Imogen Taylor on "exciting" white South African wines and making it as a young sommelier

Douglas Blyde talks to the 22 year-old sommelier of Greyhound at The Test in Stockbridge who says it was not her father of Stone Vine & Sun fame that inspired her to take up a career in wine, but getting her hands dirty out in wineries around the world instead.

John Williams at Frog's Leap on the changing face of Californian winemaking

Reflecting on the recent period of uncertainty for this year's vintage in Napa Valley as a result of drought conditions in California, Katherine Canfield catches up with Frog's Leap winemaker, John Williams, in Rutherford to discuss how approaches to winemaking in the region are changing.

The Wine Chambers: bringing quality wine to the north east

Ben Chambers, owner of The Wine Chambers stores in Tynemouth and North Shields, talks about the difficulty of buying quality wine in the north east, the superiority of bottled-at-source wine and what keeps customers returning.

The rum doctor: Dr Frank Ward of WIRSPA

Harpers.co.uk caught up with Dr. Frank Ward of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers' Association (WIRSPA) to find out what the association is currently doing to raise the profile of Caribbean rum in the UK.

Beermoth looks to bring US style beer retailing to Manchester

Specialist beer shops have joined the 21^st century, among them Beermoth, in central Manchester's hip northern quarter, and set up by Scot Davies, a former manager at the city's The Knott bar, and American Jeremy Stull, who worked at the esteemed Port Street Beer house.

Christian Seely shows the quality of the Douro with a vertical tasting of Quinta do Noval

Christian Seely's contention that the Quinta do Noval vineyards are producing outstanding dry red table wines was vindicated at a mid-summer vertical tasting in London. The flamboyant, bow-tie- wearing managing director of the leading port house has always believed that unfortified wines from the Douro had the potential to express Noval's terroir. A look at the estate's three dry reds - Quinta do Noval Douro DOC,  Cedro do Noval and Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional - between the period 2004-11 supported that view.

Tengu Sake's Oliver Hilton-Johnson on driving sake sales in the UK

Anna Greenhous talks to Oliver Hilton-Johnson of Tengu Sake, shortlisted for the International Wine Challenge 'Innovator of the Year' 2014 award, about how he's made sake more accessible and the growing interest in sake in the UK.

Miguel Smith on why life is so much better with a Mount Gay rum in your hand

Douglas Blyde meets the UK and international brand ambassador for Mount Gay rum who oversees the brand's maturation facility in Barbados' parish of St Lucy. Miguel Smith joined the business in 1991, and was instrumental in the development of the award-winning Extra Old blend.

Linda Reiff and Patsy McGaughy on raising big money for Napa Valley

Doug Shafer on how he keeps Stag Leap's iconic status around the world

Marisa D'Vari talks to  Doug Shafer, son of founder, John, of  Shafer Vineyards, about how how he continues to build on the world famous Stags Leap wine which today produces 32,000 cases per year with 17% allocated for export markets including Japan, Canada, and the UK.

Neil McGuigan and Julian Dyer on global markets, top end wines and Masterchef

Neil McGuigan, chief executive of Australian Vintage and Julian Dyer, the group's UK general manager reveal its UK marketing plans, what it sees as opportunities for growth and how the 2014 harvest has shaped up.

The art of craft gin distilling with Tom Warner and Sion Edwards

After meeting at agricultural college, Tom Warner and Sion Edwards started on separate paths in the fresh-food industry. But they soon came back together to set up their own boutique gin distillery in the Northamptonshire village of Harrington, which provides the sub-brand name of their flagship Warner Edwards gin. This is craft distilling in action, as Warner and Edwards distil, fill, number, label and wax seal every bottle by hand. Nigel Huddleston asks the questions

Susana Balbo: Argentina's queen of winemaking

Susana Balbo is one of the best-known winemakers in Argentina, as well as its first female oenologist. She is also the only woman to have held the position of president of Wines of Argentina - she has just been appointed for a third time. Her family winery - Dominio del Plata in Agrelo, Mendoza - exports worldwide, and includes the Gaucho chain of restaurants as one of its key UK customers. Helen Arnold meets her

Joel Cadbury on driving wine sales and training at Bel & Dragon Inns

Douglas Blyde talks with Joel Cadbury, founder of the Groucho private members club, about the wines he is serving up at his estate of Bel & Dragon Inns.

David Mawer of JF Hillebrand UK on logistics and bulk wine trends

When it comes to controlling costs in the supply chain there is no one better placed than David Mawer, managing director of logistics company, JF Hillebrand UK. Mawer talks with harpers.co.uk about the key distribution trends, growth in bulk wine and importance of long term planning.

Esporao's pioneering winemaker, David Baverstock, on the exciting future of Portugal's Alentejo wines

Latest reports suggest Portugal's economy can at last look forward to recovery. Yet if the country's fortunes had mirrored those of the Alentejo's wine industry, it would be enjoying the benefits of growth already, writes Justin Keay.

Michel Rolland on life as an international wine consultant

Internationally acclaimed winemaker and consultant, Michel Rolland, talks to James Lawrence how he manages to juggle working for 200 wineries around the world, including Chateau Figeac in St Emilion, which he is trying to turn in to a Grand Cru Classe A property.

Q&A: Virgin Wines' Jay Wright talks independence, technology and customer loyalty

Virgin Wines chief executive Jay Wright opens up on what's happened since it separated from Direct Wines last year, as well as plans around personalisation and customer loyalty.

Q&A: Wine's of Argentina's Andrew Maidment on growth, customer profiles and plans

With sales of Argentinian wine up 20% in the off-trade, confidence is booming in the South American country. Wines of Argentina's Europea and Asia director Andrew Maidment tells harpers.co.uk what's driving growth, how its typical customers differ from the rest of the wine category and what's next.

Q&A with ?Paul Schaafsma, general manager UK, Ireland and AMESCA for Accolade Wines

Paul Schaafsma the general manager for UK, Ireland and AMESCA at Accolade Wines about a new working culture for the group and his UK wine strategy moving forward.