Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Koshu: Putting Japanese wine on the map

Published: 21 January, 2026

Even within the UK wine trade, mention that you are off to Japan to learn more about the wines, and the comment comes back, ‘oh, rice wine, you mean sake?’. But with sake now firmly established on fine dining wine lists across Britain, a group of wine producers from Yamanashi Prefecture – the heartland of the indigenous white Koshu grape variety – believe that the time is ideal for a greater push for recognition in the ‘global shop window’ that is the UK. And with the wines ticking many on-trend boxes, being fresh and elegant, with naturally modest alcohol and just a soupçon of the exotic born of Japan origin, their food-friendly nature completes a picture of natural affinity with modern wine mores.

Laphroaig-owner Suntory begins UK commercial operations

Published: 03 February, 2025

The Japanese drinks giant, Suntory Global Spirits, has officially launched its first standalone commercial business in the UK. The move means the company is now directly in charge of the sales, marketing and distribution of its portfolio of spirits brands in the UK.

Maxxium UK rebrands in a bid to clarify market position

Published: 14 March, 2018

Maxxium UK, the UK’s sales and distribution arm of global companies Beam Suntory and Edrington has undergone an enormous period of change since 2009, when the head office of its global brand owners – then a mix of Edrington, Beam, Rémy Cointreau and former Absolut owner VMS – folded.