Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Morrisons appoints wine sourcing manager

Published: 03 September, 2013

Morrisons has appointed former Waitrose wine buyer Katie Mollet to the role of wine sourcing manager.

Gusbourne Estate to float after £7m takeover

Published: 03 September, 2013

Gusbourne Estate is to join the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, following a £7 million takeover.

Jim Beam stillhouse comes to London

Published: 02 September, 2013

Maxxium UK is to open a replica of its Jim Beam stillhouse, in London.

Conviviality Retail buys Wine Rack for £1.65m

Published: 02 September, 2013

Bargain Booze owner Conviviality Retail has purchased Wine Rack for £1.65 million.

Trade gears up for Savour Australia 2013

Published: 02 September, 2013

Seven-hundred and fifty guests have signed up for wine conference Savour Australia, which will take place from September 15-18 in Adelaide.

Irish Distillers launches Paddy Centenary Edition whiskey

Published: 02 September, 2013

Pernod Ricard-owned Irish Distillers has released a single pot still whiskey to celebrate 100 years of the Paddy Irish whiskey brand.

First wine car boot sale takes place in London on September 1

Published: 31 August, 2013

The first wine car boot fair is set to take place tomorrow in London which if successful could see similar events taking place in car parks and other suitable venues across the capital.

New speakers lined up for Digital Wine Communications Conference in Rioja

Published: 31 August, 2013

New speakers have been added to the impressive line-up of panellists for the renamed Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC), formerly knon as the EWBC, which is to be held in Rioja, Spain, between October 25- 27.

Italian producer Fulvio Luca Bressan in hot water over online racist storm

Published: 30 August, 2013

Italian wine producer Fulvio Luca Bressan of Bressan Mastri Vinai has found himself in very hot water after making what have been seen as racially offensive comments last Friday on his Facebook page regarding the Italian integration minister Cécile Kyenge ? Italy's first African-Italian minister and the recent implementation of new policies affecting undocumented immigrants in the country.

Henkell & Co Group takes a 60% stake in Copestick Murray

Published: 30 August, 2013

Sparkling wine giant, Henkell & Co Group, has acquired a 60% stake in UK wine impoorter and distributor Copestick Murray which will help take the company to the next stage of its growth and dramatically strengthen its postion in international markets.

More speakers lined up for Digial Wine Conference in Rioja

Published: 30 August, 2013

Further speakers have been added to the line-up for the Digital Wine Communications Conference to be held in Rioja, Spain between October 25-27.

WSTA's Miles Beale urges trade to do more following minimum pricing success

Published: 30 August, 2013

Miles Beale, the chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Asssociation, sets out a series of fresh challenges to the drinks industry on today's Harpers.co.uk following the success of its campaign to prevent the introduction of minimum unit pricing on alcohol.

WSET announces sudden death of Chris Kelly

Published: 29 August, 2013

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust has announced this afternoon the sudden death of marketing manager Chris Kelly.

Vast majority of alcoholic drinks comply with Portman Group Code, says audit body

Published: 29 August, 2013

The drinks industry has been given a boost today with an independent audit report that states the vast majority of alcohol products conform to Portman Group responsibility standards.

Scrap duty escalator to help save 4,000 pubs at risk, says WSTA

Published: 29 August, 2013

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association has seized on today's prediction by the Good Pub Guide that up to 4,000 pubs could close in the next 12 months to call on the government to do its bit and scrap the duty escalator on alcohol and help save more pubs from closure.

UK wine educators look to bring story of Bordeaux back to the UK

Published: 29 August, 2013

Fifteen UK-based tutors have attended a specialised accredited course at L'École du Vin in Bordeaux in a bid to help spread the word in the UK about the region's wines.

Start planning your Beautiful South Tasting

Published: 29 August, 2013

With over 300 tables and 330 producers the first Beautiful South Tasting, to be held on September 11 and 12 in London's Olympia, demands a plan and the full show catalogue is now available online to download so attendees can devise a tactical plan of what producers to put on their 'must-see' list.

Wines of Argentina's Cambalache event shortlisted in industry awards

Published: 29 August, 2013

Wines of Argentina in the UK has been shortlisted for two major event and brand industry awards to recognise its breakthrough Cambalache event it held earlier this year.

Illegal vodka pipeline discovered in Kyrgyzstan

Published: 28 August, 2013

Authorities in Kyrgyzstan have shut off an illegal eight inch-wide tube being used to smuggle illicit alcohol between Kazakhstan for a third of mile under the Chu River into Kyrgyzstan, according to local agency reports.

California's early 2013 harvest looking to be a good vintage

Published: 28 August, 2013

While the European 2013 harvest is several weeks behind schedule, California's 2013 harvest, which began the first of August for sparkling wines produced in the region, is ahead of schedule and looking to be of a good quality and quantity.