Majestic profits slip on the back of high investment costs

Majestic Wine's profits have slipped 10.5% to £8.5 million, although group sales are up 2.8% to £133.8 million in the first half of the year.

Burgundy winemaker Roland Masse set for last Hospice de Beaune before handing over to first female manager

Burgundy winemaker, Roland Masse, will see his last vintage put up for auction at this weekend's Hospice de Beaune before he passes on the responsibility to Ludivine Griveau, the first woman to look after the domain in its history.

Prof. Charles Spence set to kickoff Wine Vision next week

Wine Vision, a conference that draws leaders of the wine trade from around the world, will open next week with Charles Spence a professor of Experimental Psychology at Oxford Univiersty kicking off the event with a multi sensory experience.

The Week That Was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Broadland Wineries on course to become a £250m wine business in 12 years

Broadland Wineries is on track to grow its business from £10 million turnover in 2006, £100m by 2016 and climb to £250m by 2026 if it continues its journey of being a fully-fledged international wine supplier in its own right and away from its roots as a contract bottler.

Cockburn's Port looks to capture spirit of family Christmas with new festive campaign

Cockburn's Port is hoping to capture the spirit of Christmas with a new print and online advertising campaign that breaks this week.

Top wine brands choose Vente Privee as new route to market

Top name wine producers are using flash sales site Vente Privée to attract new consumers to their brands in the UK.

Constellation Brands hits a 52-week high for third time this year

Constellation Brands (STZ) hit a 52-week high in trading yesterday, peaking at US$95.09 per share and closing the day at $94.02, which is the third time this year the company has hit a yearly record level.

Arbikie, Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery, kicks off with potato vodka

A super-premium Scottish potato vodka is to be the first spirit produced by Arbikie, Scotland's newest farm-to-bottle distillery.

Casella set to buy Peter Lehmann Wines

Two major players of the Australian wine world are to come together as Casella Family Brands, owners of Yellow Tail, plans to buy Peter Lehmann Wines.

Hangingditch to attract 500 guests to Manchester Cathedral for annual wine fair

Hangingditch, the leading Manchester independent wine merchant, is expecting up to 500 guests to attend its annual consumer wine fair on Friday which also offers live classical musical and operatic singing in the impressive backdrop of the Manchester Cathedral.

Government ministers to set out misuse strategies at Alcohol Concern conference

Alcohol Concern has lined up a strong panel of front bench MPs and ministers to speak at its annual conference next week which will be held under the theme "Taking back our health and high streets".

Consumers win in UK supermarket wars as discounters continue to expand

Consumers are coming out ahead as the UK supermarket wars rage on and another discounter commits to expansion in the UK's highly competitive retail market.

Tesco bolsters wine team as it looks to improve quality and customer focus

Tesco has boosted its wine team with the addition of an assistant buyer and quality manager.

Conviviality Retail to expand into Scotland

Conviviality Retail, owner of the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack brands, has revealed plans to expand into Scotland with its half-yearly trading update broadly in line with last year.

London on-trade sees October sales up 4.1%

London bar and restaurant chains have seen like for like sales up 4.1% in October, while outside the capital managed operators are ramping up new site openings.

Sainsbury's profits drop due to 'once-in-a-generation' shifts in retail sector

Sainsbury's half-yearly results show the company's underlying profits dropped 6.3% to £375 million, the worst performance in over a decade for the company.

ProWein launches new Asia show in Singapore from 2016 to support its Chinese exhibition

China's Singles Day online spend surpasses $2 billion in first hour

China's Singles Day is the world's largest online shopping day of the year and today it smashed online spending records yet again hitting more than $2 billion spent online in the first hour.

Oddbins Ayo Akintola in his own words: Majestic is 'screwing' suppliers

Oddbins managing director Ayo Akintola describes Majestic's recent demand from suppliers for financial support for its new warehouse as "one of the shabbiest business decisions" in the past couple of decades in the UK wine industry. Here, in his own words, he responds to its actions: