News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

McGuigan Simeon moves to Waverley

Published: 23 July, 2008

Distribution for Australian producer McGuigan Simeon Wines has moved to WaverleyTBS, ending a 14-year partnership with Vinoceros.

Poor results for Constellation

Published: 23 July, 2008

Constellation Brands, which claims to be the world's largest producer of branded wines, has blamed poor performance in the UK for its disappointing third-quarter financial results.

And, finally...

Published: 23 July, 2008

Police in the Chinese capital, Beijing, put a stop to a winemaker's planned mass nude run' on Christmas Eve.

Retailers see strong Christmas trading

Published: 23 July, 2008

By EUNICE MURRISON

Wine retailers across the UK enjoyed a healthy Christmas trading period. Berry Bros & Rudd (BBR) and Lay & Wheeler both saw double-digit year-on-year growth, while Majestic's like-for-like sales rose by 4.4%.

UK to be top EU spenders by 2010

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK wine drinkers will spend more on still and sparkling wine than any other European country by 2010, according to new research from Vinexpo.

Black Bottle launches new website

Published: 23 July, 2008

Black Bottle was repackaged earlier in 2006, and now has a new website to complete its revamp: www.blackbottle.com.

WOW celebrates Christmas

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Women of Wine (WoW) Christmas party was held at the Met Hennessy HQ in London's Mayfair last month.

BOB gets jiggy

Published: 23 July, 2008

The newly formed northern branch of Buddies of the Benevolent (BOB) is celebrating Burns Night on 25 January from 7.30pm in Freemasons Hall, central Manchester.

2007 predictions: another tough year

Published: 23 July, 2008

We asked key figures in the UK wine trade for their predictions for 2007. This is what they said:

Matthew Clark increases Italian range

Published: 23 July, 2008

Three new Italian agencies have been added to the Matthew Clark portfolio: Ruffino, Fontana Candida and Bigi.

Diageo heads into China

Published: 23 July, 2008

Diageo has taken a step forward in the Chinese market by entering a joint venture with Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing.

Blavod in takeover talks

Published: 23 July, 2008

Blavod Extreme Spirits is continuing talks with an unidentified suitor about a potential takeover bid, but its latest financial results will not have increased its attractions.

Duval-Leroy in UK land purchase?

Published: 23 July, 2008

The world could toast the success of athletes at London's 2012 Olympics with Bride Valley Brut English sparkling wine if a joint venture between Champagne Duval-Leroy and wine writer Steven Spurrier comes to fruition.

Absolut vodka primed for sale

Published: 23 July, 2008

By RON EMLER

The Swedish government has effectively fired the starting gun in the race to buy Absolut vodka.

Jackson appoints Fells for UK

Published: 23 July, 2008

John E Fells will now be responsible for sales and distribution of wines for Jackson Wine Estates, whose portfolio includes Kendall-Jackson in California, Via Caline in Chile, and Yangarra Estate in McLaren Vale, Australia.

WSTA concerned over back-label warnings

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), has warned that Finnish plans for health warnings on back labels would encourage other national governments to follow suit.

Gris overtakes Riesling

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jo Burzynska reporting from New Zealand
As one of the many Riesling lovers vainly holding out for the variety's long-prophesied but never-nigh renaissance, my heart sank a little with the news that plantings of the Germanic great had been overtaken by Pinot Gris in the vineyards of New Zealand.