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German specialists, ABS Wine Agencies and Howard Ripley, on promoting Grosse Gewächse

Published:  01 October, 2014

The annual release of the Grosse Gewächse in September is a firm feature in the German wine calendar. Slowly, this important release date is also gaining UK currency. Grosse Gewächse are dry single-vineyard wines produced to a strict quality code by VDP members (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter). The VDP is Germany's largest and most important grouping of quality producers whose private vineyard classification recognises exceptional, historic single sites as Grosse Lagen.

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Sainsbury's to switch to a mid-low pricing strategy as sales continue to fall

Published:  01 October, 2014

Sainsbury's is to start comparing and benchmarking its pricing levels against Asda rather than Tesco as it looks to switch to a new mid-low pricing strategy following a fall in sales for the third quarter in a row.

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Douglas Blyde: there's much to discover below the surface of Bibendum's South African wines

Published:  01 October, 2014

If you are looking to introduce and promote your South African wine offer then offering journalists the chance to meet four of their most innovative winemakers at the much brightened Quo Vadis, Soho, where arguably argumentative art has been removed in favour of characterful woodcuts on menus, is a good place to start.

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Robert Parker to host 100 point London tasting as part of a world tour

Published:  30 September, 2014

Robert Parker, the legendary US wine critic, is to host a special tasting in London in February 2015 as part of a world tour of exclusive tastings for his Wine Advocate magazine.

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Anthony Rose on the story behind his new Tapas Bar Guide

Published:  30 September, 2014

I met Isabel Cuevas seven years ago in Yamanashi, Japan's wine country, as you do. We got on like the proverbial house on fire and we kept in touch when she moved to England to join her husband-to-be, both, incidentally from the rural Spanish wilds of Extremadura. Thanks to her natural affinity for Spanish food and gastronomy and my love of Spanish wine, it took us no longer than you can say croqueta to decide that we should collaborate on a guide to tapas bars in the UK. Of course it would mean eating and drinking our way around our favourite tapas watering holes, but someone has to do it, as they say, so why not us?

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Chance for "Harpers Rising Stars" to win a grant for Wine Vision

Published:  30 September, 2014

Harpers is giving talented, rising stars in the global wine industry the chance to take part in this November's Wine Vision conference by applying for a special Harpers grant.

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Moët & Chandon joins Europe's celebrations at the Ryder Cup

Published:  29 September, 2014

Europe's victory in this weekend's Ryder Cup brought smiles not only to golf fans across the continent, but to the marketing team at Moët & Chandon whose sponsorship of the event resulted in priceless images of the winning team celebrating with its Champagne appearing in the international press around the world.

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Aldi announces record 65% jump in profits as it attracts 1m new customers

Published:  29 September, 2014

Aldi, the German hard discount chain, has returned record sales in the UK with profits up 65% and the promise of even more price cuts that are acting as a wrecking ball through the figures of the major multiples.

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Chester Osborn on his new d'Arenburg Amazing Site wines

Published:  29 September, 2014

Chester Osborn of d'Arenburg winery in McLaren Vale, on why he's decided to vinify and release winers from some of his top plots separately.

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Jochen Erler goes behind the scenes at South Africa's Michelangelo Wine Awards

Published:  29 September, 2014

The International Michelangelo Wine Awards in Stellenbosch, South Africa, can be considered a truly international contest because only international wine experts are invited for judging.  It is also the only international wine and brandy contest held in South Africa.

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Shortlist for Harpers French Wine Awards announced

Published:  26 September, 2014

The shortlist for the 2014 Harpers French Wine Awards are released today with the likes of Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, The Sampler, Daniel Lambert, Tim Atkin MW and Gerrard Basset MW MS fighting it out for the main awards.

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Northcote retains title of Sud de France Sommelier of the Year

Published:  26 September, 2014

Tamus Czinki, head sommelier of Michelin-starred restaurant, Northcote near Blackburn, Lancashire, has been named Sud de France Sommelier of the Year for 2014.

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Jerry Lockspeiser: why we should celebrate £6 wines not denigrate them

Published:  26 September, 2014

Wine selling for £6 or less is shit.  Not my words but those of advertising legend Sir John Hegarty at the Wine and Spirit Trade Association conference.

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Arto Koskelo on wine blogging - a revolution that never happened

Published:  25 September, 2014

It was definitely a Summer of Love kind of a think though the cheerful crowd was not holding hands, singing Kumbaya and getting high on LSD, but rather handling Riedel glasses, dancing itself silly and getting tipsy on red wine.

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British Bottle Company offers expert export service for UK drinks

Published:  25 September, 2014

The British Bottle Company is a new specialist export business dedicated to helping British drinks, including English wine, craft beers and artisanal spirits, gain distribution in key export markets around the world.

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Mike Paul's 7 steps to success with new product developement in wine

Published:  23 September, 2014

One comment on my recent piece on the importance of branding  was that it is all very easy to argue that one should invest in branding but it would be rather more useful, at least  to those already 'converted', to provide some insights into how best this might be achieved.

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What to expect at SITT Autumn: Forth Wines

Published:  23 September, 2014

Scottish distributor, Forth Wines, explains what visitors can expect on its stand at SITT Autumn taking place at the Royal Horticutural Halls in London on September 24.

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Salentein hopes to win over independents with new premium Argentinian wine range

Published:  23 September, 2014

Salentein, the Argentinian wine producer, is to release a new premium range of wines to the UK including it icon wine, Gran Vu Blend, which it hopes to gain distribution across the on-trade and independent sectors.

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The Harrow's Roger Jones follows Heston Blumenthal by taking his restaurant offer overseas

Published:  22 September, 2014

Heston Blumenthal is not the only British Michelin-starred chef to be taking his restaurant overseas in the new year as Rojer Jones is set to travel to South Africa to embark on a restaurant tour with his award-winning The Harrow at Little Bedwyn.

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KWV relaunches UK distribution strategy by switching from Myliko Wines to Bottle Green

Published:  22 September, 2014

KWV, the South African wine giant, is to switch its UK distribution from Myliko Wines to Bottle Green as it looks to reposition itself in the UK with a targeted multiple and independent retail strategy.

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