News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Jefford honoured

Published: 23 July, 2008

Author and occasional Harpers contributor Andrew Jefford has been named the world's best drink journalist at an awards ceremony in Adelaide.

Global whisk(e)y conference

Published: 23 July, 2008

Next year (21-22 April) will see Edinburgh host the inaugural World Whiskies Conference, which aims to provide a forum for the global whisky-distilling industry'.

Western Wines MD and Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) board member Mike Paul has defended the association against accusations that it has lost its way in the wake of its protracted hunt for a new chief executive.

Laroche and AXA buy L'Avenir

Published: 23 July, 2008

Michel Laroche, the Chablis-based producer with interests that span the globe, has bought high-profile South African estate L'Avenir.

The 330 cocktail

Published: 23 July, 2008

London West End nightclub Umbaba has launched what it claims is the world's most expensive cocktail.

Lpez is Wine MBA

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cristin Lpez, managing director of Concha y Toro UK, is the first Chilean to complete the Wine MBA and pass with distinction.

Benevolent auction

Published: 23 July, 2008

Following the success of The Benevolent's Christie's wine auction in 2003, the second Benevolent auction will take place at Christie's from 10.30am on 17 November. Many special and rare-bottling wines and spirits will be on sale, all having been donated by companies in the trade.

Jameson aims for younger market

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jameson Irish Whiskey has outlined its most expensive advertising campaign ever - with the main message to serve it mixed with ginger ale/beer.

Champagne ambassador

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cambridge wine educator Anthony Stockbridge has become the first ever UK finalist selected to represent the country in a competition to find the European ambassador for Champagne.

20th Salon des Vins de Loire

Published: 23 July, 2008

The 20th edition of Salon des Vins de Loire will be held 6-8 February 2006 at Angers Parc Expo - not 30 January-
1 February as previously advertised by the organisers.

Portugal must go regional, says Sogrape's Salvador Guedes

Published: 23 July, 2008

Portugal must play to its strengths - indigenous
grape varieties and regional differences - if it is to
succeed as an exporting wine nation, according to Salvador Guedes, president of the country's largest producer, Vinhos Sogrape.

Hanging On

Published: 23 July, 2008

The most exciting grape grown in South Tyrol, at least among its reds, is the Lagrein, a variety found only there and in the adjacent hills of northern Trentino. Scholars differ about the area where the Lagrein grape originated. Some say it comes from the Vallagarina area, which is a valley south of Trento. This theory finds some support in the name of the variety, since Lagarino is the Italian name for Lagrein. Others believe it first appeared near Gries in the area of Bozen, where Benedictine friars of the Muri convent have cultivated it since 1600. But most scholars agree that the real origin
is Lagaria, a Roman coastal area near the Ionic Sea, or Greece, where lagaros means hanging grape, which in south Italy became lagarinum.

Undrinkable, or Unsinkable?

Published: 23 July, 2008

What is it about RTDs that people seem to have such a problem with? It's been a good 10 years since the Hooch and Two Dogs alcopop' stigma hit the category, and yet the blame for any alcohol-related problems is still often placed at the RTD door. On top of this criticism, the sector has had to contend with a year-on-year decline and a constant assertion from the trade that RTDs have had their day. Is this really fair? In spite of all the negativity, new brands and alternative versions of established brands are continuing to hit the shelves at speed - there's even talk of Diageo introducing a whole new range of RTDs to the UK market. Are these the activities of an industry that's about to pop its clogs?

Selling bee

Published: 23 July, 2008

John Hoskins MW owns the Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon, a large, red-brick building on the edge of town. The A14 clatters by noisily at the foot of the garden, but poplars are beginning to cover up the concrete girders, and the south-facing terrace looks instead in the direction of the River Ouse, which flows gently by. It's a pleasant place to sit on a summer's day, and people are attracted by the wine list, too, in a part of the country bereft of decent selections. Hoskins has five major suppliers - Liberty, Noel Young, Morris & Verdin, Amps Fine Wines and Lay & Wheeler - and has remained loyal to them. So you'd think these merchants would be falling over themselves to conduct business properly with Hoskins, especially since he also has three pubs in the area.

Sicily sends a sixth of its 2004 production to the stills

Published: 23 July, 2008

Of the two million hectolitres (hl) of wine that Italy was allowed to submit for crisis distillation' by EC regulation number 1530 (dated 21 September 2005), Sicily has put in a request for more than half the total, or 1.1 million hl.

Best joins United

Published: 23 July, 2008

Steve Best has joined United Wineries as a UK national account manager.

Italian harvest 2005: difficult from north to south'

Published: 23 July, 2008

Overall, 2005 has been a difficult vintage from north to south,' stressed Alberto Antonini, winemaker of the Matura group. The key factor to getting the best out of this vintage was good vineyard management.'

Spirits industry signs agreement with HMRC

Published: 23 July, 2008

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has signed a memorandum of understanding' (MOA) with the two leading UK spirits trade associations designed to cement cooperation in dealing with spirits fraud.

Diageo blows out Montana

Published: 23 July, 2008

Diageo surprised both the wine trade and city analysts last week by declining its option to buy Pernod Ricard's New Zealand brand Montana for 320 million.

Five left in for Lanson

Published: 23 July, 2008

The sale of Groupe Lanson, formerly known as Marne
& Champagne, has moved another step closer with the 15 companies originally declaring an interest now whittled down to a short list of five.