Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Round table: In association with DO Penedes

Published: 21 November, 2023

At this Catalan DO’s first London outing, Harpers convened a panel to debate the region’s indigenous appeal.

Headline Heroes: Wines with altitude

Published: 30 October, 2023

Ribera del Duero is one of Spain’s biggest triumphs – a fine wine icon in the making. The Castilla y León region has been pivotal throughout the country’s rich history. Vines here have been supplying the Spanish court with superlative red wines for many centuries, and it is also the birthplace of El Cid! Yet when the Ribera del Duero DO (appellation) was created in 1982, there were just nine wineries in this arid corner of north-western Spain.

Global Grenache Taste-Off

Published: 20 October, 2023

With this versatile variety on the rise, Andrew Catchpole invited a panel to take a dive into its possibilities and progress on the world stage.

Closures – beyond cork and screwcap

Published: 06 March, 2023

James Lawrence looks at the top closure innovations beyond cork and screwcap, to find out what is improving both quality control and the consumer experience.

Australia’s trendsetters

Published: 08 February, 2023

James Lawrence looks at the likely shapers of Australia’s wine industry into 2023.

Cava’s return to power

Published: 31 October, 2022

Cava’s image has been bruised in recent years, not least by an exodus of nine influential producers in 2019 from the DO. Nonetheless, it remains a sparkling powerhouse, led by corporate giants Codorníu and Freixenet. The numbers speak for themselves: global exports rose by 16.45% in the first nine months of 2021, according to the Consejo Regulador. However, with stagnant growth in the UK, there are challenges ahead if the DO hopes to reconquer one of Europe’s most dynamic sparkling wine markets.

Australia: UK market overview

Published: 25 August, 2022

The theme of today is adaptation. The collapse of Australia’s trading relationship with China has left many casualties in its wake, forcing brands to look to new markets and consumers. According to Wine Australia, “exports to mainland China declined by 97% in value and 93% in volume to 6.4 million litres in 2021, a loss of nearly $1bn (£574m) in value when compared with 2020”. Ironically, China was once touted as Australia’s salvation, when demand in Western Europe and the US started to slump in the mid-2000s. Everyone anticipated that Asia’s biggest country would plug the gap.

Jeroboams brings taste of Malkovich to UK

Published: 09 September, 2019

Jeroboams has become the latest merchant to tap into star potential with the UK launch of a range from actor John Malkovich’s southern French estate, Les Quelles de la Coste.