Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Don't shave me', say ad chiefs

Published: 23 July, 2008

Blavod Extreme Spirits, which produces a black vodka, has been forced to amend its first-ever national TV advertising campaign, after an industry watchdog objected to the words shave me'.

Champagne grower plants vineyard in Hants

Published: 23 July, 2008

After years of speculation and rumour, a Champagne producer has finally taken the plunge and planted a vineyard in southern England. But it's a small grower from Avize and not a well-known house that has made the first move, planting 3 hectares (ha) of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir near Hambledon in Hampshire.

Montana to join Orlando stable

Published: 23 July, 2008

Montana - New Zealand's bestselling wine brand, accounting for more than 50% of the country's production - will be taken under the control of Australia's Orlando Wyndham group following Diageo's decision not to exercise its option to buy the company.

Armit leaves The Bunch hanging

Published: 23 July, 2008

Armit, formerly known as John Armit Wines, has decided to withdraw from The Bunch, the trade group of independent merchants, and it will not be taking part in the forthcoming press tasting in January.

Global warming and wine

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Wine Academy of Spain is organising the first world conference on Global Warming and Wine'. The two-day conference, held 24-25 May 2006 in Barcelona, will feature professors and winemakers from around the globe' to explain what climate change and global warming are and analyse the most immediate and future repercussions'.
Speakers include viticulturalist Dr Richard Smart, Professor Bernard Seguin of the INRA in France and Dr David Smart of UC Davis, California.

Peter McCombie MW, Consultant, Roast

Published: 23 July, 2008

How did you start devising restaurant wine lists?
Well, I was a bum for a long time and then decided I wanted to work as a buyer. When I figured out there weren't many buying jobs, I went into sales. I originally worked for David Gleave at Wine Cellars, which was then bought by Enotria. That was a great two years. I really like Remo Nardone; he's got a great business.
Other people in the trade are really sniffy about Enotria, but it has loyal staff and customers. Then I went to Bibendum, and then I started this.

The taste of things to come

Published: 23 July, 2008

Attendees
What kind of tasting do you find the most useful and why?
Generic, both annual and special, as well as the LIWSF. It's better to be focused on a single area or country. The LIWSF is good for networking and finding something new and exciting but not for business meetings.' - Philippa Carr MW, Asda

Government subsidises WSET courses

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has secured Government funding to deliver subsidised training courses
to London clubs, pubs, restaurants and bars.

McGuigan retires

Published: 23 July, 2008

Brian McGuigan, one of the best-known figures in the Australian wine industry, is stepping down from the helm of the company he founded, McGuigan Simeon.

Bordeaux labelling battle looms

Published: 23 July, 2008

A Bordeaux Syndicat has set itself against the region's ngociants by threatening to withhold certificates allowing wine sold to be labelled Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superior unless it has been bought for minimum price of e1,000 a tonneau.

Moreno takes Valdepusa

Published: 23 July, 2008

London-based Moreno wines has added the wines of Dominio de Valdepusa - Marqus de Grin Carlos Falc's DO Pago wines - to its portfolio.

Are you a Frugal Conservative?

Published: 23 July, 2008

Wine drinkers in the UK are increasingly concerned with alcohol levels, new research from Wine Intelligence has revealed.
In its latest Leading Thinkers seminar, held in London last Thursday (24 November), the company identified five consumer groups, complete with average age, income, average bottle spend and buying habits. The results can be seen in the table on the right.

Fighting back

Published: 23 July, 2008

Nature morte automnale, one of the eight courses comprising the Burgundy Menu, was less auspicious than delicious as the signature dish of an event heralding The Renaissance of the French Vineyard. But the trompettes de la mort were savoured rather than sounded at the two-day annual festival of food and wine held at Raymond Blanc's Manoir aux Quat' Saisons near Oxford on Monday and Tuesday 21-22 November. The event - supported by Sopexa, which offered members of the paying public and the trade the opportunity to taste more than 60 Absolutely Cracking Wines from France', as well as by corporate sponsors such as Spiegelau and The Sunday Times Wine Club - largely met Blanc's objective of showcasing the creativity, dynamism and excitement across four great French vineyards': Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhne and Languedoc-Roussillon.

Fizz fights

Published: 23 July, 2008

A Champagne price war between leading retailers is widely expected to be a major feature in the run-up to Christmas and
the New Year in the UK off-trade. After two years in which the really deep price cuts have been largely avoided, the pretty consistently bad news from high-street retail in general means that, once again, the likes of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Morrisons will be using fizz - and Champagne in particular - as a way of bringing reluctant shoppers into their stores.

Montecillo celebrates

Published: 23 July, 2008

Rioja producer Bodegas Montecillo has released a limited-edition Gran Reserva 1994 to celebrate its 130th anniversary. Winemaker Maria Martinez is also celebrating her 30 years with the company. The wine, which is aged in 100% French oak, is made from Tempranillo sourced from the Rioja Alta region. Distribution is through Hayman Barwell Jones.

Wine International merger?

Published: 23 July, 2008

The rumour mill has been spinning for a week or more over the future of the former Wilmington publications Wine International, Wine & Spirit International and Drinks International, which were bought by William Reed in September.

Screwcap for Kendermanns

Published: 23 July, 2008

Reh Kendermann is moving to the screwcap closure for both its German (Kendermanns) and Romanian (River Route) wine ranges.

Rackham gets trolleyed

Published: 23 July, 2008

We've had disco, flares, Abba and Blue Nun; now Surrey-based spirits specialist James Rackham is looking to revive another '70s staple: the drinks trolley.

Oeneo goes supercritical

Published: 23 July, 2008

Oeneo - the French-owned closure company formerly known as Sabat - has opened a plant capable of mass-producing Diam, the world's only taint-free' cork-based closure.

Diageo looks to push whisk(e)y portfolio

Published: 23 July, 2008

With the Bushmills brand now fully incorporated into its portfolio after the acquisition from Pernod Ricard, Diageo used its first ever whisk(e)y briefing to reaffirm its position as the world's leading whisk(e)y producer.