New SmartCork offers hi-tech closure for natural cork fans

SmartCork is billing itself as a "game-changer" in the wine closures market as it claims to combine the advantages of natural cork with a hi-tech membrane which prevents spoiling.

Laithwaite's pioneers online recommendations with Amazon-style service

Laithwaite's is offering customers Amazon-style tasting recommendations based on an algorithm that creates a taste fingerprint for each wine on its website.

Kingsland shakes up business model with wider branded offer

Kingsland is shaking up its business with plans to launch fruit-flavoured wines, make brands more accessible to younger customers and offer deeper consumer insights.

Portugal's wine industry struggling for survival, says Paul Symington

Portugal's wine industry is being decimated by high costs of production and regulation and "something's gotta give", says leading Douro producer Paul Symington.

Personalisation is key to engaging with consumers online

A reoccurring theme at London Wine Fair 2014 has been the growing importance of creating personalised content online to engage with consumers.

Top beer sommelier says craft beer revolution becoming more mainstream

Craft beer is being taken more seriously in the UK - evidenced by its growing prominence in circles formerly restricted solely to wine, says one of the country's top beer sommeliers.

Broadland Wineries enjoys strong growth

Broadland Wineries has grown sales by 28% in the past year, with profits up 50% before tax, according to its managing director.

Entry level Spanish producers 'sweating bullets' as prices fall

Spanish producers at the bottom end of the market are "sweating bullets" as they still have wine in their cellars and the next harvest is looming, according to one prominent Master of Wine.

Idea of buying Bordeaux en primeur now is 'null and void', says Farr Vintners

Wine investors who bought one case of each of Bordeaux's first growth chateaux for the five years from 2009 would have lost £35,000 if they sold last Friday, said the Wall Street Journal's Will Lyons.

Britain's shoppers now too savvy to buy solely on promotion, says Nielsen

Britain's grocery shoppers are no longer tempted to buy just because something's on promotion, according to data from analysts Nielsen.

WSTA's Miles Beale wins Harpers Special Achievement award for Call Time on Duty campaign

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirits Trade Association, has been awarded with a Special Achievement award at tonight's Harpers Awards for the leadership he showed in driving the Call Time on Duty campaign which resulted in the duty escalator on wine and spirits being scrapped in the 2014 Budget.

London Wine Fair: Live News Blog

Wine must connect emotionally with consumers hears Harpers debate

Making an emotional connection with consumers, and creating personalised, shareable and useful content is vital to selling wine, heard Harpers debate at London Wine Fair.

Co-op's major wine revamp yields strong results

The Co-operative has seen sparkling wine, smaller serve bottles and Argentinian wine sales soar since it revamped its range in recent months.

London Wine Fair opens its doors

The wine trade is looking forward to a re-energised London Wine Fair, which returns to its roots today from Kensington Olympia, with 20% more exhibitors on site.

Top Spanish wines tipped for growth in Asia

Antique Wine Company predicts that Spanish wines are heading for major growth in the Asian fine wine market, driven by the rapidly expanding Philippine market.

Penfolds' chief winemaker says 2014 vintage 'surprisingly good'

Penfolds' chief winemaker says Australia's 2014 vintage is "surprisingly good for something that was looking a bit ordinary".

Sam Neill and Nigel Greening on what makes a great Pinot Noir producer

Two of New Zealand's leading Pinot Noir producers, Sam Neill of Two Paddocks and film star fame, and Nigel Greening of Felton Road, set out at a special tasting last week in London what it is that has drawn them in to trying to create award Pinot Noir from the Central Otago.

Meet the Winemakers at London Wine Fair

Ultimately the success of any trade event rests in the quality of wines and winemakers exhibiting. Here we pick out some of the more interesting winemakers who will be on hand in London in June

Rioja Tapas Fantasticas returns to London's South Bank for seventh year

Rioja Tapas Fantasticas, the award-winning Spanish food and wine festival, is to return to London's South Bank for the seventh year running between June 14 and 15.