Armagnac and Calvados are holding on to their niches despite very little promotion and the fight for shelf space. Jo Burzynska takes a look at what these brandies have to offer and what is being done to raise their profile in the UK
Read more...Internet traders have already run the gamut of business highs and lows in a short lifetime. But as the lightweights exit the fray, the big players are fine-tuning their assault on a market that's proving more durable than many predicted. Tom Cannavan considers the growth prospects of Britain's major wine e-tailers
Read more...The Rhne is rare among European regions in that it is keeping pace with the New World. Neil Beckett considers the key changes in promotion and production which have sustained the Rhne's renaissance
Read more...From Iceland through to Friday the 13th and Black Wednesday, Tim How's marriage to Majestic has never been short on incident. So what gives him so much to smile about these days? Margaret Rand digs beneath the softly sunny exterior of Majestic's CEO.
Read more...Argentina has been plunged into financial and political disarray. With its fifth president in six weeks, the country is in dire need of stability and an economic rescue package. Monty Waldin, who was in Buenos Aires as the crisis escalated, reports on the threat to Argentina's wine industry, at home and abroad
Read more...The Australia Day Tastings 2002, in London and Edinburgh, begin next week. Christian Davis previews the names, wineries and wines on show at the London exhibition
Read more...Last year's hike in the price of Rioja has caused waves of resistance in all markets. Vintage 2000 could be the turning point as Tim Atkin reports
Read more...In the first of two special seasonal reports, Harpers rounds up the 2001 vintage from across the Northern Hemisphere
Read more...The year 2001 was a bumper one for new drinks products. Targeted wines and brands came in bright colours with bold labels, while women drinkers were a more desirable market than ever. But which newcomers made the biggest impact? James Aufenast and David Williams round up the best product launches of the year
Read more...The attacks on America and recent accidents have left the airline industry with a monumental task in restoring passenger confidence. But what effect has the downturn had on airline wine suppliers? Jo Burzynska explores the damage to the airline sector, and asks whether an upturn in trade is a flight of fancy
Read more...Despite differences in classifications and hierarchies between the Old and New World, there's one list that every Cabernet Sauvignon producer would love to be on. Anthony Rose presents his top 20 Cabernets from around the world
Read more...It is a fact of life that too-high expectations inevitably lead to crushing disappointment. Catering for the Champagne needs for the Millennium was a prime example, and the "M" word is whispered on pain of death in the buying offices of the big supermarkets and grocery chains around the globe. So what is the position of Champagne in the run-up to Christmas 2000? Pat Straker reports
Read more...Is Armagnac making a red-hot impression in the UK, or has the market proved to be fireproof? Jo Burzynska reports on attempts to widen the appeal of Armagnac
Read more...Last month, Harpers invited a host of wine trade luminaries to debate the merits of the 100-point rating system and the role of appellations. Tim Atkin joined the fray over scores and scales, while Neil Beckett observed the appellation spat
Read more...After an extraordinary decade, Cognac is fighting back on several fronts to widen its special niche in the global markets. Pat Straker reports on the vitality and diversity of Cognac in 2001
Read more...Earlier this year, Taylor-Fonseca bought Croft and Delaforce Port brands from Diageo. Susy Atkins considers the repercussions of the Douro's biggest acquisition in years
Read more...As Christmas draws nigh, with all its attendant parties, Giles Fallowfield looks at the Champagne market in the UK
Read more...In part one of the Harpers vintage round-up, Jo Burzynska and James Aufenast take a look at the highs and lows of a dramatic year in the northern hemisphere
Read more...The youth market remains a crucial target to drinks companies, but with shifting demographic trends and new advertising curbs, Generation X is in danger of slipping through the net. Jo Burzynska reports on worldwide attempts to bank the post-pubescent dollar
Read more...De luxe blended whiskies are facing a challenge on three fronts: from malts, standard blends and their own creaking image. Tom Bruce-Gardyne explores the current pecking order in world Scotch styles, and asks whether the de luxe blend is past its prime
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