Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Looking ahead: Elise Mérigaud, La Dame de Pic

Published: 21 July, 2022

With the first half of 2022 already history, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, ongoing trends and opportunities.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Lessons from the Tory leadership – are we heading into disaster?

Published: 21 July, 2022

Oh dear, perhaps it was always too much to hope for. The embarrassment of the country being led by a self-serving clown has finally timed out, but the opportunity for serious politics to be rehabilitated looks certain to be missed.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Does the Bank of England know what it is doing?

Published: 06 July, 2022

Way back when I studied economics at university, I also studied sociology. It struck me then that the way economics is taught is deeply flawed. To call it a science, even a social science, doesn’t make any sense. Unlike scientific study of the cosmos or gravity discovering immutable laws, economics seeks to explain how and why humans do certain things.

Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin, Spearhead Spirits

Published: 29 March, 2022

Having launched their all-African Bayab gin range and Vusa vodka – and with more to come – Spearhead Spirits founders and friends Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin talk Andrew Catchpole through their mission to put African spirits at the top table

Profile: Neville Abraham, Liberty Wines

Published: 15 March, 2022

On the eve of a reshuffle at Liberty Wines, Andrew Catchpole catches up with outgoing chair and serial restaurateur Neville Abraham for his views on the trade

Dedicated low/no stores add new retail dimension

Published: 21 February, 2022

As the category picks up pace, Sonya Hook talks to some of the operators hoping to cash in with standalone stores.

English wine producers named in '50 Most Influential People in British Luxury' list

Published: 12 January, 2022

Ruth and Charles Simpson, founders of Simpsons Wine Estate in Kent, have been named as one of the '50 Most Influential People in British Luxury' in the Walpole Power List 2022.

Five minutes with Etienne Debbane, IXSIR

Published: 10 January, 2022

Harvest in Lebanon delivered phenomenal challenges this year, as Etienne Debbane, president and co-founder of IXSIR explains to Andrew Catchpole.

Bordeaux Symposium: Time to put people at head of sustainability agenda

Published: 10 December, 2021

Bordeaux is expanding and re-drawing its definition of sustainability via a new strategy which aims to put people – and ecosystems in which people want to work – at the heart of its environmental agenda for 2022.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Is it time to kill wine’s sacred cows?

Published: 01 December, 2021

It really is hard to know what to believe these days. The digital world enables instant sharing of information across the globe, which seems good and democratic. Just about anyone can participate. But with it comes lower reliability and veracity of what is being communicated, making it easier to seed fake gospels claiming that two plus two equals five, or seven, or even nine. Perhaps what really matters is the extent to which people make decisions and take actions as a result.

Shannon Tebay, head bartender, American Bar

Published: 24 November, 2021

There is finally an American and a female head bartender – the first in a hundred years – back at the helm of at The Savoy’s legendary haunt. Jo Gilbert talks to Shannon Tebay about following in the footsteps of bartending heavyweights and making the leap to the UK.

Diageo urges drinkers to ‘Know When to Stop’ at Christmas

Published: 19 November, 2021

Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker maker Diageo has launched a new global responsible drinking campaign aimed at urging people to know when to say enough’s enough this Christmas.

Profile: Fortune Fleming

Published: 19 November, 2021

A bullish Brett Fleming explains to Andrew Catchpole why Armit Wines is back with a bang, firmly focused on the high ground.

The Drinks Trust launches charity auction

Published: 15 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust has unveiled plans to run an annual online charity auction ‘Cream of the Crop.'

The Drinks Trust launches industry survey in the wake of the pandemic

Published: 04 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust has launched a new survey for 2021, which is seeking to establish how members of the hospitality and drinks industry are feeling in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Young consumers set to embrace Christmas trading

Published: 02 November, 2021

Young adults are set to embrace pubs, bars and restaurants for Christmas celebrations, but older people may be more hesitant about eating and drinking out, new research from CGA has revealed.

The Drinks Trust partners with Equal Measures to deliver greater equality

Published: 01 November, 2021

The Drinks Trust is partnering with Equal Measures, an initiative to deliver greater opportunities for under-represented groups in the drinks industry.

New Pix wine platform on global ‘matchmaking mission’

Published: 29 September, 2021

An ambitious new wine discovery platform is soon to launch with the aim of becoming the “biggest wine platform in the world,” according to its creators.

Scottish passport plans ‘capture swathes’ of the night time economy

Published: 22 September, 2021

The Scottish vaccine passport plans are likely to cover more venues than just nightclubs after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the details of the plans yesterday.

Survey: Indie minded

Published: 21 September, 2021

With our UK’s 50 Best Indies 2021 list unveiled, we’re revealing (anonymously) some of the insights gleaned from our entrants’ survey responses as to how businesses adapted their portfolios and subsequently thrived during the pandemic. Andrew Catchpole picks the persistent trends.