Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

WineGB announces new board directors

Published: 04 November, 2021

Wines of Great Britain (WineGB), the national association for the English and Welsh wine industry, has made new appointments to its board of directors.

Leading producers call for greater industry action over climate change

Published: 04 November, 2021

Twenty-two CEOs and senior leaders of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) have written an open letter to all CEO’s in the wine industry calling on them to begin working towards net zero emissions by 2050.

Long read: Organic wine, climate crisis and what it means for brand identity

Published: 04 November, 2021

With COP26 pressing the urgency for action on climate crisis, Denomination’s CEO Rowena Curlewis stresses the need for producers to build change into their business strategies and examines what this means for packaging and identity.

Bibendum’s Bordeaux Project grows with new estates

Published: 04 November, 2021

Bibendum Wine has announced that another three top Bordeaux estates have joined its Bordeaux fine wine project, which was launched in partnership with négociant, Compagnie Medocaine, in 2020.

Supercharging Verdejo

Published: 04 November, 2021

Spain’s leading white region has its eyes firmly set on the top table, with a new quality tier underpinning its ambition, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Time of change for Rioja

Published: 04 November, 2021

Ambitious producers are relying on forgotten grape varieties and modern techniques to add new dimensions to Spain’s best-known wine region, as Justin Keay reports.

Cork claims high ground on premium price and climate

Published: 03 November, 2021

Sealing wine with natural cork rather than screwcap can drive higher returns, according to data from Nieslen in a report commissioned by The Portuguese Cork Association.

Liv-ex’s benchmark index sets a new record for fine wine

Published: 03 November, 2021

Fine wine prices on Liv-ex 100, the fine wine trading platform’s top index, have enjoyed their most prolonged period of growth since records began – a phenomenon which has signalled “high investor confidence and a healthy market”.

South of France to open new somm school

Published: 03 November, 2021

The Roussillon region is to host what is described as a “unique training centre” for sommeliers, planned to open in September 2022.

Liberty report: Reversal of off/on-trade trends buffers hospitality recovery

Published: 03 November, 2021

Liberty Wines’ latest report has noted the positive effect of the reversal of the trends from the on to the off-trade over the course of the pandemic, with the growth in popularity of independent wine retailers during lockdown and an overall move towards experimentation feeding back into the on-trade and helping to boost sales.

Rueda campaign to underpin export growth

Published: 03 November, 2021

Spain’s leading white wine export has continued its upward trajectory, with DO Rueda reporting a 15% upswing in 2020.

Cult Wines launches new investment platform for wine

Published: 02 November, 2021

A new platform that allows consumers to invest in wine is being launched by Cult Wines, the global fine wine collection management and investment company.

Ellis Wines’ head wine buyer Matthew Cooper passes away

Published: 02 November, 2021

Matthew Cooper, head wine buyer of Ellis Wines, with whom he had worked for 25 years, has sadly passed away.

Spain inches up

Published: 02 November, 2021

Spanish wines appear to be holding ground against the broader UK wine market, with signs of uplift at the mid-to-high end. Andrew Catchpole sizes up the stats.

UK food & drink businesses ‘behind’ on climate change targets, says WRAP research

Published: 01 November, 2021

Just under two-thirds (63%) of UK consumers want businesses to take immediate action to tackle climate change, a new national survey commissioned by sustainability charity WRAP has showed.

Penfolds releases final wine in ‘g’ series

Published: 01 November, 2021

Penfolds has unveiled a new wine blended from five vintages of Grange named Penfolds g5.

Lanchester Wines says carbon offsetting isn’t enough

Published: 28 October, 2021

Lanchester Wines has called on businesses in the wine industry to commit to making changes to minimise the impact on the environment, arguing that being carbon neutral is only the beginning of the journey towards sustainability.

González Byass named ‘Best Spanish Winery of the Decade’

Published: 28 October, 2021

González Byass has become the “Best Spanish Winery of the Decade” according to a Spanish Association of Journalists and Writers.

Duty reforms: What’s the cost for wine and spirits?

Published: 28 October, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed plans to simplify the current alcohol duty regime during yesterday’s Budget, when it was revealed that the Treasury would be adopting a new principle of “the stronger the drink, the higher the rate”.

Redefining Malbec

Published: 28 October, 2021

Argentina’s flagship grape continues to evolve, with renewed emphasis on vineyard sites and terroir. Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide, reports.