Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Nyetimber unveiled as wine producer of the year

Published: 11 October, 2021

Nyetimber was unveiled as Wine Producer of the Year in the first-ever Tim Atkin MW England Special Wine Report.

France Report: The Rhône’s great whites

Published: 11 October, 2021

A fresher, technology-driven approach to white wine in the Rhône is helping producers in both the north and south of the region to find an audience, as Simon Woods reports.

Côtes de Bordeaux to host virtual trade training event

Published: 06 October, 2021

A dedicated virtual trade training event to explore the wines of Côtes de Bordeaux is being held on 19 October 2021.

Discovering the charms of Roussillon

Published: 06 October, 2021

As the home of France’s fortified sweet wines, with a dazzling array of soils and microclimates forming a vinous bridge between France and Spain, the Roussillon deserves to be recognised as a distinct region with its own unique identify. Jo Gilbert discovers a region ready to stand on its own two feet. In partnership with Wines of Roussillon.

Kingsland Drinks signs new partnership with The Iconic Estate

Published: 05 October, 2021

Kingsland Drinks has agreed a new partnership with Romanian wine producer – The Iconic Estate – in a move to further broaden its offering.

Long read: Raising a glass to Australian wines

Published: 30 September, 2021

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.

Calling all entries for Harpers Wine Stars 2022

Published: 30 September, 2021

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.

Reasons to pick Riesling

Published: 29 September, 2021

Harpers partnered with Wines of Germany for its Big G closing debate, which mulled over the topic ‘A wine for all reasons: why German wine is the smart choice’. These extended highlights give a flavour of that far-reaching discussion and what indie retailers and restaurateurs alike can do to boost their German category sales. Andrew Catchpole reports.

New Pix wine platform on global ‘matchmaking mission’

Published: 29 September, 2021

An ambitious new wine discovery platform is soon to launch with the aim of becoming the “biggest wine platform in the world,” according to its creators.

Brits hoover up Portuguese wine as loss of tourism shows the “Portuguese don’t drink Port”

Published: 29 September, 2021

As the biggest consumers of wine per capita globally, it might be expected that domestic sales of Portuguese wines would have fared well over the course of the pandemic, where drinkers globally were largely turned onto local vinous offerings.

Condor Wines adds six new organic wines to its portfolio

Published: 28 September, 2021

A leading specialist UK importer of South American wines has expanded its range with the addition of six organic labels, made by Argentine producer Bodega Piedra Negra.

Fine wine investment firm becomes 'carbon neutral plus'

Published: 28 September, 2021

Global investment and management company Cult Wines has achieved carbon neutral plus status, after both neutralising and significantly offsetting its carbon footprint.

Wines of Germany launches Retailer Partners competition

Published: 27 September, 2021

Wines of Germany has launched an innovative scheme to encourage UK independents to spread the word about Germany’s vinous offering.

Long Read: What to do about fortified wines' straitened market?

Published: 23 September, 2021

Jacopo Mazzeo looks at what regions such as the Douro and Jerez are doing to survive in a market increasingly hostile to fortified wines and explores whether these efforts are effective. Port, for instance, is heading in two diametrically opposed directions: simplification and (extra) premiumisation, with new categories that span from youth-friendly RTDs to Tawny 50yo and White 50yo. Sherry meanwhile, has just changed a number of its regulations and now embraces unfortified wine.

CapeWine organisers unveil new 2022 date

Published: 21 September, 2021

The next edition of CapeWine will take place from 5 to 7 October 2022, following its 12 month postponement.

Yapp Brothers adds English sparkling wine brand to its portfolio

Published: 21 September, 2021

Busi Jacobsohn, a sparkling wine producer based in east Sussex, has become the newest agency in the Yapp Bros portfolio.

Survey: Indie minded

Published: 21 September, 2021

With our UK’s 50 Best Indies 2021 list unveiled, we’re revealing (anonymously) some of the insights gleaned from our entrants’ survey responses as to how businesses adapted their portfolios and subsequently thrived during the pandemic. Andrew Catchpole picks the persistent trends.

Virgin Wines enters partnership with Moonpig

Published: 20 September, 2021

Virgin Wines has entered a partnership with Moonpig, the greeting card and gifting website, to offer 32 products, including exclusive wines direct to consumers.

Three new Bordeaux estates join Bibendum Bordeaux project

Published: 20 September, 2021

Bibendum Wine has announced that three new top Bordeaux estates have joined its Bordeaux fine wine project, which was launched in partnership with négociant, Compagnie Medocaine, last year.

Graft Wine Company launches efficient tasting for Covid-era

Published: 20 September, 2021

Specialist importer the Graft Wine Company is marking a return to in-person portfolio tastings this month with an efficient tasting titled The Hundred.