How should we respond when values we hold dear conflict with opportunities for business advantage or personal gain? How best to navigate conflicting aspirations?
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Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Bella Babbit, wine director, NoMad London, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Mark Bedford, owner and director, Caviste and The Spirits Room, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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The Ancient Thracian Lowlands PGI has launched a three-year campaign aimed at raising the profile of its wines in the UK.
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Enotria & Coe has announced the appointment of Julian Momen as its new chief operating officer (COO), who has joined the company after holding several top jobs across the industry.
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Wine Importers’ Neil Renton gives Andrew Catchpole the low down on this Scottish stalwart’s plans.
Mid way through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Matteo Furlan, head of wines, The Dorchester London, to find out how the year as gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Economic depression tends to lead consumers to splash out on little luxuries. This is the idea behind the ‘lipstick effect’, coined by Estée Lauder’s Leonard Lauder to describe the rocketing rise of lipsticks in 2008, post the 9/11 attacks in New York and while global markets teetered on the brink of financial meltdown. By extension – and with the cost of living and wage stagnation pushing prices higher – alcohol still seems to fall within a comparatively ‘affordable luxury’ bracket.
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It doesn’t seem to matter what flavour of government you have at the moment – when it comes to the spirits and hospitality industries, there’s a stench of incompetence. In Scotland we have the incredibly public failure of the DRS scheme, which, as a result, has wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money. But don’t be fooled – it really is no better, south of the border. Westminster will raise you a cock up, in the form of the increased duty rates.
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So, the deadline has come and gone – and despite an avalanche of criticism, including a letter sent by Hennings Wine owner Matt Hennings to his local MP in June, begging the government to wake up and smell the bonfire, the trade is now facing increases to the tune of 20% or 44p per 75cl bottle.
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Midway through 2023, Harpers is taking stock of yet another turbulent year for the drinks trade, with plenty of highs and lows, so far. We continue our series with Vanessa Stolz, head sommelier at Restaurant Pine, to find out how the year has gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Rarely have I tried to recall an email as quickly as I did after notifying a female contact that it would be great if she could find time to meet up, as I’d heard how busty she was these days.
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Rowena Curlewis, head of design agency Denomination, extols the virtues of disruptive branding in a crowded wine and spirits world.
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With turnover rising from £280m in 2019 to £530m last year, drinks wholesaler LWC has also been busy strengthening its wine offer. Andrew Catchpole catches up with wine buyer Frances Bentley for the lowdown.
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The Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 5% is a stab in the eye to under pressure businesses and struggling consumers. It would be hard enough to swallow if it were the right medicine for the illness. When it is based on a misdiagnosis it is unacceptable.
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My friend Matt likes to confuse algorithms. “Every now and then, I type the first thing that comes into my head into Google, Facebook or Instagram,” he told me. “Emperor penguins, Everest, wrestling, Taylor Smith, cupcakes.” In a world where our digital footprint is used by everyone from advertisers to political parties, it’s a spirited attempt to put AI off the scent.
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The boom in rosé sales in the UK is more complicated than it first appears, as Ben Bernheim, rosé expert and co-owner of Pink.wine, explains to Andrew Catchpole, with just some big names driving the market.
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The latest back and forth between the UK government and Scotland’s devolved powers has derailed plans for Scotland to include glass as part of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), with glass now to be fully excluded both north and south of the border.
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Faced with a significant duty rise from 1 August, many in the business of selling wine are bracing themselves for a new round of pain. Unwilling to pass on price rises to cash-strapped customers, but needing to protect already thin margins, this unpopular hike in tax is understandably the talk of the trade. And all of this is to happen at a time when implementation will impact on hospitality outlets, forcing a reorganisation of wine lists during the crucial summer trading period.
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With Cali Red and Rosé to his name, the Doggfather speaks to Andrew Catchpole about his partnership with Treasury Wine Estates’ 19 Crimes label and his take on the world of wine.
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