Published: 12 December, 2023
My late friend Michael Cox, who ran Wines of Chile’s UK office for more than a decade, had a great line about so-called “icon” wines. “Is that one word or two?” he would ask with a raised eyebrow. The pun works best in English, but the marketing strategy it points fun at is pretty much universal. Wines promoted as “iconic”, especially
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Published: 04 December, 2023
Their culinary prowess is widely known, but now the Basques are looking to boost their wine credentials with the creation of a €15 million wine and drinks university campus.
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Published: 28 November, 2023
In last month’s article for Harpers, I considered the potential for huge disruption in the UK wine trade from new rules that will allow the blending and processing of wines imported in bulk. They raise the possibility of making drinks that have all the taste and packaging characteristics of established wines while not being subject to the historic restrictions for making them.
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Published: 22 November, 2023
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has quelled fears of a second duty rise this year in this afternoon’s Autumn Budget, by announcing a freeze until August next year.
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Published: 21 November, 2023
Aulis’s Charles Carron Brown irons out the mistakes commonly made in approaching a somm, helping to bag the wine a diner wants, rather than the one the somm wants them to drink.
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Published: 17 November, 2023
Plumpton College has been awarded the highest National Honour in education, a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work in wine education and wider impact on the English and Welsh wine sector.
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Published: 07 November, 2023
Jo Gilbert gets clued up on Roberson’s latest venture – the first of its kind platform, which promises to offer consumers the chance to buy English wine, direct from producers, at vineyard prices.
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Published: 24 October, 2023
Jo Gilbert visited the White Hart pub & restaurant in East Sussex to find out how the venue is looking to become a hub for English wine.
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Published: 17 October, 2023
Wanderlust’s Richard Ellison talks Andrew Catchpole through his journey into wine.
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Published: 09 October, 2023
Much has been made of the potential of Italian whites beyond the near ubiquitous Pinot Grigio. But few conversations have centred on an arguably more important question – namely, is there a contender to take a place with the top white wines in the world?
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Published: 05 October, 2023
In many ways, alcohol seems to be ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability agendas. Wine producers around the world work on nature’s front line and are among the few sectors to have successfully high recycling rates globally via glass. Spirits have been at the forefront of experiments with alternative formats and zero waste projects.
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Published: 02 October, 2023
Harpers and Imbibe Live are delighted to announce that Isa Bal MS is to head up the revived Sommelier Wine Awards competition (SWA).
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Published: 27 September, 2023
Many years ago I was asked to act as a strategic consultant to a Chilean wine business. They wanted help with reformulating their strategy, first to achieve break even, then to reach sustainable profitability. The business was 100% targeted at export markets, with the UK a key priority.
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Published: 15 September, 2023
First time visitors to this year’s Wines of Chile annual tasting in London could be forgiven for thinking that this is a country in a permanent state of evolution, often operating at the fringes of established viticulture to drive a rolling agenda of innovation.
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Published: 07 September, 2023
Bordeaux winemaker and British expat Gavin Quinney says UK duty is ‘even crazier’ than we first thought.
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Published: 01 September, 2023
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 begin to round off our series with Harriet Kininmonth, wine trading director at Bibendum (C&C Group), to find out how the year has gone so far, and what the remainder may bring.
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Published: 25 August, 2023
Quinta do Noval has launched the second wine from their ultra-premium, limited edition Terroir Series – a collaboration between Carlos Agrellos, Noval’s technical director, and Christian Seely.
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Published: 24 August, 2023
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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Published: 21 August, 2023
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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Published: 16 August, 2023
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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