Premium territory

Wine is helping to drive a modest return to growth in global alcohol consumption, according to new data from IWSR, which identified an uplift in total global alcohol sales of 3.5 million 9-litre cases in 2017 over 2016 levels.

Big name Champagnes fare best as Brexit hits smaller players

Brexit-related inflation is hitting drinkers of cheaper and less well-known Champagnes hardest in the UK as sales of entry-level bottles continue to fall, while bigger name brands and more expensive cuvées are faring better.

UK sales of Aperol and Campari drive group growth

Campari’s stable of brands continue to drive “sustainable growth” for the group, including Aperol and Campari, where sales rose in the UK during the first three months of the year.

Gusbourne creates marketing manager role

Gusbourne Estate has created a marketing manager role to support its next stage of development.

Yapp Brothers creates head of sales position

Yapp Brothers has created a new head of sales position for which it has appointed Simon Stuart.

Cold weather turns into pressure cooker for high street stores

Spain raises the stakes

Spain has long been known as the commercial hub of Europe’s classic winemaking regions – a category that has traditionally seen off-trade sales veer towards its £5-£10 “sweet spot” or lower, to the sub-£5, rather than its top tier of lauded pagos.

Fever-Tree continues to lead the premium pack by adapting to low-cal and dark spirit trends

Fever-Tree accounted for 91% of the value growth of all mixers on the UK’s retail shelves last year, as the UK-based company continues to lead the march of premium mixers.

Sparkling drives growth as inflation bites down on average prices

Volume sales of alcohol continued to decline in the UK off-trade in 2017, but value sales increased in both yearly and quarterly sales, particularly in sparkling wine, which remains the main driver of growth for the overall wine category.

New Zealand premium exports hit a high note in the US and UK

New Zealand’s reputition as a top producer of quality wines continue to rise in the UK and across the world, as it is named the third biggest wine importer in value to the US.

French organic wine sales grow to a billion euros with UK sales on the rise

Champagne exports catch up with French domestic consumption as value grows

Shipments of Champagne abroad caught up with domestic sales last year, new figures from the Champagne Bureau UK show.

Sparkling sales continue to fizz in the UK

Sales of sparkling grew by 6% in volume and 9% in value in the off-trade last year, showing the popularity of the category continues to rise.

CIVB launches first Bordeaux Wine Month alongside PR shake-up

The official Bordeaux wine body has announced a number of initiatives lined up for the UK for 2018, including an official Bordeaux Wine Month to run in UK independents throughout the month of June.

Sichel’s sales to China surge by 15%

Bordeaux winemaker Sichel’s exports to China surged 15% in 2017 as Chinese demand for French wine continues to explode.

Tre Bicchieri heads to London

As UK sales of Italian wine continue to boom, some of Italy’s top winemakers are converging in London next week for Tre Bicchieri Grand Tasting.

Conviviality sales surge 9.2% as market share grows

Sales at independent drinks distributor Conviviality surged by 9.2% to £836.3m in the 26 weeks to October 29 2017, the group announced today.

No Christmas cheer for restaurant and pub groups

Restaurant and pub groups across the UK recorded a marginal decline in sales during the festive season, with drink-led businesses claiming the best of the festive trade.

Still wine swipes the Christmas sales crown

Still wine has emerged as the surprising winner of the wine aisle across the all-important Christmas season, with sales finally back in growth and outperforming Prosecco for the first time in several years.

Gin sales boom with 45% growth at Christmas

Gin was the runaway success of the last minute Christmas booze run, with shoppers buying a huge 45% more in the week before the big day than 2016.