Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

55 minutes with Rathfinny Estate’s winemaking team

Published: 06 March, 2023

A double dose of decision-making is this month’s focus as Andrew Catchpole join’s Rathfinny for 2019 Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noir dosage trials

Jerry Lockspeiser: What can wine learn from Southgate and Stokes?

Published: 24 February, 2023

Some Harpers’ readers may not be avid sports fans, while others may live in countries where football is called soccer or where the game of cricket is as mystifying as nuclear physics. So before discussing why England football manager Gareth Southgate and cricket captain Ben Stokes have something to teach us about business, a little scene setting may be in order.

Kai Mayfair sommelier takes home the 2023 UK Ruinart gong

Published: 22 February, 2023

Mateusz Kowlczyk of Kai Mayfair has been announced as the winner of the 2023 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, taking home the title in the seventh year of the competition.

Danbury Ridge shows eastern promise

Published: 21 February, 2023

Essex clays are poised to lead the charge of quality English still wine. Andrew Catchpole reports from Crouch Valley’s Danbury Ridge.

Arrogant Frog puts up vineyard resistance

Published: 17 February, 2023

Leading Languedoc producer Jean-Claude Mas is set to bring his first fungus resistant varietal wine to market, with the unveiling of a Souvignier Gris ‘Résistant’ at Wine Paris.

Bar 1790

Published: 15 February, 2023

19-23 St Swithins Lane, London EC4N 8AD

Profile: Turning the dial on Greek wine, Maltby & Greek

Published: 14 February, 2023

After growing from market stallholders in London’s Bermondsey, Maltby & Greek founders Yannos Hadjiioannou and Stefanos Kokotos are establishing themselves as London’s go-to Greek food and wine specialists. Jo Gilbert catches up with a duo entering their prime

Jacuzzi

Published: 13 February, 2023

94 Kensington High St, London W8 4SJ

Viajante 87

Published: 09 February, 2023

Basement 87, Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JZ

Tim Atkin MW: ‘Fine wine’ is outdated

Published: 09 February, 2023

It was a noble, if ultimately inconclusive exercise. Maybe that’s true of anything that involves an indigestible dose of subjectivity. But you can’t fault Areni Global for attempting to define and “rethink” the fine wine market, no less. In a recent white paper, accompanied by an entertaining panel debate and tasting at Sotheby’s in London, the impressive think tank set out to analyse what its chair, Nicole Rolet, calls the “fine wine ecosystem”. Ambitious, as I said.

Fine wine gets the January blues

Published: 09 February, 2023

Fine wine got off to a slow start in the first month of 2023 at fine wine investment platform Cult Wines, deflating a more encouraging bubble which began towards the end of 2022.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Why the trade should be asking ‘What could go right?’

Published: 01 February, 2023

According to research across 36 countries by IPSOS, a majority of people think the global economy will get worse in 2023. A whopping 79% think prices will rise faster than incomes, 57% believe it will be the hottest year on record in their country, and an alarming 48% think nuclear weapons will be used in a conflict somewhere in the world.

Musar turns to Fells for UK distribution

Published: 31 January, 2023

Lebanese producer Chateau Musar is to join the John E. Fells & Sons portfolio, adding to the roll call of leading family estates the importer represents in the UK.

Jascots marks growth of premium range

Published: 25 January, 2023

Jascots Wine Merchants has recorded strong results for 2022, laying growth at the door of new business and an ongoing focus on range premiumisation.

Q&A: Fabrice Mauge, CEO, VinoVirtual

Published: 19 January, 2023

What is VinoVirtual and how does it differ from ‘run-of-the-mill’ trade shows?

Greek wine makes a splash as Maltby & Greek goes solo

Published: 18 January, 2023

A tasting focused on solely on Greek wine, from Amyndeon in the north west to Santorini and everything in between, made a big splash at Vagabond Wine’s Monument outpost earlier this week, in what is believed to be the biggest single tasting of Greek wine ever to be held in London.

Guy Woodward: The elephant in the room

Published: 17 January, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I drank wine every day over the two-week Christmas dormancy. And I’m not just talking about a glass with dinner. We got into an agreeably unhurried routine: a lazy breakfast over Wordle, the papers and some idle scrolling; the deployment of any necessary chores (mostly either purchasing or preparing food); a long walk with (followed by washing of) the dog; then changing into what I’ll generously describe as loungewear before opening a bottle and getting some snacks going. This generally took us to around 4pm, whereupon the rest of the day was spent in a fug of board games, TV boxsets and eating and drinking.

New Zealand Wine Week returns for 2023

Published: 16 January, 2023

After the success of New Zealand Wine Week events in 2021 and 2022, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has announced that it will be kicking off the third New Zealand Wine Week on 30 January.