Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Wine Pantry opens second site at St Pancras

Published: 06 December, 2012

English wines and spirits specialist the Wine Pantry is to open a second store in St Pancras station this December, selling exclusively English produce.

Show of solidarity saves French wine business from collapse

Published: 04 December, 2012

Provence vineyard Château de Roquefort has been saved from ruin by a group of producers who gathered in support after its vines were wrecked by hail.

Saint-Chinian AOC focuses on UK market

Published: 29 November, 2012

The southern French appellation of Saint-Chinian in the Languedoc is stepping up its activity in the UK market next year.

Emerging Languedoc region targets UK for exports

Published: 29 November, 2012

Producers from the emerging Saint-Chinian appellation in the Languedoc in southern France are to target the UK in early 2013 in the hope of gaining listings and a foothold in the UK wine market.

Plaimont releases phylloxera resistant cuvée

Published: 21 November, 2012

French producer, Plaimont Producteurs has launched an exclusive cuvée Vignes Préphylloxériques Saint-Mont, 2011, made from Phylloxera-resistant vines.

Food and wine matching focus for new boot-camp

Published: 20 November, 2012

Hailed as one of the most "intensive, thorough and rewarding wine courses" around, The Extreme Wine Experience 2013 will give delegates a chance to gain an official WSET qualification and learn about food and wine matching.

Trade celebrates Beaujolais Nouveau day without the 'Nouveau'

Published: 15 November, 2012

This year's Beaujolais Thursday may be marked with a host of trade events - but few of are actually marketing or serving traditional Beaujolais Nouveau.

Les Vignobles Foncalieu acquires Château Haut Gléon

Published: 08 November, 2012

Co-operative union Les Vignobles Foncalieu is furthering its expansion into the luxury wine sector with the acquisition of Château Haut Gléon in the Languedoc.

Domaines Paul Mas opens UK office

Published: 07 November, 2012

Languedoc producer Domaines Paul Mas has appointed Elin Mann to run its first ever dedicated sales and marketing office based in London.

Languedoc's white wines growing in popularity in UK

Published: 06 November, 2012

Renowned for its red wines, the Languedoc is seeing an increase in demand from UK buyers for its "fashionable" whites.

CIVL buyers' trip: Gordon Coates

Published: 02 November, 2012

Stone, Vine & Sun buyer Gordon Coates was among the lucky few who headed to the Languedoc last week for the CIVL study tour, organised in conjunction with Harpers and designed to open buyers' eyes to the diversity on offer.

Stevens Garnier takes on Loiseau-Bichot range

Published: 31 October, 2012

Stevens Garnier has taken on an exclusive range of Loiseau-Bichot wines from Burgundy with the aim of bringing "additional prestige" to its portfolio.

Languedoc winemakers the Outsiders hold London tasting

Published: 26 October, 2012

A group of Languedoc-Roussillon wine producers who call themselves the Outsiders thanks to their alternative approach to winemaking will be coming together on November 1 in London to show a selection of 40 wines.

Wine investment fund Nobles Crus answers critics

Published: 24 October, 2012

Nobles Crus, the fine wine investment fund that was recently lambasted over its performance and how it is valued, has responded to critics.

Burgundy faces smallest harvest since 1950s

Published: 24 October, 2012

Burgundy is facing up to its smallest harvest since the mid-1950s after the vineyards of the Côte d'Or suffered a mixture of frost, hail, mildew and poor flowering.

Oddbins blog: hunt for UK's top novice wine taster

Published: 19 October, 2012

A sustainability officer at Camden Council has been declared the UK's best amateur wine taster as winner of Oddbins' The Palate 2012 competition.

Win case of Absolutely Cracking French Wines

Published: 19 October, 2012

Harpers is offering one lucky reader a case of 12 wines, personally selected by the Harpers and IWC teams from a line-up of more than 150 at the Absolutely Cracking French Wines tasting, organised by Sopexa.

Jenny Mackenzie heads to Loire tasting with Les Caves de Pyrene

Published: 18 October, 2012

Les Caves de Pryene held a dedicated Loire tasting this week "to show the incredible diversity of the region and its vintage variation". It was also a timely reminder that the latest in its growing number of natural wine bars, the Green Man and French Horn in London's St Martin's Lane is dedicated to the food and wine of the Loire.