Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Kleine Zalze tops Platter’s gongs

Published: 13 November, 2020

Stellenbosch producer Kleine Zalze has been named Top Performing Winery of the Year in the latest annual Platter’s South African wine guide.

South Africa looks to higher ground

Published: 22 October, 2020

Hard hit by the pandemic, South Africa’s winemakers are proving their resilience and fighting back with an eye on higher quality and pricing. By Andrew Catchpole

SA wine prices predicted to recover again in ‘next few years’

Published: 19 October, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching effect on wine-producing countries across the globe, not least South Africa.

SA online retailer launches ‘one stop shop’ in UK

Published: 15 October, 2020

South African online wine retailer Port2Port is launching a marketplace allowing UK trade to sell Cape wines direct to consumer.

Seckford expands SA range with Waterford Estate

Published: 08 October, 2020

Seckford Agencies has expanded its South African portfolio with Stellenbosch producer Waterford Estate.

Bancroft snaps up two SA producers from FMV

Published: 24 September, 2020

Bancroft Wines has expanded its South African portfolio with Anthonij Rupert Wines and Constantia Glen, both of which were previously represented in the UK by Field, Morris & Verdin (FMV).

Mullineux and Leeu Passant joins Liberty

Published: 03 September, 2020

Liberty Wines has strengthened its South African portfolio with the addition of Swartland-based Mullineux and Leeu Passant of Franschhoek.

Vinpro: “Still a long road to recovery”

Published: 17 August, 2020

Vinpro has “acknowledged” the announcement it can resume local trade and distribution of alcohol under alert level 2 from midnight 17 August 2020, but said the industry still has “a long road to recovery”.

Jeroboams adds New World agencies

Published: 03 August, 2020

Jeroboams has strengthened its New World offer with the addition of five family-owned wineries to its portfolio, four of which are fresh arrivals in the UK.

South African government retracts tweet over alcohol ban

Published: 22 July, 2020

The South African government has attempted to clarify confusion over a tweet from its official Twitter account that said the ban on the sale of alcohol would remain in place throughout the lockdown period.

Equality in the SA wine industry takes leap forward

Published: 20 July, 2020

Equality in the South African wine industry has taken a leap forward with 94 students from disadvantaged backgrounds having passed their exams to become qualified sommeliers.

Restaurant Rescue project launched by Cape winemakers

Published: 17 July, 2020

A new initiative urging wine estates to adopt a restaurant has been launched in Cape Town in response to the blow of the renewed government ban on drinking.

Woes mount as SA wine industry reacts to second drinking ban

Published: 14 July, 2020

South Africa’s already hard-pressed wine industry has greeted the renewed ban on alcohol sales with dismay, with Vinpro describing the government-imposed clamp down as a “devastating blow”.

Further blow to SA as another ban on alcohol is introduced

Published: 13 July, 2020

South Africa has banned alcohol sales again as part of a set of new restrictions to combat Covid-19.

Southern hemisphere winemakers share lessons from crisis harvesting

Published: 03 June, 2020

Producers from across the southern hemisphere have shared their experiences of what it was like to complete their 2020 harvests while infrastructure closed down around them and the movement of people became restricted.

Global appetite for Great British Braai Off

Published: 29 May, 2020

The Great British Braai Off over the UK May Bank Holiday (23 to 25 May) is to become an annual event after what founder Nik Darlington described as a “hugely successful” first event.

Great British Braai Off launched to support SA winemakers

Published: 12 May, 2020

Graft Wine Company is looking to bring the mouth-watering flavours of South African BBQ to the British bank holiday weekend with the launch of the first Great British Braai Off campaign to support South African winemakers.

SA export ban raises fears of longer-term damage for industry

Published: 22 April, 2020

South Africa stands alone in the world as a country that has barred exports of wine, leading to grave concerns from both exporters and their importers over significant damage to the future of the industry.

Freixenet aims to boost UK sales of South African wine with 'charity' range

Published: 08 April, 2020

Freixenet Copestick is gearing up to introduce a new range of wine as part of a partnership with South African charity Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary (CFW).

Cape open for business with wine export go-ahead during SA lockdown

Published: 08 April, 2020

South Africa’s wine industry breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday as permission was granted for wine to be included in allowable fresh produce products for export.