News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Chain reaction

Published: 23 July, 2008

As the wine supply chain undergoes major change, Jo Burzynska sees how the businesses involved are shaping up as wine is shipped out

You've slaved over the vines, sweated in the winery, argued over the label and persuaded your UK agent to take 10,000 cases. All great, but meaningless if the notoriously fickle UK consumer walks on by in the supermarket or off-licence. How do they know that your wine is the one they want to drink with their dinner tonight? Josie Butchart talks to a few experts in the art of advertising

Commercial sEUicide?

Published: 23 July, 2008

As Hungary prepares to join the EU in the spring of 2004, Robin Young and Jack Hibberd look at the possible effects of EU entry on the country's wine industry and examine the performance of Hungarian wine in the UK

READY, STEADY ..... SIP!

Published: 23 July, 2008

Can wine books ever capture the imagination of the TV generation?Josie Butchart looks at old favouritesand checks out young hopefuls

CANADA CAN

Published: 23 July, 2008

It's not all about Icewine north of the United States, and much Canadian output is certainly worthy of note. Joanne Simon made the trip; this is what she found

SING WHEN YOU'RE VINNING

Published: 23 July, 2008

Vin & Sprit produces what it claims is the world's third-bestselling premium spirit and the number-one premium vodka. Harpers City columnist Ron Emler talks to V&S chairman and IWSC president Claes Dahlbck

MAKING THE MALT OF IT

Published: 23 July, 2008

The recent change on the malt whisky leadership board has raised some interesting questions. Tom Bruce-Gardyne delves a little deeper

STRAIGHT TALKER SCOOPS COMMUNICATOR TITLE

Published: 23 July, 2008

The choice of Matthew Jukes as IWSC Communicator of the Year may raise a few eyebrows among the experts, but as Barbera Scalera reports, his no-nonsense approach and huge media success have helped communicate wine to millions

VENDING COGNAC

Published: 23 July, 2008

Following the decline in demand for Cognac from the early 90's onwards and a difficult decade of cutbacks in production, more positive developments and more successful brands are emerging, along with renewed confidence and ambitious targets. Giles Fallowfield reports.

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

Published: 23 July, 2008

Over the past few years there's been a world of change in the corporate wine market. John Stimpfig investigates whether it's all for the better

ANALYSE THIS

Published: 23 July, 2008

The drinks industry - where has it been, who are the top performers and where is it going? Matt Guarente and Rob Griffin ask the Square Mile's top equity analysts to crystallise their thoughts

THE TANNAT COUNTRY

Published: 23 July, 2008

Uruguay produces wine on a much smaller scale than its larger neighbours in South America. But as Christian Davis discovers, it is fighting bravely to make itself heard

DRINK ARGENTINA

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Falklands, football, Evita, tango, gauchos... Everyone knows something about Argentina, but how many people know about its wines? Many more soon will, if Wines of Argentina's latest campaign is successful. Christian Davis reports

SHAKEN AND STIRRED

Published: 23 July, 2008

The explosion of the style bar market is turning Brits into a nation of Martini-lovers who can tell their Absolut from their Zubrowka, their Bombay from their Plymouth. And as the drinks companies make long-term investments in training, the cocktail trend looks set to go from strength to strength. Julie Sheppard reports

BRAND DESIGNS

Published: 23 July, 2008

Latest industry figures confirm that branded wines are driving major sales growth in the UK off-trade. So, with the Old World preparing to take the New World on at its own game, the branded sector itself looks set for considerable expansion. James Aufenast considers the implications for the market and for the consumer

BETTER BY DESIGN

Published: 23 July, 2008

The way a bottle is packaged has never been more important, but increasingly discerning consumers are looking for clarity and simplicity rather than gimmicks. Christian Davis talks to some of the UK's top designers to get the latest in bottle ideas and inspirations

REDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES

Published: 23 July, 2008

Increased use of screwcap closures has highlighted the problems of reduction in wines. But is reductive winemaking always a bad thing? Jamie Goode explains both sides of this complex topic and argues that more research could paint a different picture of terroir-driven wines

PLAIN SAILING

Published: 23 July, 2008

Vctor Redondo Sierra's vision is to create the first appellation to span two countries, from Spain's DO Ribera del Duero to the DOC Douro in Portugal. Here, the president of ARCO-Bodegas Unidas talks to Joanne Simon about his problems with the DO system and how he plans to turn the company into one of the world's top ten producers

GREEN SPACE

Published: 23 July, 2008

Apart from the Albarios of Ras Baixas, few wines from Galicia have made any impact on the UK market. Jack Hibberd travels to a verdant corner of Spain to take a look at its most famous export and see what else is on offer

REWRITING THE RULE BOOK

Published: 23 July, 2008

In the land of the winemaking consultant, Riccardo Cotarella is king. Here, Italy's premier freelance expert talks to Tom Bruce-Gardyne about why his antennae point south, how he would reform Italy's classification system, and the similarities between the American and UK markets