News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Rhône harvest commences early with 'high-quality vintage' anticipated

Published: 28 August, 2025

The 2025 harvest in the Rhône has commenced, starting 10 days earlier than last year’s grape gathering.

Pernod Ricard: Sales fall amid tariff and travel retail woes

Published: 28 August, 2025

French drinks giant Pernod Ricard has announced its results for the 2025 financial year. Amid a suite of macroeconomic challenges, the multinational saw an overall -3% drop in organic global sales.

Santa Tresa spearheads revival of indigenous Orisi grape

Published: 27 August, 2025

In July of this year the Sicilian red variety Orisi was recognised by the Gazetta Ufficiale Regione Siciliana as an indigenous grape variety that can be included on a bottle’s label. This status was gained in strong part thanks to the work of Stefano Girelli who has cultivated the grape at his Santa Tresa vineyard in Vittoria in an experimental vineyard (pictured) for the last decade.

Symington predicts lower yield but good quality harvest

Published: 27 August, 2025

Symington Family Estates has announced its expectations for the 2025 harvest across its estates in the Douro, Alentejo and Vinho Verde regions.

Portugal's Tejo to allow PGI wines at 0.5% alcohol

Published: 27 August, 2025

Tejo Wines has announced updated regulations for the region’s lower-alcohol and dealcoholised wines. The move follows approval by the Tejo General Council (CVR), as well as official recognition by the Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV).

BIH Spotlight Awards finalists announced

Published: 27 August, 2025

Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) has revealed the finalists for its annual Spotlight Awards, drawn from a talent pool of over 300 nominations across the UK.

Over half of all job losses since Budget in hospitality

Published: 26 August, 2025

Fresh analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) jobs data by UK Hospitality can reveal that more than half of all job losses since the Autumn Budget have been in the hospitality sector.

Klearhos Kanellakis: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 26 August, 2025

Ekstedt at The Yard’s head sommelier and wine buyer Klearhos Kanellakis adds to our summer series with an honest appraisal of how tough the on-trade has become.

Tariffs: Joint statement confirms 15% US levy on EU producers

Published: 22 August, 2025

The United States-European Union Joint Statement announced by EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has confirmed a 15% tariff on European goods exported across the pond.

Museum Wines moves to Salisbury

Published: 22 August, 2025

Museum Wines has announced that, after over a decade of operating from a converted barn in Tarrant Hinton, Dorset, it is relocating to Salisbury, Wiltshire, in September.

Hove wine oasis wins 31 Days of German Wine

Published: 22 August, 2025

Fourth & Church restaurant and wine shop in Hove, East Sussex, has won the inaugural 31 Days of German Wine, an expanded version of the 31 Days of German Riesling campaign which ran for over a decade.

Kim Wilson: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 22 August, 2025

Kim Wilson, MD of North South Wines, is next up to bat for our Summer Q&A series, charting the year so far for her company and how the trade could be better supported by the Government amid industry turbulence.

Survey reveals hospitality venues operating at only 85% capacity

Published: 20 August, 2025

A new survey from leading hospitality trade bodies has revealed that 69% of businesses queried are operating at or below 85% capacity.

Nyetimber predicts bumper harvest

Published: 20 August, 2025

English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber says it is expecting a top-quality 2025 vintage following a warm and sunny spring, then a hot and dry June.

Realm Cellars joins Flint Wine portfolio

Published: 20 August, 2025

Flint Wines has become the exclusive importer to the UK of wines from Napa Valley’s Realm Cellars, which is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines and Bordeaux-style blends, with pre-orders available from September.

WSTA brands Welsh DRS plans “confusing”

Published: 20 August, 2025

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned that the Welsh government's “confusing proposal” to create a unique Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) “risks creating significant market distortions”.

Enotria&Coe CEO Julian Momen set to leave role

Published: 20 August, 2025

Majestic Wine Group has announced that CEO of Entoria&Coe Julian Momen is set retire and step down from the position at the end of September. Momen will remain in an advisory role until early 2026.

Santa Rita’s Terry Pennington reflects on Chile’s premium potential

Published: 18 August, 2025

Chile’s premium offering has sometimes been overshadowed by that of its Argentine neighbour. By no means are the country’s higher end wines limited in scope, as reflects Terry Pennington, export director UK, ROI and Iberia at Santa Rita Estates.

WSET reveals full list of wines used in Diploma tasting exams

Published: 18 August, 2025

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust has revealed for the first time the complete list of wines used in its Diploma tasting exams. The organisation’s Level 4 Diploma in Wines involves six units, three of which – Wines of the World, Sparkling Wines and Fortified Wines – feature in the tasting exams.