Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Oslo distillery launches with Marka Nordic bitters

Published: 25 January, 2016

Oslo Håndverksdestilleri (OHD), the first distillery to open in Norway since 1927, has announced the launch of its first product.

Instil Drinks to unveil new portfolio in March

Published: 25 January, 2016

Instil Drinks Company, the beer and niche spirits trading arm of Bibendum PLB, has revealed plans to relaunch on March 1.

Analysis: Suppliers today must be excellent service providers

Published: 25 January, 2016

Consolidation within the industry is happening across many channels and for suppliers to both the on- and off-trade, competing on supplying quality wines at competitive prices is no longer enough.

Opened wines best preserved in a vacuum, new study shows

Published: 22 January, 2016

A vacuum is the best method of preserving the quality of a wine once opened, an study by the University of Burgundy has revealed.

Matthew Clark adds Remoissenet to premium portfolio

Published: 20 January, 2016

Leading on-trade distributor Matthew Clark has added Burgundy producer Remoissenet Père et Fils to its premium Wines of Distinction portfolio.

London café offers Speyside whisky for 1p a shot

Published: 18 January, 2016

A London café is selling a Speyside single malt whisky at 1p a shot this week.

Analysis: Non-alcoholic drinks an upsell opportunity for the on-trade

Published: 15 January, 2016

With an increasing number of consumers cutting down on their drinking but not their socialising, Jo Bruce looks at the rise in demand in the on-trade for more exciting non-alcoholic drinks

Courvoisier launches global Champagne cocktail competition

Published: 14 January, 2016

Premium cognac house Courvoisier has announced its first global bartender competition.

Boschendal targets premium on-trade with new range of wines

Published: 13 January, 2016

South Africa's Boschendal winery has launched a new range of wines developed specifically for the on-trade, as part of its 330th anniversary.

Christopher Cooper: Bartenders versus sommeliers - who brings the 'cool' to the drinks industry?

Published: 08 January, 2016

Perception is everything in the battle of the elite drinks purveyors, so it's about time we factored "cool" into wine's appeal, says Christopher Cooper

Andrew Catchpole: A promising year for the wine trade

Published: 08 January, 2016

Consumer confidence - and spend - is on the up, a stronger pound is easing the path for UK buyers, and time has seemingly been called by the multiples on an era of heavy discounting, with range cuts also playing into the hands of adventurous independents selling on the contrasting breadth of their portfolio.

Sipsmith to open Swan on a Hot Gin Roof pop-up bar in Soho

Published: 08 January, 2016

London's award-winning Sipsmith gin distillery has partnered with Soho's Ham Yard Hotel for a winter pop-up bar on the hotel's exclusive fourth-floor roof terrace.

Successful Christmas launch for Bar 44 online retail service

Published: 07 January, 2016

Bar 44, the Welsh tapas bar and restaurant group, has successfully launched an online store to complement its existing customer offer.

Justerini & Brooks signs exclusive deal with Château Unang

Published: 07 January, 2016

Fine wine merchant Justerini & Brooks has been appointed the new, sole agents for boutique Rhône winery Château Unang.

Christopher Cooper: The rise of the drinks expert entrepreneur

Published: 07 January, 2016

Christopher Cooper has worked in the restaurant scene for over a decade, but it all prepared him to launch his own drinks start-up. Here are some of the lessons he learned along the way.

London hipster district gets capital's first fine-wine burger restaurant

Published: 06 January, 2016

London's fashionable Dalston district is about to get the capital's first burger and fine-wine restaurant.

Flint looks to Brooklyn's Red Hook for latest US winery listing

Published: 04 January, 2016

On-trade supplier Flint Wines has signed an exclusive deal to add Brooklyn's Red Hook Winery to its US portfolio.

2015 year in review and hopes and fears for 2016: Nik Darlington, Red Squirrel Wine

Published: 29 December, 2015

For founder of Red Squirrel Wine, Nik Darlington, 2015 was a year of tremendous growth. Next year Darlington is looking forward to getting his wines even further around the UK. He sees that in 2016 the way forward, although challenging, will be through building a loyal and sustainable customer base.

ALERT: Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme in Force from 1 January 2016

Published: 24 December, 2015

From the 1 January 2016 HMRC will introduce the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) to tackle alcohol fraud. Cindy Dorrington of Bivonas Law asseses the implication for the trade.

November leisure spend falls as Britons watch spending in lead up to Christmas

Published: 23 December, 2015

Last month the average British household spent £188.41 on out of home leisure, which is a decrease of £5 (2%) year-on-year and a £17 (8%) decrease compared to October according to the Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker.