Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Lifetime Achievement for Baroness Philippine de Rothschild

Published: 19 June, 2013

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild has been presented with a Lifetime Achievement accolade at an awards ceremony at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.

China to be sixth-largest wine-producing country by 2016

Published: 19 June, 2013

China will have moved from eighth-largest wine producer in the world in 2012 to the sixth largest by 2016, putting it ahead of Australia and Chile, according to data from Vinexpo.

William Grant releases Nordic Glenfiddich expression

Published: 19 June, 2013

William Grant has launched Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams, an expression of the Scotch whisky which is finished in Nordic oak.

Niche Scotch whiskies enjoy growth

Published: 18 June, 2013

Niche whiskies are experiencing sales growth as consumers search for something different, the trade heard at Vinexpo this week.

Yapp Brothers to run London pop-up shop in July

Published: 18 June, 2013

Wiltshire wine merchant Yapp Brothers will be running a pop-up shop in London's Medcalf restaurant for one week in July.

Kingsland completes Great Wall of China charity trek

Published: 18 June, 2013

Employees from Manchester's Kingsland Wines & Spirits and agency division Legacy Wines have completed a charity trek along the Great Wall of China.

Domaine Jones releases 'recovery range'

Published: 18 June, 2013

The House Wine has become the first UK stockist of the Domaine Jones "recovery range" after the producer's previous white vintage was affected by vandals earlier this year.

Edrington announces expansion plans

Published: 17 June, 2013

Scottish spirits producer and distributor Edrington has announced massive exansion plans into the US, South East Asia and the Middle East.

Wine shoppers will spend €14 more on a bottle online, hears Vinexpo

Published: 17 June, 2013

Online wine buyers will spend €14 more on a bottle of wine than traditional high street shoppers, according to research revealed at today's Vinexpo exhibition in Bordeaux.

Gilbert Winfield reports from L'Association de Grands Crus Classés de Saint Emilion Tasting

Published: 17 June, 2013

The annual tasting of Saint Emilion Grands Crus Classés took place at the trendy and spacious Altitude 360 in Pimlico. This year, vintages on show were 2009 and 2010, so the growers had little to apologise for. That said, Château Faurie de Souchard was one of those hit by hail in May in 2009, Thibaud Sciard, presenting the wines, described to us the difficulty of losing 90% of his crop as a result.

Celebrity Cruises brings wine offer to Taste of London

Published: 17 June, 2013

Celebrity Cruises will be the first cruise line to show what's on offer in its modern luxury restaurants and bars at the Taste of London Festival next week.

Jenny Mackenzie reports from Santa Rita's latest tasting

Published: 17 June, 2013

"Chile has changed beyond all recognition," according to Hector Torres, director of luxury wines at Santa Rita Estates, at a tasting in London last week to showcase top wines from Santa Rita and Carmen in Chile, and Doña Paula in Argentina.

Vinopolis announces Bastille Day plans

Published: 17 June, 2013

Vinopolis has announced it will be celebrating Bastille Day this year with a series of tastings and events.

Vintners' Company raises £46k for The Benevolent

Published: 14 June, 2013

The Vintners' Company has raised £46,000 for the drinks trade charity The Benevolent with its March for Mobility through the vineyards of Burgundy.

First generic tasting for Wines from Rioja

Published: 14 June, 2013

Wines from Rioja is to host its first generic tasting in the UK on October 9 at London's OXO Tower.

BrewDog moves into spirits market with WattDickie

Published: 14 June, 2013

Maverick Scottish brewer BrewDog has unveiled its latest creation - a unique style of spirit produced through ice distillation using an IPA-style beer - which it claims to be the "first original spirit style in decades".

Jenny Mackenzie heads to Reims to taste Jacquart's Champagne vins clairs

Published: 14 June, 2013

Floraine Eznack, winemaker at Jacquart Champagne, "hopes for a perfect 10" when overseeing vendange. She says "10 degrees potential alcohol at picking, with 10g/l total acidity give the optimum grapes for Champagne production". Another 10 in the equation is the dosage at dégorgement, which according to Eznack, is "a maximum of 10g/l residual sugar".

Sussex vineyard launches first sparkling wine

Published: 13 June, 2013

Redfold Vineyards in West Sussex has launched Ambriel, an English sparkling wine it hopes will rival others on the market.

E&J Gallo joins forces with Louise Redknapp

Published: 13 June, 2013

E&J Gallo has announced the appointment of Louise Redknapp as the official brand ambassador for Gallo Family Vineyards Summer White.

CGA predicts on-trade big hitters in 2013

Published: 13 June, 2013

Café-wine bars, premium spirits and cask ales are seen as the big winners in the on-trade in the year ahead, according to a new market report from trade insight specialists CGA.