Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Matthew Jukes passes away

Published: 07 August, 2026

Influential UK wine writer Matthew Jukes died on Thursday (6 August) in Portugal, aged 58.

Hollywood actor turned winemaker Sam Neill passes away

Published: 13 July, 2026

Sam Neill, best known for his roles in the Jurassic Park films but also much respected in the trade for his Two Paddocks wines, has died “suddenly and unexpectedly”, according to reports by the BBC and others.

Wine merchant and former restaurateur Joseph Berkmann passes away

Published: 25 February, 2026

Joseph Berkmann, the founder of Berkmann Wine Cellars, died two weeks ago aged 94 at his home in St Tropez.

David Sandys-Renton passes away

Published: 27 January, 2022

Wine pioneer David Sandys-Renton has died, aged 85.

Former Matthew Clark chairman Francis Gordon Clark passes away

Published: 06 April, 2020

Francis Gordon Clark, former chairman of Matthew Clark and great, great grandson of the national distributor’s eponymous founder, died last week in his Winchester home after losing his battle with lung cancer.