Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Spanish ice wine approved by appellation

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bodegas Gramona's Spanish ice wine wine venture has been endorsed by Do Peneds.

Day 22 of Clare Valley Vintage -Cab Sav off to a scorcher

Published: 23 July, 2008

G'day Folks. I think I have a new crush on Cabernet Sauvignon.

Madonna buys Mayfair pub

Published: 23 July, 2008

Pop queen Madonna has bought her local pub, in Mayfair, London, for 2.5million.

Francis Ford Coppola drives US wine sales

Published: 23 July, 2008

The glitz and glamour' of celebrity endorsed wine products are proving a retail hit stateside with such products gaining increasing popularity.

SITT award presented to ViniPortugal

Published: 23 July, 2008

The 2008 Specialist Importers Trade Tasting (SITT) award has been presented to ViniPortugal.

Bushmills targets 1m case sales by 2011

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bushmills, the Irish whiskey label owned by Diageo, is targeting sales of one million cases by 2011.

Waitrose moves into English fizz production

Published: 23 July, 2008

Harpers.co.uk can exclusively reveal Waitrose plans to be the first UK retailer to plant vines in England and produce its own sparkling wine to hit the shelves in 2014.

Amazon turns its hand to US wine sales

Published: 23 July, 2008

Amazon, the online retail giant, is to expand into the US wine market with an enhanced selection of products.

Retailers face stricter enforcement on alcohol sales

Published: 23 July, 2008

The government's review of the Licensing Act will mean retailers face a "two-strikes-and-you're-out" approach if they are caught selling alcohol to under-age teenagers.

Scotch distillery to reopen after 20-year hiatus

Published: 23 July, 2008

A mothballed Scotch whisky distillery is to start production again after a 22-year gap, thanks to a 5million Dutch investment consortium.

Business as usual at Plymouth

Published: 23 July, 2008

Plymouth Gin have released a statement claiming production at their Black Friars distillery has not been affected by a blaze last week.

Day 19 of Clare Valle Vintage - Kerri's Shiraz babies

Published: 23 July, 2008

G'day Folks. Sometimes I just need to pinch myself. I really am blessed to be a part of this wonderful Australian wine industry and to share in all of its great diversity.

Bidding begins for Somerfield

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Co-operative Group and Asda are front-runners to buy Somerfield after both submitted bids for the whole business, according to yesterday's Sunday Times.

Australian producer calls in administrators

Published: 23 July, 2008

Western Australia's Palandri Wines has called in the administrators with millions of dollars of debt

Day 21 of Clare Valley Vintage - The old vs the new

Published: 23 July, 2008

G'day Folks. If my memory serves me correctly, the last vintage I was dragging hoses around in such a fashion was around 1998 and so ten years on I gotta tell you my body is asking a few questions.

Nathie Johnston dies

Published: 23 July, 2008

Nathie Johnston, head of Bordeaux negociants Nathaniel Johnston & Fils, died at the weekend, aged 82.

Majestic's How to retire within a year

Published: 23 July, 2008

Majestic chief operating officer Steve Lewis (pictured right) is to take over the post of chief executive, after the board announced that Tim How is to stand down from the position in the next year.

Day 16 of Clare Valley Vintage - Nuturing grapes for the future

Published: 23 July, 2008

G'day Folks. There really is something very special about being born on February the 29th.

M&S extends international operations

Published: 23 July, 2008

Marks and Spencer Group has purchased a 50% stake in Marks & Spencer Marinopoulos BV, which runs 38 M&S stores in Switzerland, Greece and Balkan states, including Romania and Bulgaria for 50m (38m).