Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

London bar chain Dirty Martini to open seventh site

Published: 28 May, 2015

London on-trade operator CG Restaurants and Bars is set to open a new site for its Dirty Martini bar chain in Islington next month.

Gusbourne Estate set to raise £3.57m from share to boost investment

Published: 28 May, 2015

English wine producer Gusbourne Estate is looking to raise more than £3.57m to invest in its winery and brand.

Online retailer New Zealand Cellar set to open first London shop this week

Published: 27 May, 2015

Online wine retailer The New Zealand Cellar is set to open its first retail shop in London this week, which has been funded entirely through crowd-funding.

Diageo revamps Smirnoff bottles following launch of new ad campaign

Published: 27 May, 2015

Diageo is rolling out new packaging for Smirnoff following the launch of its £4.5m "We're Open' campaign across Europe earlier this month.

Wines of Rioja looking to crown a 'Rioja retailer of the year'

Published: 27 May, 2015

There's still time to enter Wines from Rioja campaign for independent retailers, which runs throughout October.

Liberty Wines boost New Zealand portfolio

Published: 27 May, 2015

Liberty Wines has boosted its New Zealand portfolio after signing up wine producer Akarua.

Romanian wine supplier predicts rise of indigenous grapes following supermaket boost

Published: 27 May, 2015

A Romanian wine supplier that has increased UK exports tenfold in the past five years predicts a golden dawn for the country's wines after gaining listings for premium lines made with indigenous grapes.

State government in Victoria boosts support for Australian wine industry

Published: 27 May, 2015

Winemakers in Victoria, Australia, are hoping to receive visits from more overseas buyers in a scheme sponsored by the state government.

Greene King set to dispose of 16 pubs to push through acquisition of rival

Published: 27 May, 2015

Greene King is set to dispose of 16 pubs in order to push through its purchase of the Spirit Pub Company.

Crystal head vodka launches in 50cl miniatures

Published: 26 May, 2015

The Crystal Head vodka has launched in 50cl miniature bottles, which supplier Bibendum says will open up new opportunities for a fast-growing brand.

International demand for Japanese craft beer prompts Kiuchi Brewery expansion

Published: 26 May, 2015

Japanese family-owned brewery Kiuchi Brewery is expanding its facilities to meet increased demand from the overseas and domestic market for their range of Hatachino Nest beers.

Fruit-fusion wines reaching "critical mass', Australian Vintage boss says

Published: 26 May, 2015

Fruit-fusion wines are reaching a tipping point that is seeing them readily accepted by consumers and able to be merchandised as a new category, a leading wine brand owner has claimed.

Off-Piste Wines launches varietal-led range, from the creator of 'I Heart' brand

Published: 26 May, 2015

Off-Piste Wines has launched a new mid-tier range of varietal-led wines that is targeting younger consumers in the convenience sector.

Port family opens new visitor attraction in Douro

Published: 26 May, 2015

Port family Symingtons has opened a visitor center in the Douro, which it is aiming to become a destination for tourists to Portugal.

Uruguayan wines gain traction in the UK

Published: 22 May, 2015

Recent figures from Infonecta and Wines of Uruguay showed the value of exports to the UK increased by 74% between 2013 and 2014 with an impressive 300% increase in value between 2011 and 2014.

UK consuming 12m more bottles of wine per week than previously thought

Published: 22 May, 2015

According to a new research conducted by the journal BMC Medicine 12 million more bottles of wine are consumed per week in England than previously thought.

HMRC bust seizes 68K litres of alcohol smuggled into the UK

Published: 22 May, 2015

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in combination with Border Force and French Customs seized 68,000L and three lorries in the Port of Dover in an overnight operation earlier this week.

Champagne and sparkling rises in the on-trade, but prosecco dominates the off, new report shows

Published: 22 May, 2015

Champagne and sparkling wine sales have grown in the on-trade on the back of a stabilisation of on-trade venues - but prosecco continued to dominate the off-trade, according to the fourth annual Lanson category report.

Sainsbury's works with new research centre to develop lower alcohol wines consumers want to drink

Published: 22 May, 2015

Sainsbury's has teamed up with the University of Adelaide to part-fund wine research at a new wine innovation centre in Australia that will look at developing lower alcohol wines.