News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Hallgarten & Novum Wines continues expansion with 18 new staff

Published: 09 July, 2025

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has added 18 new team members in a move that means it has boosted its numbers by nearly 50% in the last 18 months.

Aldi distribution deal for Washington State Wines

Published: 09 July, 2025

Washington State Wines has increased its UK distribution with Aldi listing two wines from the Pacific Northwest state in its spring/summer selection.

Record nine new Master Sommeliers announced

Published: 09 July, 2025

Nine new Master Sommeliers have joined The Court of Master Sommeliers following a two-day tasting and theory exam at Vienna’s Grand Hotel Wien in June.

UK's 50 Best Indies 2026 nominations now open

Published: 07 July, 2025

Harpers UK's 50 Best Indies 2026 listing is now open to nominations from the trade.

Italy: Fears overproduction could lead to wine price collapse

Published: 07 July, 2025

Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), Italy’s leading wine trade body, has warned urgent action must be taken to protect the industry. The calls come amid fears of overproduction as the nation continues to expand its land area under vine.

UK Hospitality warns sector faces being taxed out

Published: 07 July, 2025

UK Hospitality has warned the Prime Minister that hospitality is in danger of being taxed out, with the sector having lost 69,000 jobs since the Budget.

Scotch: 75% of producers deferring investment due to high duty

Published: 04 July, 2025

A new survey from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) can reveal that three out of four whisky companies expect to defer investment (or invest outside of the UK) due to the high tax burden upon them.

Nick Gillett: For the sake of Sake – the UK boom looms

Published: 04 July, 2025

When I was a young and impressionable sales executive I worked for a wine and spirits wholesaler that did booming restaurant trade thanks to its really talented wine team. And during this time, being young and curious, I ended up in more than a few sessions learning about Sake. I’ll be honest – I’ve loved Sake ever since. And in the last few years, we’ve been seeing all the early signs that it’s about to hit the big time here in the UK. But in a category that’s so uniquely entwined with one culture, where flavours and styles can differ so widely, and where the text on the bottle is often written in an alphabet we can’t decipher – where do you even begin? I have a few ideas…

Diageo GB announces festivals partnership

Published: 04 July, 2025

Diageo has formed a multi-year collaboration with entertainment company Live Nation UK to be the official spirits partner at 16 major music events, including Wireless, Reading and Leeds, and Parklife.

V d’Or awards open for 2026

Published: 04 July, 2025

The annual Vinexposium Business Awards, which reward the most “inspiring” sustainability initiatives in the wine and spirits industry, are now open to entries for 2026.

CyT ramps up Chile’s wine tourism with new opening

Published: 04 July, 2025

Concha y Toro’s new enotourism destination, the ambitious Centro del Vino in Pirque, which was announced in 2022, has opened close to Chile’s capital, Santiago.

SWA 2025: The Merchant and Producer Awards

Published: 04 July, 2025

The Sommelier Wine Awards 2025 results for the Merchant Awards and Producer Awards categories are now revealed, both online and in this month’s print edition of Harpers.

Majestic expansion continues apace with Oxfordshire opening

Published: 04 July, 2025

Wine retailer Majestic has announced the opening of a new retail site in Thame, Oxfordshire. The addition comes as the business prepares to open two more stores as well as two Vagabond wine bars over the coming months.

IARD: report highlights how social media giants promote responsible drinking

Published: 03 July, 2025

A new report from the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) has laid out how signatories to its Global Standards Coalition including the likes of TikTok and Google are promoting responsible drinking.

Georgian wine shows strong growth in UK supermarkets

Published: 03 July, 2025

Georgian wine has shown positive momentum in UK supermarkets, with a 200% sales increase seen at M&S in 2024 and increased distribution at Waitrose too.

Limited-edition bottle launched by Malfy Gin and Missoni

Published: 02 July, 2025

Malfy Gin and Missoni have unveiled the second launch of their collaboration – a limited-edition bottle of Malfy Originale Dry Gin designed by Missoni creative director Alberto Caliri.

Demand for Rhône whites grows as appellation diversifies offering

Published: 02 July, 2025

Rhône Valley white wines saw a 3% growth in demand in 2024 compared to 2023, with 5% growth seen compared to a three-year average.

Hallgarten & Novum Wines partners with Champagne Gosset

Published: 02 July, 2025

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has entered a strategic partnership with Champagne Gosset, becoming the exclusive distributor of its portfolio to the UK hospitality and retail sectors.