Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

NZ wineries import Sauvignon Blanc to cope with demand

Published: 26 March, 2014

Shortages of New Zealand's signature grape have led to imports of Sauvignon Blanc from Chile and South Africa to satisfy demand.

'Sinful' wine and beer RTD launches

Published: 26 March, 2014

Mosel-based German wine producer ZGM has come up with the unthinkable: an RTD mixing beer and wine, being sold as an 'aromatised wine-cocktail' in a small, crown-capped beer bottle.

ProWein visitors up 7% to 48,000

Published: 26 March, 2014

Visitors to Dusseldorf's international wine fair ProWein have jumped 7% on last year to 48,000, with twice as many Chinese and Hong Kong visitors compared to last year.

Prosecco cocktails could be next big UK drinking trend, says Robin Copestick

Published: 25 March, 2014

Prosecco cocktails which have become popular across Italy and Germany could be the next big drinking trend in the UK, according to Robin Copestick of wine agency, Copestick Murray.

Global wine industry gambles on North America and China

Published: 25 March, 2014

The USA, Canada and China are to remain top investment targets for importers for the next 20 years according to a report by Wine Intelligence.

South African brands must invest more to bolster premium wines, says WOSA chief

Published: 25 March, 2014

In order to boost growth of South Africa's more premium wines, producers and brands need to be prepared to invest, says WoSA chief.

Australian harvest smaller than 2013, with quality "mixed bag"

Published: 25 March, 2014

The Australian harvest looks to be smaller than 2013, with quality a "mixed bag", say experts.

?Stevens Garnier appointed UK distributor of Mouton Cadet

Published: 24 March, 2014

Steven Garnier signed a deal today, which has been in the works for months, to be the UK's exclusive off-trade distributor of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, S.A. Mouton Cadet range.

Treasury Wine Estates looks to double the size of its travel retail business

Published: 24 March, 2014

Treasury Wine Estates wants to double the size of it travel retail business within five years as it steps its distribution with exclusive and premium wines to airports, cruise ships, ferries and other key travel wine sectors.

UK to host 2016 International Cool Climate Wine Symposium

Published: 24 March, 2014

The official launch of the 2016 International Cool Climate Wine Symposium is set to place today at ProWein in Dusseldorf where details of the event, to be hosted in the UK for the first time, will be revealed.

Accolade Wines' no longer 'slow to react', says UK chief

Published: 24 March, 2014

Accolade Wines' UK general manager says cultural changes at the company and a smaller team have made it more responsive to customers.

ProWein gets off to strong start, says fair director

Published: 24 March, 2014

Dusseldorf's international wine trade fair ProWein has got off to a strong start, with visitor numbers for day one slightly up on last year.

?Michael Degen of Messe Düsseldorf on what makes ProWein so relevant for global wine trade

Published: 23 March, 2014

Anand Virmani talks to Michael Degen, the executive director Messe Düsseldorf, and the man responsible for ProWein about what makes it successful after 20 years.

?Lidl's chief departs over "unbridgeable" differences

Published: 21 March, 2014

The head of Lidl, the German-based discount supermarket and the third largest retail chain in Europe, has left following "unbridgeable" differences.

Les Grand Chais de France backs independents by signing up to Best Practice Guidelines

Published: 21 March, 2014

French wine producer, Les Grand Chais de France, is the biggest wine name to show its commitment to the independent merchant sector by signing up to the Harpers Best Practice Guidelines that oversee how producers and suppliers are working in the independent sector.

New members elected to Gran Orden de Caballeros for services to Spanish wine industry

Published: 19 March, 2014

María José López de Heredia and José Velo Rego are the latest figures to be inaugurated in to the Gran Orden de Caballeros for their services to the Spanish wine industry.

Mark Fiddes sorts the Messis from the Rooneys in the Wine World Cup

Published: 17 March, 2014

Forget about Brazil 2014. The World Cup has already been decided.

Melissa Draycott on how González Byass is expanding its Spanish wine offer

Published: 14 March, 2014

Melissa Draycott, sales director from González Byass, explains to Carol Emmas why it is keen to get its message across to the trade that it has a wine offer that more than complements its world famous sherries

?Liv-ex Fine Wine indices continue to decline

Published: 10 March, 2014

The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index continued its slide reporting that February closed down for the eleventh consecutive month, closing at 252.50, down 0.9%, while the Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 fell another 1.2% to 287.10.

Sud de France to invest more funds to drive distribution in independents and the on-trade

Published: 07 March, 2014

The Sud de France promotional body in the UK hopes to capitalise on the good 2013 vintage in the region to help build up distribution in independents and the on-trade during the rest of 2014.