Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Plumpton announces new winemaker

Published: 18 August, 2021

Deepika Koushik has been announced as the new winemaker at Plumpton College.

Annual Wine GB tasting to return this September

Published: 29 July, 2021

Wine GB has announced that its annual Trade & Press Tasting is to take place on 7 September at RHS Lindley Hall in central London.

Gusbourne signs deal as official Goodwood supplier

Published: 28 July, 2021

Gusbourne has signed a deal as an official partner of Goodwood Racecourse, as well being appointed the exclusive English sparkling wine supplier across the Goodwood Estate which includes Goodwood House, the Goodwood Hotel, The Kennels, Hound Lodge and the Goodwood Motor Circuit.

Champagne sets an available yield of 10,000kg of grapes per ha

Published: 26 July, 2021

The Comité Champagne’s executive board has decreed an available yield of 10,000kg of grapes per hectare (ha) for this year’s harvest.

Along came Covid

Published: 30 June, 2021

Jo Gilbert examines whether the past year has helped or hindered the pre-Brexit narrative that leaving the EU would benefit sales of English and Welsh wine

Wine GB unveils 2021 award winners

Published: 24 June, 2021

Wine GB has unveiled the the winners of this year’s awards for which there was a record number of entries and first-time entrants from all over England and Wales.

Register now: Franciacorta – Adding a Splash of Italian Style

Published: 15 June, 2021

Harpers latest free-to-attend webinar, Franciacorta: Adding a Splash of Italian Style, has brought together a great panel to examine what this multi-faceted fizz can add to the modern sparkling wine portfolio.

Former I Heart bods launch own wine business

Published: 15 June, 2021

Two former senior members of Freixenet Copestick’s I Heart team have joined forces to launch their own mainstream wine brand.

Franciacorta webinar: Adding a Splash of Italian Style

Published: 10 June, 2021

With sparkling wine in growth in the UK and consumers becoming ever more adventurous in their drinking habits, Harpers is teaming up with Consorzio Franciacorta for a webinar exploring the possibilities offered both by Italy’s foremost sparkling wine and the broader sparkling category.

James Davis MW joins Henkell Freixenet

Published: 18 May, 2021

James Davis MW will be joining the Henkell Freixenet team in a newly created role from the first week of July.

Long Read: English Pinot Noir comes of age

Published: 18 February, 2021

Pinot Noir has long had a place in UK winemaking, as part of the classic Champagne varieties and, to a lesser extent, still variants often from select vineyards or small parcels. Now, with an increasingly changing climate helping to ripen and tease out those darker fruits, it could be poised to strike out on its own, as Jacopo Mazzeo surmises.

Soaring demand for rosé and exports at Nyetimber

Published: 15 February, 2021

Nyetimber has reported a major spike in demand for rosé in 2020 from their south east England vineyards, despite the loss of social drinking occasions often associated with pink wines.

Dom Perignon winemaker moves to Kent

Published: 08 December, 2020

Nick Lane, who was part of the winemaking team at Dom Perignon, has moved to the UK to join contract-only winery, Defined Wine.

House of Commons in retail partnership with Digby Fine English

Published: 02 December, 2020

Sussex-based sparkling wine producer Digby Fine English has been appointed as the official supplier of English sparkling wine to the House of Commons gift shops.

Cheer from Chapel Down as sales hit one million bottles

Published: 25 November, 2020

Kent-based Chapel Down has hit a new high, with 2020 sales passing the one million bottle mark in October this year.

Freixenet returns to TV screens

Published: 12 November, 2020

Freixenet has unveiled a new commercial aimed at showcasing its sparkling range as well as its Italian still wine collection launched earlier this year.

Q&A: Mark Driver, Rathfinny Wine Estate

Published: 10 November, 2020

As the 2020 vintage came in, Rathfinny owner Mark Driver spoke with Andrew Catchpole about the challenges of flexing the business in a remarkable year

Simon Thorpe MW joins Wine GB team

Published: 21 October, 2020

Wine GB has strengthened its team with the appointment of Simon Thorpe MW as new CEO.

Wine GB launches industry hallmark for classic method wines

Published: 15 October, 2020

Wine GB has announced its first ever collective campaign for producers in England and Wales, including a hallmark to help to differentiate English and Welsh PDO sparkling wines made using the “time and craft-intensive classic method”.