, with restaurants and bars benefitting the most from the easing of restrictions.

Premium spirits: Paying the price of lockdown