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Swig comes out of downturn with growth in sales across all sectors

Swig, the online wine retailer and distributor, has told Harpers.co.uk it is up 18% in sales since April, with growth coming from all sectors of the trade, be it direct to the on-trade and retail or through its own trading website, which alone has seen a 100% increase in sales year on year.

UK trade's favourite French wines showcased at Absolutely Cracking tasting

Some of the wine trade's favourite French wines were on show this week at the Absolutely Cracking Wines from France tasting and Harpers is giving you the chance to win a case of specially selected wines from the event.

Alliance Wine looks to bring new life to the traditional wine tasting

Scottish-based wine distributor Alliance Wine was the latest wine company to host a different style of tasting this week with a Latin-themed event in Glasgow complete with music, food and tango dancers.

Indian restaurant offers intruder the chance of a job if he mends his ways

An Indian restaurant in Margate has come up with a novel way of dealing with a persistent intruder who keeps making off with wine and premium cooking ingredients - it is willing to offer them them a job if they can prove they can be a reformed character.

WSTA to address changing needs of consumer at this week's annual conference

How well equipped the wine and spirits industry is in adapting to changes in consumer demand will be the central focus of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association's annual conference taking place in London on September 25.

John Humphries: discovering the wonders of Grappa

I had it. A wrap. Concealed in a torn Mars Bar wrapper, a quarter of a gram. Of Saffron. La Mancha's finest from an obliging chef. I retraced my steps from Dean back to Wardour Street for the second session of a Grappa master class with Grappe Marolo from, Alba, Italy. I was attending for two reasons, to learn about a spirit that had always assaulted both by palate and my nostrils with its pungent, raw aromas and high alcohol. I had also volunteered to make a Grappa cocktail, a Sour, the classic recipe but with the aromatic intensity of a few sprigs of fresh rosemary added to the shaker.

Douglas Blyde delights in three new releases from Glenfiddich

The minds behind Glenfiddich, the most awarded and potentially most exported single malt whisky, gathered in Piccadily at the HQ of the Royal Society of Chemistry to launch three newcomers to the range.

London to host a day to celebrate 25 years of Albariño

Deborah Sleep: what the wine trade can learn from the re-positioning of Hardy's

Deborah Sleep, director of customer insight agncy, Engage Research, looks at the wider lessons to be learnt from the repackaging of Australian wine brand, Hardy's, and how consumer insight is helping it to reposition the brand in terms of price and quality expectations:

Jerry Lockspeiser: No Sex Please - We're British!

Back in the days when Apples and Blackberries were still fruits I came across the wines of Larry Mawby. Larry produces high quality fizz in the USA.  Not in California, nor Washington State or even Oregon, but in Michigan. 

Richard Bampfield: Why admitting you just 'don't know' can be the most insightful answer of all

In the latest of our series of "AWEsome tales" from members of the Association of Wine Educators, Richard Bampfield takes heart from winemakers and members of the trade, regardless of how experienced or educated they are, who admit they are still looking for answers when it comes to understanding the intracies of wine production.

Sula Vineyards launches new Indian wine through Laithwaite's

Indian winery, Sula Vineyards, has launched its newly created Nasika wine range in the UK which will be available exclusively through Laithwaite's.

Sula Vineyards launches Indian wine range through Laithwaite's

Indian winery, Sula Vineyards, has launched its newly created Nasika wine range in the UK which will be available exclusively through Laithwaite's.

Enotria looks to drive its by-the-glass initiative with new winter selection

Enotria's 'Discover' campaign that aims to encourage the on-trade to increase its by the glass offering is seeing "significant" growth, according to its on-trade sales director, Fraser McGuire.

Last chance to enter Harpers' French Wine Awards

This week is the last chance for companies and indviduals to nominate themselves or other organisations to be considered in the inaugural Harpers French Wine Awards that look to recognise the best retailers, restaurants, suppliers, distributors  and ambassadors for the French wine category in the UK over the last 12 months.

Matthew Dickinson on rubbing shoulders with the French political elite

Last week, I had the potentially dubious pleasure of being invited to the French Embassy in London to participate in a round table discussion with a roll-call of French dignitaries - the French export minister Mme Bricq, a senator, a (rather attractive, and surprisingly young) 'député' - as French MPs are known -  the Ambassador, a raft of bureaucrats, the chief executive of Danone UK etc. As far as egos, remuneration and importance in the general pecking order went, I was way down the far end of the table.

Villa Maria looks to grow in the UK with launch of Italian Arneis variety

Beautiful South tasting to return in 2014 after exceeding its 2013 targets

Organisers of the first Beautiful South tasting last week at London's Olympia, that brought together wines from Argentina, Chile and South Africa, claim the event surpassed its target figures and that the combined tasting will go ahead again next year.