News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

WSET stalwart Gareth Lawrence passes away

Published: 28 July, 2025

Ian Harris MBE, CEO of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust from 2002 to 2022, remembers one of the organisation’s great educators.

Archie McDiarmid: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 28 July, 2025

Next up in our Summer Q&A series is Archie McDiarmid, manager at Luvians Bottleshop in St Andrews, who reflects on tourism, tax and trade wars.

Hallgarten continues portfolio expansion with first cognac

Published: 25 July, 2025

The importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has continued its portfolio expansion apace with the addition of Cognac producer Frapin.

Vagabond to open ‘cathedral to wine’

Published: 25 July, 2025

Vagabond Wines is set to open what it says will be the UK’s largest urban winery at London’s Canada Water later this year.

LWC opens sustainable depot in Merseyside

Published: 25 July, 2025

Independent wholesaler LWC has opened a 74,500sq ft state-of-the-art distribution depot in Knowsley, Merseyside, in what it says is “a major investment in the region and setting a new standard for service and sustainability”.

India-UK trade deal signed with hopes for scotch boom

Published: 25 July, 2025

Indian and British Prime Ministers, Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer, have formally signed a free trade agreement which will include an easement of Indian tariffs on Scotch whisky.

Michael Saunders: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 25 July, 2025

In the next of edition of our Summer Q&A series, CEO of Coterie Holdings, Michael Saunders provides his perspective on the health of the drinks trade.

Champagne reduces harvest yield in face of global uncertainty

Published: 24 July, 2025

The Comité Champagne has announced that the available harvest yield for 2025 will be set at 9,000 kg/ha. This decision marks the third year in a row that yields have been reduced compared to the previous, as well as being the lowest yield level since 2020 (8,000kg/ha).

Australian Vintage unveils premium single-serve wine range

Published: 23 July, 2025

Wine producer Australian Vintage has announced the launch of a new series of premium single-serve wines, named Poco Vino.

Cask Trade and The Drinks Trust announce new whisky masterclasses

Published: 23 July, 2025

The whisky cask marketplace Cask Trade in collaboration with The Drinks Trust has announced the launch of a series of whisky masterclasses. The free programme will form part of The Drinks Trust’s flagship educational initiative ‘Develop’.

Armit partners with Weingut Bernard Ott in Austrian expansion

Published: 22 July, 2025

Armit Wines has expanded its European fine wine portfolio with the onboarding of Austria’s Weingut Bernard Ott.

Scotch auction to whisk collectors off their feet

Published: 22 July, 2025

The Distillers’ Charity, in partnership with Sotheby’s, is for a third time bringing together Scotch whisky distilleries for the biennial Distillers One of One Auction.

Penfolds announces Evermore France Grant Program recipients

Published: 21 July, 2025

Penfolds has announced the first recipients of its Evermore France Grant Program, an initiative launched earlier this year supporting sustainability projects that contribute to local communities and winemaking in France.

Vinitaly and the City: Calabrian confidence on show

Published: 21 July, 2025

At the second edition of Vinitaly and the City in Sibari, Calabria, Calabrese producers took centre stage, demonstrating the viticultural dynamism of a region better known for its gastronomic output.

Wine GB Awards include first 99 points awarded

Published: 21 July, 2025

The Wine GB Awards ceremony held last Friday (18 July) at Southwark Cathedral, London, saw the competition’s first-ever 99 points awarded to Dorset’s Langham Wine Estate, which gained eight trophies in all.

Ben Franks: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’

Published: 21 July, 2025

In the first of our summer Q&A series, Canned Wine Co. co-founder Ben Franks tales stock of the trade.

Diageo CEO quits

Published: 18 July, 2025

Diageo CEO Debra Crew has stepped down “by mutual agreement” after two years at the helm, to be replaced on an interim basis by current chief financial officer Nik Jhangiani.

Wine & Sprit Trade Association publishes industry guide

Published: 18 July, 2025

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has published a ‘go-to guide’ for the industry, aimed at helping policy makers and politicians “better understand” the UK wine and spirit market.

Hospitality hit hard as job losses escalate

Published: 18 July, 2025

With the latest ONS labour market figures showing the number of payrolled employees in hospitality down from 2,111,898 in April to 2,100,827 in May, UK Hospitality is calling for urgent government action.

Hallgarten Wines plans second ED&I wine trip

Published: 18 July, 2025

Hallgarten & Novum Wines is inviting applications for its second educational trip to Greece, aimed at helping to advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) in hospitality and wine.