Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Champagne group sales up 15%

Published: 23 July, 2008

Group Laurent-Perrier has announced its first half sales have risen 15% compared with the same period last year.

Bordeaux 2007 vintage: day 34

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Bordelais have entered the winery, and it's now fingers crossed for the malolactic fermentation

Waitrose triumphs at IWSC awards

Published: 23 July, 2008

Supermarket group Waitrose won both the wine buyer and spirits buyer of the year awards at last night's IWSC awards ceremony.

Government likely to announce 9pm watershed ad ban

Published: 23 July, 2008

Prime minister Gordon Brown is believed to be plotting to announce a statutory 9pm-watershed blanket ban on food and alcohol advertising later this year.

RidgeView Sparkling wines wins top gastronomic award

Published: 23 July, 2008

RidgeView Merret Sparkling Wines have been named as the product that has done the most for gastronomy in the last 12 months by the British Academy of Gastronomes.

Debate continues on alcohol and pregnancy

Published: 23 July, 2008

The public health minister added further controversy to the debate on safe drinking levels for pregnant women yesterday.

Enotria takes on Marques de Riscal

Published: 23 July, 2008

London-based Enotria has been appointed the UK agent for major Rioja brand Marques de Riscal.

M&S profits up, despite uncertain outlook

Published: 23 July, 2008

Half year pre-tax profits at revitalised store chain Marks & Spencer rose to 451.8million despite poor weather and disruption from a store refit programme.

Space technology could take headache from red wine

Published: 23 July, 2008

Technology used by the American NASA space agency to detect life on Mars is being adapted to find chemicals in red wine that give drinkers headaches.

Tesco open for business in the United States

Published: 23 July, 2008

US: Tesco has opened its first US convenience store, Fresh & Easy, in Hemet, 75 miles east of Los Angeles, ahead of its official launch on Thursday.

Sainsbury's takeover bid called off

Published: 23 July, 2008

Qatari suitor Delta Two has pulled out of its 10.6billion bid for supermarket group Sainsbury.

Diageo and Pernod Ricard start whisky price war

Published: 23 July, 2008

INDIA: Global drinks giants Diageo and Pernod Ricard have dropped prices of their front-line Scotch whiskies by 10-30% ahead of Diwali on November 9

Not a year for people who like their Bordeaux to taste of Port, says Philippe Bardet of Chateau Val d'Or (Saint Emilion) and Chateau Picoron (Cotes de Castillon). Alcohol is around 12.5%, but at least he hasn't chaptalised.

Tesco to help launch Banrock Station in Tetra Pak

Published: 23 July, 2008

Tesco is to help with the launch of Banrock Station's new one litre Tetra Pak carton, Banrock Ecomate, by selling it in selected stores from the middle of November.

Co-op walks off with half of Fairtrade awards

Published: 23 July, 2008

Supemarket group Co-op won four out of eight awards at the Fairtrade Wine Committee's annual tasting event yesterday.

New Masters of Wine announced

Published: 23 July, 2008

Seven new Masters of Wine (MW) were announced last night at the Institute of Masters of Wine Annual Reception including a Tesco buyer, two Australians and the first MW from Sweden.

Carbon neutral winery launched

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bordeaux winery Vignobles Lancombe is claiming that it is set to be France's first carbon-neutral winery.

Politicians fight to keep 'Apfelwein' name

Published: 23 July, 2008

GERMANY: Politicians in the west of the country are up in arms that the name of their traditional 'apple wine'will fall victim to new European Union regulations.

V&S profits lift

Published: 23 July, 2008

Vin & Sprit, the Swedish drinks company, has reported strong sales growth with a 23% rise in profits in its third quarter with Absolut vodka and Cruzan rum leading its spirits growth.