Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Gosset winners

Published: 23 July, 2008

A privately owned country pub and a fish restaurant have beaten off some of the UK's finest dining establishments
to win the Trophe Gosset Celebris for the best Champagne lists in the UK.

Opus One deal reached

Published: 23 July, 2008

After months of speculation, the Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Constellation brands have come to an agreement over the super-premium California winery Opus One, owned jointly by the two companies.

Upmarket multiple Waitrose has teamed up with Alcohol in Moderation to produce an eight-page guide called Alcohol and You, which answers the most frequently asked questions derived from a five-year survey of consumer queries.

Racke to distribute [yellow tail] in Eastern Europe

Published: 23 July, 2008

Germany's Racke Group has taken over the distribution rights for Australia's [yellow tail] brand in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Three directors banned

Published: 23 July, 2008

Andrew Dunne, James Hewitt and Thomas Sloan have been banned as directors for their part in a series of wine investment scams. In mid-July, London's High Court banned 46-year-old Dunne and 37-year-old Thomas Sloan for 10 years, while 26-year-old Hewitt was banned for until 2012.
The DTI said: Their companies, Liquid Acquisitions and James Hewitt Associates, were investment wine companies that promised clients a fantastic return on their investment. In reality, people ended up buying wine at up to three times its true value.'

Frey closes in on Jaboulet

Published: 23 July, 2008

Leading Rhne merchant and grower Paul Jaboulet An -
one of the major vineyard owners in AOC Hermitage -
is close to agreeing a deal to sell the company to Swiss financier Jean-Jacques Frey for an undisclosed sum.

Pernod ties up Stoli

Published: 23 July, 2008

Pernod Ricard has successfully negotiated with the SPI Group to gain the worldwide distribution rights for Stolichnaya vodka (previously held by merger partner Allied Domecq). It has also intimated that it may buy the brand in the future.

Farr pledges Argentinian UK office before 2007'

Published: 23 July, 2008

The new director of Wines of Argentina, former perfume marketer Fernando Farr, has said that the UK will probably get a dedicated Wines of Argentina office before 2007'.

Pocket Picks

Published: 23 July, 2008

Monthly MAT breakdowns of wine sales provide an essential guide to the marketplace, giving retailers and shippers an important snapshot of where the market is heading. But not all data is collected, or made available, on a month-by-month basis; and when the long view is required - producers work to an annual cycle, for example - series based on the calendar year can provide useful additional detail. And while sales data
are pre-eminent in the short run, volume data comes into its own when a longer perspective is required. In order to build
a multidimensional picture of the UK drinks industry, incorporating on- as well as off-sales, the World Advertising Research Center (WARC) brings together numerous sources of data, including official imports and clearance statistics,
as well as household expenditure and regional breakdowns, in one convenient document. The Drink Pocket Book is published every October in association with AC Nielsen.

Frapin and Highland Park go ultra-premium

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cognac Frapin and Maxxium UK's malt whisky brand Highland Park have both made additions to the very top ends of their portfolios.

Madames Jo & Jo return to Harpers

Published: 23 July, 2008

Joanne Simon and Jo Burzynska are to rejoin Harpers as South Africa and New Zealand columnists respectively.
Joanne, who was born and raised in Johannesburg, joined Harpers in 2002 as a staff writer, after a stint in Cape Town as a political reporter.

Dramatic Lindemans

Published: 23 July, 2008

Lindemans is continuing its partnership with ITV drama programmes with another year's sponsorship of prime-time shows.

Great expectations for '05 Champagne and Bordeaux

Published: 23 July, 2008

Two Champagne producers have said that the 2005 vintage is shaping up to be one of the best in years.

Christie's to run Hospices de Beaune auction

Published: 23 July, 2008

London-based auction house Christie's is to take over the running of the Hospices de Beaune wine auction.

More Pinks from Devaux

Published: 23 July, 2008

Champagne Devaux, the Cte des Bar-based specialist in Pinot Noir and ros Champagne, has launched two new ros styles: Champagne Devaux, D de Devaux Le Ros and Champagne Devaux, Ros Intense, bringing the total number of pink Champagnes in the Devaux portfolio to four.

Sparkling Blossom Hill

Published: 23 July, 2008

California wine brand, Blossom Hill, is extending its portfolio with the launch of Blossom Hill Sparkling Ros and Sparkling White.

Hawes quits Laymont & Shaw

Published: 23 July, 2008

John Hawes, the founder of award-winning Spanish specialist Laymont & Shaw, has left the company he sold to Vinoceros in 2003.

15 parties in for Lanson

Published: 23 July, 2008

The sale of Groupe Lanson (formerly Marne & Champagne) has moved forward significantly, and it has been revealed that there are 15 interested parties.

2005 Vintage

Published: 23 July, 2008

AUSTRALIA
Across the continent it appears to have been an extremely good year, with the happy combination of high - indeed, record high - quantity and quality. The chief reason for this success was the absence of extremes: a comparatively mild spring and summer, and a dry, warm autumn in most regions, resulting in a healthy, ripe crop. As always there were exceptions to the rule - a little frost and hail in Western Australia and Hunter Valley, New South Wales, in the early spring and summer, continuing drought in Hunter Valley, heavy rain for a few days in Eastern Victoria, and wet weather between the picking of the whites and the reds in Western Australia and New South Wales. But the exceptions were fewer than normal, and consistently high quality across all regions and varieties is one of the hallmarks of the vintage.

Charity Champagne

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Wine Trade Foundation is holding its annual Charity Champagne Reception at the Vintners Hall on Monday
14 November. Tickets cost 26 and include Champagne and canaps. Phone Camilla Vann at Justerini & Brooks for details: 020 7484 6400. Dress code is jacket and tie'.