The Cava DO is pinning its hopes on the evolution of aged styles in international markets as a way of lifting the average price of its grapes, which now sits at around 30 cents per kilo – over twenty times less than the price of Champagne (€7 a kilo).
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Economic depression tends to lead consumers to splash out on little luxuries. This is the idea behind the ‘lipstick effect’, coined by Estée Lauder’s Leonard Lauder to describe the rocketing rise of lipsticks in 2008, post the 9/11 attacks in New York and while global markets teetered on the brink of financial meltdown. By extension – and with the cost of living and wage stagnation pushing prices higher – alcohol still seems to fall within a comparatively ‘affordable luxury’ bracket.
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The trade is facing what has been dubbed a ‘double-pronged tax hike’ following the UK’s Spring Budget earlier this week (15 March), with the freeze on alcohol duty increases to end on 1 August 2023.
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The industry has welcomed the news that government will expand its help for businesses with their energy bills, with subsidies set to cover contracts going back to December 2021.
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The six-month energy cap unveiled by the Prime Minister yesterday has been met with a smattering of optimism among businesses. Though predictably, the resounding consensus from many corners of the trade is that the measure does not nearly go far enough in limiting the impact of exorbitant energy costs.
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New Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced there will be a six-month scheme for businesses to tackle the soaring costs of energy bills.
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Inflation and price squeezes have impacted sales of FMCG products in the multiples over the past 12 weeks, including alcohol. However, in actual terms, alcohol is still a more profitable sector than pre-pandemic.
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Vinitaly International Academy, the educational arm of the Verona show which aims to showcase the breath and diversity of the Italian peninsula, is launching a brand new focus in the UK.
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Wine oversight body Vinpro has urged South Africa’s winegrowers to use the pandemic crisis as an opportunity “to revive, recover and rebuild,” adapting current business models to better cope with a rapidly changing world.
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With three Michelin stars under his belt, Spanish chef Quique Dacosta opened his first London venue, the paella celebrating Arros QD, in 2019. He talks to Harpers about surviving the perfect storm of Covid, Brexit and the ongoing difficulties for hospitality.
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Choosing the right wine at a dinner party is proving to be a worry for those hosting, new research from supermarket Aldi has found; which is why the supermarket has teamed up with leading sommelier Ronan Sayburn to create a dinner party pack curated from a list of its most premium winter wines.
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It really is hard to know what to believe these days. The digital world enables instant sharing of information across the globe, which seems good and democratic. Just about anyone can participate. But with it comes lower reliability and veracity of what is being communicated, making it easier to seed fake gospels claiming that two plus two equals five, or seven, or even nine. Perhaps what really matters is the extent to which people make decisions and take actions as a result.
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Fine wine prices on Liv-ex 100, the fine wine trading platform’s top index, have enjoyed their most prolonged period of growth since records began – a phenomenon which has signalled “high investor confidence and a healthy market”.
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Kingsland Drinks has agreed a new partnership with Romanian wine producer – The Iconic Estate – in a move to further broaden its offering.
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The UK’s love for Australian wines shows no signs of abating. With good availability, competitive pricing, and good transport and distribution networks, supply from Australia is still extremely attractive for UK buyers and wine drinkers. Here, Paul Braydon, buying controller for Kingsland Drinks, delves into the wine trends emerging from Australia, shares insights on the category post-FTA (Free Trade Agreement), and what the UK drinks sector can expect to see next.
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Harpers Wine Stars awards is gearing up for its early 2022 round of judging, with entries for the competition invited by 14 October this year.
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Richard Horwell, owner of London-based food and drink marketing and branding company, Brand Relations, talks though the nuances between no and low beers, wines and spirits, and sets out the future for each.
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Long a champion of The Cape, Daniel Grigg gives the lowdown on why the wines make commercial sense and what more needs to be done to communicate its vinous cornucopia.
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Indigo Wine and online wine retailer The Sourcing Table have partnered with top Burgundy producer Mischief and Mayhem, and the Observer political cartoonist Chris Riddell OBE, to launch a wine to benefit the charity Hospitality Action.
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Fine wine investment enjoyed a growing reputation for resilience during the ups and downs of Covid. Chloe Ashton, COO at Wine Lister, takes a closer look at the evolution of this ever-changing market.
