Maison Sichel shows its support for independents by signing Harpers Best Practice Guidelines

Maison Sichel is the third major French wine company to support the UK independent sector by signing up to Harpers Best Practice Guidelines designed to promote open and fair trading between wine merchants and suppliers.

Bacardi produces cult graphic novel to tell its story of Cuban history

Bacardi has teamed up with cult writer Warren Ellis and artist Michael Allred to produce its very own graphic novel - The Spirit of Bacardi - that tells the stories behind the famous rum, the Bacardi family and its origins in Cuba.

Harpers.co.uk introduces new dedicated finance section

Today Harpers.co.uk introduces a new section of the website that hopes to keep you up to speed with all the latest breaking financial stories affecting the global wine and spirits industry.

Bulgaria's Yakata group strives to change the country's wine image

Bulgaria is looking to promote itself as a very different kind of wine-producing country than it was 30 years ago and it seems to be attracting the right level of investment and interest to potentially change its image in the UK wine trade.

Cape Legends is pushing the premium wine boundaries in South Africa

South Africa's wine industry is changing and the premium wine segment is no exception. Harpers.co.uk talks to the leaders who are pushing the boundaries of Distell's premium wine portfolio, Cape Legends.

Treasury Wine Estates confirms it is in the middle of a bidding war

Treasury Wine Estates issued a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange saying a third global private equity firm has made a proposed bid for the struggling wine conglomerate to buy all outstanding shares for the price of $5.20 cash per share.

California's wine industry prepares for 'lighter' crop

California is preparing itself for a smaller harvest than 2013 - which was a bumper crop at 4 million tonnes - with some varieties looking to be down by around one third.

For future growth Carlsberg must succeed in wine as well as beer, says James Lousada

As Carlsberg's specialist wine and spirits division, now called Crown Cellars, celebrates over 20 years, the brewer's UK chief executive, James Lousada, explains to Richard Siddle why wines and spirits are now so important to the group

Final week to enter Harpers Global Design Awards

There is now a week to go to get your entries or nominations in for the 2014 Harpers Global Design Awards asa we look to celebrate the very best creative minds and talents in the drinks industry.

On-trade losing thousands of pounds in wine sales says new Harpers consumer report

The UK on-trade is potentially losing out on thousands of pounds of trade a day because of its inability to sell wine effectively, according to a new exclusive report publsihed today by Harpers Wine & Spirit.

Californian wineries look to make use of a trade loophole and build exports to Cuba

From this side of the Atlantic relations between Cuba and the United States would hardly be described as friendly. But, as Katherine Canfield, explains there is far more bridge building going on than you might think. Here she looks at how the Californian wine industry is looking to promote its wines to the Cuban wine trade.

South African wine under the microscope

South Africa may be known for its value-for-money wine, but the country is vying for a spot in more premium territory, as Gemma McKenna and Erin Smith find out

Harpers new consumer report reveals key wine trends in the UK on-trade

In the second of our exclusive consumer reports, Harpers turns the spotlight on drinking trends in the UK on-trade and finds out what the average Brit thinks of the wine in their glass and what attracts them, or not, to ordering wine when out and out about compared to other drinks

Tour de France helps Cono Sur wine double sales to £14m

Concha y Toro wine brand Cono Sur is toasting a £7m boost to sales - growth of 100% - which has catapulted it into fourth position in the Chilean brand leader board in the UK off-trade.

Wine must adapt its branding for China or face failure

Wine firms that do not adapt their brands for the Chinese market - such as by having a Chinese brand name - face "immediate disadvantage" and possible failure.

Bloom gin launches upmarket rose lemonade RTD

Bloom gin is expanding its range of upmarket ready-to-serve drinks with its gin and rose lemonade - presented in an old-fashioned glass bottle.

Scotch whisky The Macallan gets green light for £100m distillery

Edrington's The Macallan whisky brand is to get a new £100 million distillery and visitor centre in Speyside, after Moray Council granted planning permission.

New Zealand's Mission estate eyes UK growth

New Zealand's Mission Estate is targeting UK growth in the independent and on-trade sectors with the appointment of its first UK business development manager.

Italy's Franciacorta wines double sales to UK

Sales of Italy's Franciacorta wines in the UK have doubled in the first six months of 2014 thanks to growing market awareness.

Jean-Claude Mas on how he has helped build a global French wine brand