Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

BWS Christmas sales down for UK multiples

Published: 11 January, 2024

Despite record spend on groceries during Christmas in UK supermarkets, sales of beer, wine and spirits were all in decline over the same period.

WineCap cautiously optimistic for 2024

Published: 11 January, 2024

Following news that the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index ended 2023 down 14.1%, WineCap has outlined its expectations for the year ahead, amid a ‘correction phase’ which might present opportunities for investors.

Interview: Carine Bailleul, Champagne Castelnau

Published: 30 November, 2023

In partnership with Champagne Castelnau.

Bibendum predicts the top wine trends for 2024

Published: 29 November, 2023

Bibendum has revealed its top wine trends for 2024 based on analysis from PROOF Insight, the drinks insights agency.

Headline Heroes: A question of time for Champagne

Published: 22 November, 2023

David Kermode quizzes the experts about why lees ageing is so important when it comes to the finest Champagnes.

Champagne Day 2023: Recovery for the world’s top sparkler

Published: 31 October, 2023

Champagne appears to be holding onto its status as everyone’s favourite premium sparkling wine, new figures reveal, as the category continues an export drive dating back more than 20 years.

Headline Heroes: Crémant rises

Published: 02 October, 2023

The UK’s appetite for sparkling wine has led to increasing sales for wallet-friendly Champagne alternatives, and crémant ticks the right boxes. James Lawrence reports.

Looking Back, Forging Ahead Q&A: Justin Liddle, Mentzendorff

Published: 04 September, 2023

Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. Here, we conclude our series with Justin Liddle, interim MD at Mentzendorff. to find out how the year has gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.

Gosset Matchmakers 2023 finalists announced

Published: 15 August, 2023

The Champagne Gosset Matchmakers competition has revealed the top sommelier/chef teams who have made it to the final stages for 2023, where they will be battling out to be crowned top of the class.

Codorníu taps into crémant sparkle

Published: 11 August, 2023

Leading Spanish cava producer Codorníu has launched a new Gran Cremant Brut Cava, initially into the Co-op.

Trentodoc welcomes its first Champagne 'émigré'

Published: 16 June, 2023

Cyril Brun has become the first French national to take up residence at a Trentodoc winery, accepting the position of technical director at Ferrari Trento.

Chapel Down stunt “raises eyebrows” among the Champenois

Published: 13 June, 2023

English winery Chapel Down has loosed the cat among the proverbial pigeons in Reims ahead of English Wine Week, by going undercover as Champagne – and apparently beating the Champenois at their own game.

Record Champagne shipments buoyed by quality-focused younger consumers

Published: 26 May, 2023

Champagne exports hit a record-high value-wise in 2022, with €6bn worth of fizz sales being driven by shifts in consumption from “exceptional occasions to more normal occasions”, the Comité Champagne said at its UK press briefing on 25 May.

Insatiable demand for En Primeur Burgundy and luxury Champagne may be weakening, suggests new report

Published: 03 May, 2023

A study published by investment firm WineCap has revealed several key trends that continue to shape the fine wine market in 2023, including a relatively lacklustre demand for 2021 Burgundy and expensive bubbly.

Green light for Vranken-Pommery's Pinglestone winery

Published: 03 May, 2023

Winchester City Council has granted Vranken-Pommery Monopole (VPM) planning permission for the construction of a winery at its Pinglestone estate in Alresford, Hampshire, where about 200,000 bottles of English sparkling wine will be made each year.

Cava bounces back in 2022

Published: 25 April, 2023

After facing economic challenges the year before, 2022 saw Cava achieve some noteworthy results – total sales rose to 249,135 million bottles, an increase of 4.58% on 2021.

Fine wine remains relatively stable amidst economic uncertainty

Published: 14 April, 2023

In times of market turmoil, such as the 2008 financial crash, the coronavirus pandemic or the war in Ukraine, fine wine has proved itself to be an asset largely insensitive to macroeconomic uncertainty.

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.

Bolly team revamp ahead of ‘ambitious’ bicentenary plans

Published: 20 January, 2023

Maison Bollinger has announced a shake-up of its core team, following the departure of its long serving chef de cave, Gilles Descôtes.

Cult Wines posts more positive outlook for Burgundy and Champagne

Published: 13 January, 2023

Fine wine investment platform, Cult Wines, closed 2022 with a ‘positive end to the year’, the company has revealed, with its Cult Wines Global Index concluding the 12 months with a 20.54% gain.