
Friday Read: Revising Rueda
The launch of Gran Vino de Rueda is poised to raise the profile of Spain’s most prolific white DO, writes Andrew Catchpole.
Read more...The launch of Gran Vino de Rueda is poised to raise the profile of Spain’s most prolific white DO, writes Andrew Catchpole.
Read more...With sales exceeding all expectations, the drink for good times is back on top form, finds James Bayley.
Read more...The blossoming of a British rum industry builds on the history of rum as a truly international spirit that increasingly finds its strength in both geographically blended and GI-protected areas of identification. Jo Gilbert reports.
A hard seltzer might sound like a hangover cure to us Brits, but their power in the low-calorie, low-abv proposition, is not to be sniffed at. Jo Gilbert reports.
Read more...Douglas Blyde looks at some of the more innovative strides made by Scotch producers over the course of the pandemic in order to remain resilient in the fallout from Brexit, lockdowns and the USA’s draconian import taxes.
Read more...Covid may have zapped the fizz out of celebratory occasions, but top Champagne sales are bouncing back. David Kermode reports
Read more...Is 2020 another top Bordeaux vintage and what are the chances of a strong en primeur campaign after the success of the 2019s? Gavin Quinney, our man in Bordeaux, reports
Read more...A roster of ‘gin’ liqueurs, low-quality variants and no and low copycats have drawn the ire of some this year with calls to better ring fence the category. Are these outliers artificially accelerating gin fatigue or is this all part of the category’s natural evolution? Jo Gilbert weighs in.
Definitive figures from Kantar show just how much shopping habits changed in 2020, with spirits overtaking wine in baskets for the first time and online reaching hitherto unmatched heights, as Jo Gilbert discovers.
Consumer demand for no and low alcohol products and ready-to-drink is on the rise both globally and in the UK. But how long will this growth continue? Jo Gilbert looks ahead.
Read more...David Kermode takes the measure of Champagne, which managed to add some sparkle to its sales in 2020 despite the loss of celebratory drinking occasions.
Harpers’ recent consumer tasting panel revealed a category that is yet to emerge from its mixology-focused reputation. But rapidly growing awareness and availability of quality liquid mean it could soon sit on a par with top-level Cognac and whisky. Jo Gilbert gets the 360° view.
Read more...The low and no category came into its own in 2020, but how can producers communicate
its true riches to consumers? Nigel Huddleston investigates.
The UK remains at the forefront of the premium Port category, with sales of late-bottled vintage (LBV), quality white Port, aged tawnies, single vineyard and classic vintage ports, all remaining resilient through Covid. A nation of consumers stuck at home, looking to indulge, appears to have been largely positive for the quality end of UK Port sales. Built on a long-standing relationship with the UK, sales at Symington Family Estates are up 10% by value and 9% by volume compared with this time last year.
Read more...The rise of hard seltzers in the US and, increasingly, the UK, is ushering in a new age of high functioning, health-focused drinks, which is comparable to the rise of vaping in the smoking sector. Hugh Jones weighs in.
Read more...Champagne houses are embracing ecommerce and direct consumer sales in a bid to beat the downturn. James Lawrence follows the fizz of this hero French region.
Read more...As a younger generation of drinkers becomes increasingly interested in what Cognac has to offer, Lisa Riley looks at the innovation and diversity at work within the category.
Read more...A restructure could be on the cards for the English and Welsh spirits sector, as pressure from an impending recession begins to squeeze brands at either end of the price spectrum. Jo Gilbert reports
Read more...The current health crisis will hit the maturing gin market hard at time when competition is at its peak with buyers rationalising ranges and it may be only the very strongest that will survive, says Jo Gilbert.
Read more...With little to celebrate, it’s unlikely consumers will be reaching for the Champagne any time soon, but the category has weathered storms before, says Chris Losh.
Read more...