Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Friday read: Vodka – more than a mixer

Published: 14 March, 2025

Anna Hamill, London MD for drinks brand specialist Denomination, explains how vodka can overcome its 'generic' European image.

Vergelegen – continuity and change on the Schapenberg

Published: 07 March, 2025

With new UK distribution in place via Seckford Agencies (off-trade) and Ellis Wines (on-trade), Jason Millar takes a closer look at what winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain (pictured) is bringing to a revitalised Vergelegen.

Friday Read: Drinks brands and culture – the new opportunity

Published: 09 August, 2024

Ella Palmer, culture & insights executive at creative agency Love, explains why cultural savviness is the key to unlocking the younger generations of drinkers.

Friday read: The other Caucasus contender

Published: 15 December, 2023

Armenia has a thriving wine industry, as Jacopo Mazzeo discovers, but faces an uphill battle to establish itself on the world stage.

Friday Read: The post-pandemic hangover for hospitality

Published: 12 August, 2022

Nick Gillett, MD at specialist spirits company Mangrove UK, talks challenges and opportunities for the still beleaguered on-trade.

Friday Read: George Sandbach of the Oxford wine dynasty talks shop during shutdown

Published: 11 June, 2020

George Sandbach of Sandy’s Piano Bar talks to Andrew Catchpole about adapting to lockdown, selling quality booze out the back door, the thorny problem of rent and launching an accessible podcast series.

Thursday read: Living with lockdown - an agency view

Published: 09 April, 2020

Will Oatley, MD at Louis Latour Agencies, gives Andrew Catchpole a glimpse of the realities of life as a merchant adjusting to lockdown

Friday read: Teutonic sparkle

Published: 03 April, 2020

Despite a decline in German domestic consumption of its native bubbly sekt - per capita quaffing has dropped since 2010 from 3.9 to 3.3 litres - attention to quality, both individually and collectively, has never been greater.

Friday Read: Wine ecommerce - learning from China

Published: 06 March, 2020

China has become the world leader in wine ecommerce and there is much we could learn, writes Emilie Steckenborn, founder of the Bottled in China Podcast.