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Calls for UK trade to help crippled SA by freeing up tank space

Published:  25 January, 2021

Richard Bampfield MW has issued a call to the UK trade to support the beleaguered South African wine industry as producers continue to suffer crippling government restriction and oversupply issues.

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First roll out of Absolut’s paper bottle launches in the UK

Published:  25 January, 2021

Pernod Ricard’s flagship vodka brand, Absolut, will be rolling out its prototype “paper” bottle from today (25 January), initially in both the UK and Sweden.

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Nicholls marks one year Covid ‘anniversary’ – “We didn’t know it would be a tsunami”

Published:  21 January, 2021

UK Hospitality chief Kate Nicholls has renewed calls for additional government support a year on from her first strategy meetings with ministers at the beginning of the pandemic.

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Wine Drinkers UK calls for first tax cut in 40 years

Published:  20 January, 2021

Wine Drinkers UK (WDUK) have renewed their calls for the government to recognise wine as the UK’s favourite drink by cutting increasingly burdensome taxes.

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‘Tariff free’ trade continues to muddy the Brexit waters

Published:  20 January, 2021

The scrapping of lab tests for EU wine heading to the UK will save the wine industry tens of millions of pounds a year. However, the new trade deal between the EU and UK has thrown up new questions around how much cross border trade in 2021 is likely to cost, with EU wine travelling via GB to Northern Ireland and other parts of the EU now entering a no man’s land where it temporarily belongs to neither region.

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Soapbox: Talking of funny foreigners

Published:  19 January, 2021

Have you ever used the ‘F word’ during a meeting with your biggest client? I have. Several times and, to make it worse, several times during the same meeting. The client was Jon Woodriffe, now of Origin Wines, but then Sainsbury’s buyer for French wines.

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Game on 2021: Hospitality needs to come out fighting fit

Published:  14 January, 2021

The new edition of Harpers, out today, will reach readers hot on the heels of a parliamentary debate on the need for the creation of a minister for hospitality role in UK government. Resulting from the success of the Seat at the Table petition launched by hotelier Robin Hutson, of The Pig group and (formerly) Hotel du Vin fame, the proposal gained “an overwhelmingly positive response from all corners”, as reported by Harpers.

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Five minutes with Owen Morgan, Bar 44

Published:  12 January, 2021

Bar 44 Group’s co-owner and self-confessed sherry nut Owen Morgan talks Andrew Catchpole through launching Manzanilla 44 with Bodegas Barón and generally advancing the cause.

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UKH calls for recovery roadmap and pledges to assist vaccine roll-out

Published:  05 January, 2021

UK Hospitality (UKH) has called for a road map to recovery and has committed to assisting the vaccine roll-out.

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Tiers escalated for much of England

Published:  17 December, 2020

Health secretary Matt Hancock has announced that large swathes of England will go into Tier 3 this weekend, as infection rates re-climb towards their April peak.

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Jerry Lockspeiser: Britain 2021 – Fear or opportunity?

Published:  17 December, 2020

As we come to the end of this extraordinary year and look towards the future, are we filled with feelings of fear or opportunity, or a strange mix of both?

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Nicholls: ‘Continuing to batter hospitality is not the answer’

Published:  15 December, 2020

UK Hospitality has branded London’s, and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire, move to Tier 3 as illogical, warning that businesses will be pushed towards failure and more jobs put at risk as a result.

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‘Nouvelle generation’ to drive Beaujolais export potential

Published:  10 December, 2020

With good recent vintages to its name and wines that sit squarely with the modern trend towards fresher, lighter styles, Beaujolais certainly appears to be well placed to capture the attention of a new generation of drinkers. Add in ‘ownership’ of Gamay, a distinctive and easy-to-like variety, and the region also offers a sense of discovery (or re-discovery for older drinkers) in a world awash with international grapes.

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One-size-fits-all approach will harm UK recovery

Published:  10 December, 2020

The UK must adopt a regionally tailored recovery strategy if it is to recover fully from the impact of the global pandemic, which has exacerbated London-centric trends.

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Flint Wines makes Greek debut

Published:  10 December, 2020

Santorini-based Vassaltis Vineyards will be joining the ranks at Flint Wines, marking the first time the distributor has listed wines from the country.

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Plumpton calls on Wine GB producers to apply for its Viticulture Apprenticeship 2021

Published:  09 December, 2020

Plumpton College is set to build on the success of its pilot Viticultural Apprenticeship Scheme with a second programme planned for the early part of next year.

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UK to suspend US tariffs in hope of relief on Scotch exports post-Brexit

Published:  09 December, 2020

The UK is to suspend existing EU-imposed import tariffs on a slew of US products as Brexit transition comes to an end on 1 January, with the hope that a reciprocal move will see harsh US duties on Scotch lifted.

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Dom Perignon winemaker moves to Kent

Published:  08 December, 2020

Nick Lane, who was part of the winemaking team at Dom Perignon, has moved to the UK to join contract-only winery, Defined Wine.

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Tim Atkin MW: Adapting to survive

Published:  08 December, 2020

The numbers are terrifying. With the imminent closure of 124 Debenhams stores and the loss of 12,000 jobs, the high street has arguably suffered its highest-profile casualty since Woolworths back in 2009. Stir in the 13,000 Arcadia employees who are likely to swell the unemployment statistics before long – and the probable disappearance of Sir Philip Green’s Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins brands – and we are contemplating a toxic brew.

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United Wine Growers launches first brand

Published:  07 December, 2020

United Wine Growers has taken the plunge with the launch of its first brand.

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