Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Buyer’s Spotlight: New perspectives on Rioja

Published: 19 December, 2024

Jason Millar gets a new take on how the region can balance out its affordable offerings with more premium expressions.

Enotria&Coe adds Marqués de Cáceres to its Spanish portfolio

Published: 16 December, 2024

Enotria&Coe has entered into an exclusive partnership with Rioja stalwart Marqués de Cáceres, distributing its wines to the UK off-trade.

LWC adds Carlos Serres to portfolio

Published: 12 December, 2024

Leading national wholesaler LWC has added Riojan producer Carlos Serres to its portfolio, agreeing to exclusive distribution of six of its wines to UK on-trade customers.

Headline Heroes: Rioja and a return to roots

Published: 23 October, 2024

Despite the still-popular image among consumers of Rioja as a ready-to-drink offer of easygoing charm, born of multi-regional blending and generous American oak, evolution in the region and its style is by no means a new-fangled thing. Finca Allende (the name means ‘further’) was arguably the most powerful precursor of the modern face of Rioja, bringing in single vineyard focus on terroir, coupled with the likes of new French oak and 100% Tempranillo in its top cuvée, as far back as the tail end of the last century.

Analysing Spain

Published: 09 October, 2024

Andrew Catchpole reports back from the insightful Spain Food Nation Summit session on Spanish wines.

Alejandro López appointed new winemaker of Bodegas Beronia

Published: 09 October, 2024

Alejandro López has been named as the new winemaker and technical manager of Bodegas Beronia, taking over from Matías Calleja, who held the position for 42 years.

Feliz Rioja returns this November

Published: 15 August, 2024

This November sees the return of Feliz Rioja, inviting trade members across the UK to participate. As consumers search for quality wines for Christmas gifts, the initiative aims to position Rioja as the preferred choice for the festive season.

Flint Wines partners with Hatch Mansfield to distribute Iconic Wines

Published: 08 August, 2024

Flint Wines has announced it is introducing a new addition to its portfolio to mark a milestone in a strategic partnership with Hatch Mansfield.

Grupo La Rioja Alta S.A. expands distribution deal with Hallgarten

Published: 07 August, 2024

Wine importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has broadened its distribution agreement with Grupo La Rioja Alta S.A, a “heavyweight” of the Rioja region.

Premiumising Spain’s white wines

Published: 22 May, 2024

Justin Keay takes a pan-regional look at Spain’s white wines as more young winemakers look to experiment and revive older varieties.

Ramón Bilbao marks 100 Years with a vision for the future

Published: 25 April, 2024

In the heart of Spain’s renowned Rioja wine region, Ramón Bilbao stands as a testament to a century of winemaking excellence and innovation. Founded in 1924, the winery has remained steadfast in its commitment to crafting exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Rioja while embracing modern techniques and sustainable practices.

Rioja launches education programme for UK sommeliers

Published: 27 March, 2024

Launching for the first time this summer, Rioja Wine UK has opened applications for its Rioja Somm’er School, an educational programme based in Logroño aimed exclusively at UK-based sommeliers and on-trade buyers.

Spanish government to reduce restaurant opening hours

Published: 15 March, 2024

The Spanish government has announced its intention to enforce a 35-hour working week, to align itself with the rest of Europe and reduce restaurant opening hours.

Sogrape strengthens in Iberia

Published: 22 February, 2024

Sogrape, Portugal’s largest wine company, has increased its Iberian presence with the acquisition of Viña Mayor in Ribera del Duero’s ‘Golden Mile’.

Tim Atkin MW: The UK trade doesn’t take Rioja seriously enough

Published: 16 February, 2024

Rarely does a trade tasting generate this level of excitement, but, Tim Atkin MW’s Best of Rioja trade and consumer tasting was teeming with life in Westminster this week. By Atkin’s admission, never has such a collection of wines been assembled in the UK from Spain’s flagship region.

Spain’s wine harvest falls by 14%

Published: 12 January, 2024

Following initial estimates from the European Commission in October 2023, Food and Wines from Spain (FWS) has revealed the country’s 2023 production to be 34m hl, around 14% less than in 2022.

Tim Atkin MW: Rioja on the rocks?

Published: 06 October, 2023

It should have been a moment of celebration, a chance to hymn the qualities of a special place. José Luis Pérez-Linares’ documentary, Rioja: La Tierra de Mil Vinos, will be premiered at the Valladolid film festival later this month. No doubt the movie will talk about Rioja’s diversity, about the thousand wines of its title, but it will also prompt deeper questions about the way Spain’s marquee wine region is run – and its future viability.

Spain needs greater penetration of secondary market to raise profile

Published: 18 September, 2023

To lift the perception of Spain’s more premium and off-beat offerings, the country’s top wines need to be more visible on the high-end buying circuit.

Three £1,000 prizes up for grabs at Feliz Rioja

Published: 12 September, 2023

Now in its third year, Rioja Wine Month is returning this November with a festive twist, to encourage consumers to keep the region in mind when gifting in the run-up to Christmas.

Advertisement Feature: Rioja Residency

Published: 14 July, 2023

A selection of age-worthy styles from recent to older decades were on full show at this recent event – a new, unbeatable showing of the region’s best wines.