Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Profile: Michael Saunders, CEO, Coterie Holdings

Published: 10 July, 2025

As Coterie Holdings powers onwards, Andrew Catchpole asks Michael Saunders what lies ahead.

Scotch: 75% of producers deferring investment due to high duty

Published: 04 July, 2025

A new survey from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) can reveal that three out of four whisky companies expect to defer investment (or invest outside of the UK) due to the high tax burden upon them.

WineFi shows the future of wine investment is now

Published: 16 June, 2025

Callum Woodcock (pictured, left) has just come out of what he describes as fundraising mode, when he, colleague Ollie Thorpe (pictured, right) and I meet to talk about their year-old start-up.

Georgia backs UK growth with upped investment

Published: 22 May, 2025

Few could miss the Georgia stand at this year’s London Wine Fair, with this on-trend country planting 16 of its producers on a sizable stand at the centre of the hall. And this enlarged presence sets the tone for the rest of this year, following an uplift in UK volume sales of Georgian wines of 72% in 2024, backed by an increase of investment in the British market by 50% for 2025.

Winecap: High demand growth expected for fine wine

Published: 02 April, 2025

The wine investment firm Winecap in its UK Wealth Report 2025 has revealed that 96% of British wealth managers expect demand for fine wine to grow in 2025, more than any other luxury asset.

Industry pushes for delay on EPR scheme

Published: 24 October, 2024

With only a few months remaining before the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme begins, UK businesses are calling on the government to delay its rollout, citing confusion, unpreparedness and unclear costs. In a joint letter to Defra, over 80 companies have urged postponing the scheme until there is more clarity on its operation and expenses.

LWF: Is the UK a global hub or a ‘has been’?

Published: 22 May, 2024

‘Is the UK a wine hub or a has been?’ This was one of the more interesting questions posed at this week’s London Wine Fair (LWF).

Friday Read: Why luxury drinks need to change tack

Published: 01 December, 2023

Chris Jeffreys, creative director at Love agency, argues there’s no room for complacency with high-end brands in this era of high inflation.

Hambledon and Ridgeview up the ante for English wine tourism

Published: 12 September, 2022

Two of England’s leading wine estates, Hambledon and Ridgeview, are continuing to drive the development of wine tourism in England with ongoing investment in their hospitality facilities.

Friday read: Why whisky is bouncing back from the pandemic

Published: 01 July, 2022

Alan Hamilton, director of corporate finance at Johnston Carmichael, explains why whisky’s fortunes are on the rise in the global stage.

Tommasi extends reach to Etna

Published: 21 April, 2022

Valpolicella-based Tommasi Family Estates has continued its spread throughout Italy with its latest acquisition of a winery and vineyards on the slopes of Mount Etna.

US investment firm makes bid for Corbin & King

Published: 14 February, 2022

A New York-based company, Knighthead Capital Management, has pledged to refinance Corbin & King's restaurants after making an offer to the administrators FRP Advisory.

Generation sobriety turns to fine wine for alternative investments

Published: 03 February, 2022

Gen Z investors are turning to fine wine to boost their finances in the wake of the pandemic.

Fine wine market hits new highs

Published: 05 January, 2022

The global secondary fine wine market has hit new heights in 2021, surpassing previous records and growing in variety. Andrew Catchpole dips in.

Cult Wines launches new investment platform for wine

Published: 02 November, 2021

A new platform that allows consumers to invest in wine is being launched by Cult Wines, the global fine wine collection management and investment company.

Soho Street Cocktails signs exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents

Published: 13 October, 2021

Soho Street Cocktails, the ready-to-drink premium cocktail brand, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents, the independent merchant buying group.

Investment shortfall highlighted as PM tells hospitality to fund its skills and pay gap

Published: 06 October, 2021

The hospitality sector is expected to invest in funding the sector’s skills and pay gap itself, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has signalled.

Fine wine becoming a ‘regular luxury’ for British consumers

Published: 08 September, 2021

A recent survey commissioned by fine wine merchant Bordeaux Index suggests that the pandemic has led to a surge of interest in fine wine buying – either for immediate consumption or longer term investment.

Encirc expands filling capability by 40%

Published: 01 September, 2021

UK glass manufacturer Encirc is set to expand its filling capacity by 40%, increasing its wine filling capacity by 75 million litres over the next year, to meet growing demand.