Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

UK craft brewery openings hit record levels

Published: 15 March, 2021

Flying in the face of on-trade closures during the pandemic, the number of craft breweries operating in the UK has reached levels not seen since 1930s.

Hospitality to help ‘reignite’ UK economy

Published: 15 March, 2021

Hospitality can play a critical role in rebooting the UK economy if it receives the necessary levels of support from government.

NZ: Selling sustainability

Published: 15 March, 2021

Clean and green but far from its markets, New Zealand is pushing for greater understanding around shipping-related emissions, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Covid and Phylloxera – lessons for the wine trade

Published: 11 March, 2021

Sam Hellyer, head of wine and spirits at Chiswick Auctions, counts 10 years at Oddbins as part of a varied résumé where he headed up the Fine Wine branch in Oxford.

Scotch whisky tariffs suspended

Published: 04 March, 2021

The US has lifted tariffs on Scotch whisky for four months as leaders enter into negotiations to put a long-term solution in place.

Wine: a discombobulating ride?

Published: 04 March, 2021

Will we ever understand wine drinkers?

Basset legacy scholarships to tackle “shameful lack” of MW and MS diversity

Published: 03 March, 2021

Leading lights from the world of fine wine have announced plans to find the future BAME and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) hospitality leaders, by launching two new MS and MW scholarships which will be funded via a new glittering awards ceremony at London hotspot Annabel’s.

Cork’s march to ascendancy

Published: 25 February, 2021

Having removed much of the taint of TCA to cork’s reputation, the classic stopper continues to establish itself as a benchmark of quality, as James Lawrence reports.

Ribera campaign looks to bring 60 wineries to the UK

Published: 22 February, 2021

Ribera del Duero has launched an initiative to introduce over 60 additional wineries to the UK market following an uptick in interest in the region over the course of the pandemic.

Long Read: English Pinot Noir comes of age

Published: 18 February, 2021

Pinot Noir has long had a place in UK winemaking, as part of the classic Champagne varieties and, to a lesser extent, still variants often from select vineyards or small parcels. Now, with an increasingly changing climate helping to ripen and tease out those darker fruits, it could be poised to strike out on its own, as Jacopo Mazzeo surmises.

Helping hospitality survive

Published: 18 February, 2021

If reopening doesn’t come soon, many on-trade operators face ruin unless new support measures come into play. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Bancroft Wines: The glass half full

Published: 16 February, 2021

With a raft of new producers folded into its portfolio, Bancroft’s Jon Worsley explains to Andrew Catchpole why he’s cautiously optimistic about the year ahead

Independent alcohol sales enjoy January boom

Published: 15 February, 2021

Newly released data shows that January 2021 saw an increase in demand for alcohol from independent businesses, along with an increase in the price tag compared to 2020.

Soaring demand for rosé and exports at Nyetimber

Published: 15 February, 2021

Nyetimber has reported a major spike in demand for rosé in 2020 from their south east England vineyards, despite the loss of social drinking occasions often associated with pink wines.

Extension to rent moratorium considered as momentum for UK re-opening builds

Published: 15 February, 2021

Ministers are reportedly drawing up plans to extend the rent moratorium for commercial properties until past the March end date, further curbing landlords’ ability to evict businesses over unpaid rent.

Soapbox: Seeing red on Brexit

Published: 09 February, 2021

Cambridge Wine Merchants’ Hal Wilson calls for a united voice in the face of challenges posed to UK-EU trade by the Trade & Cooperation Agreement and the pointlessness of the dreaded VI-1 form

Wales comes out top as “most sophisticated” UK wine nation

Published: 04 February, 2021

When it comes to buying wine, the Welsh are the most sophisticated while the English hunt for a bargain, according to data which aims to map the buying behaviours of UK drinkers.

Vivino plans further UK investment following “skyrocketing” 2020 growth

Published: 04 February, 2021

Wine app Vivino has unveiled plans for investment in one of its strongest markets, the UK, after revenues there increased 114% in just one year.

Jerry Lockspeiser: The wine and book markets are eerily similar

Published: 02 February, 2021

What can wine learn from other sectors of the economy? How do they add value to their products, communicate with consumers, achieve profitability?

Minister dashes hopes of VAT cut extension

Published: 27 January, 2021

A treasury minister has said there are “no current plans” to further extend the reduction in VAT for hospitality businesses despite estimates that rising rates could directly and permanently impact the sector and lead to the loss of up to 310,000 jobs.