Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

50 Best Indies 2024 ranking: 30-21 revealed

Published: 10 January, 2024

This week we continue the rollout of our 50 Best Indies 2024 results, celebrating the top merchants from across this dynamic and ever-engaging sector.

Nick Gillett: How the duty rise reveals the lack of duty to business

Published: 08 August, 2023

It doesn’t seem to matter what flavour of government you have at the moment – when it comes to the spirits and hospitality industries, there’s a stench of incompetence. In Scotland we have the incredibly public failure of the DRS scheme, which, as a result, has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money. But don’t be fooled – it really is no better, south of the border. Westminster will raise you a cock up, in the form of the increased duty rates.

Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino welcomes three new members

Published: 30 June, 2023

The Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino (GOCV), has announced the three newest additions to its ranks. The three new Caballeros were selected for their efforts in promoting Spanish wines to UK audiences and were inaugurated into the organisation at the 38th annual Investiture Dinner at the Landmark London Hotel on 29 June.

Berkmann adds Kiwi bite with Dog Point

Published: 05 June, 2023

Berkmann Wine Cellars is strengthening its New Zealand offering with the addition of Dog Point Vineyard to its portfolio.

Budget misery for UK drinks trade

Published: 15 March, 2023

The trade is facing what has been dubbed a ‘double-pronged tax hike’ following the UK’s Spring Budget earlier this week (15 March), with the freeze on alcohol duty increases to end on 1 August 2023.

Nova Scotia targets UK market

Published: 13 March, 2023

Wines of Nova Scotia landed in London late last week, with its first ever solo tasting aimed at the UK trade.

CGA report highlights changing customer attitudes to hospitality

Published: 01 March, 2023

Exclusive research conducted in partnership with CGA by NielsenIQ shows how the cost of living crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have fundamentally shifted the online customer journey for British, French and German consumers that visit pubs and restaurants.

Gin exports bounce back, but Brexit and Covid ‘double whammy’ leaves EU trailing

Published: 27 February, 2023

UK gin exports returned to growth in 2022, with South America and Asia leading the upturn, although EU sales, including to leading market Spain, remained significantly lower.

Kai Mayfair sommelier takes home the 2023 UK Ruinart gong

Published: 22 February, 2023

Mateusz Kowlczyk of Kai Mayfair has been announced as the winner of the 2023 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, taking home the title in the seventh year of the competition.

Boutinot heads ‘home’ to New Zealand with Heaphy acquisition

Published: 17 February, 2023

Boutinot Wines, the international producer and distributor based in Manchester, has finalised the purchase of its first-ever wholly-owned vineyard site and estate in New Zealand, Harpers can reveal.

Drinks list expansions sound note of cautious optimism post-Covid

Published: 15 February, 2023

Encouraging new data has shown that menus are re-expanding again following a period of contraction and rationalisation during the worst months of Covid.

Soapbox: Is alcohol in Scotland an endangered species?

Published: 14 February, 2023

Luvians manager Archie McDiarmid fears for the future of the alcohol industry in Scotland if government proposals go ahead

Nick Gillett: Wholesale at a crossroads – which way now?

Published: 10 February, 2023

We’re now at a crossroads in the UK. I don’t mean economically or politically. I will leave others to comment on that. Having worked previously for a wholesaler and now as a distributor, it’s the changing wholesale drinks market I want to discuss.

Hoxton Spirits beefs up its range

Published: 08 February, 2023

Hoxton Spirits, the artisan brand founded by Gerry Calabrese, has launched three new labels: Hoxton London Spritz, Hoxton Spiced Whisky and a classic London Dry gin.

Musar turns to Fells for UK distribution

Published: 31 January, 2023

Lebanese producer Chateau Musar is to join the John E. Fells & Sons portfolio, adding to the roll call of leading family estates the importer represents in the UK.

Friday read: Paolo De Marchi leaves 'happy ghosts' at Isole e Olena

Published: 27 January, 2023

Justin Keay reports on a recent visit to Paolo De Marchi of Isole e Olena winery towards the end of 2022, in what turned out to be an elegiac trip. In 2022, De Marchi completed his last vintage after almost 50 years.

Bancroft pushes into the Spanish Levante with new addition

Published: 23 January, 2023

Bodegas Mustiguillo, part of the Grandes Pagos de Espana, is joining the Bancroft Wines portfolio as the distributor bolsters UK representation of wine from Spain’s Mediterranean coast.

New DRS launch date reconfirms glass exclusion for England and NI

Published: 20 January, 2023

The newest launch date for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in England and Northern Ireland has re-confirmed that businesses will not be required to participate in a new system for glass recycling. However, confusion still abounds around the roll-out of four different national DRS schemes and how they will work in practice.

Inflation pilfers December gains for hospitality

Published: 18 January, 2023

Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups enjoyed their best December trading in three years, the latest data from CGA has revealed. However, thanks to double digit inflation, sales remain well below pre-Covid levels in real terms, demonstrating the double pronged impact of the cost-of-living crisis and Covid recovery on UK businesses.

New Zealand Wine Week returns for 2023

Published: 16 January, 2023

After the success of New Zealand Wine Week events in 2021 and 2022, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has announced that it will be kicking off the third New Zealand Wine Week on 30 January.