News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Wines of Germany announces fresh campaign

Published: 19 February, 2025

Wines of Germany UK has announced their 2025 campaign to promote wines from the country’s appellations.

Hallgarten flies high with Middle East travel retail expansion

Published: 19 February, 2025

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has secured a new business contract which will see its products be sold into duty free operations in the Middle East.

Casa Real gains new commercial director in Marie-Charlotte Fraysse

Published: 19 February, 2025

Casa Real-owner, Viña Santa Rita, has announced the appointment of Marie-Charlotte Fraysse to the position of commercial director for its flagship premium wine.

TWP Wines expands range with vintages from new region

Published: 18 February, 2025

Amidst a slate of new wines, Italian wine producer, TWP Wines, has added two labels from the famed white wine region, Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Laurent Delaunay’s new range aims to disrupt Burgundy category

Published: 18 February, 2025

Laurent Delaunay, the fifth-generation Burgundian winemaker, has launched a new eponymous range called Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages. The range offers classic styles from Burgundy as well as Beaujolais, at a more affordable price point.

London Wine Fair buoyed by alternative territories growth

Published: 18 February, 2025

The 2025 London Wine Fair will see larger stalls from emerging wine-regions including a doubling in size of Chinese exhibitors’ stalls. Exhibitors from Japan, Romania and Serbia will be in also be attendance at the May event.

Hambledon leads portfolio expansion at Fells

Published: 17 February, 2025

Fells has announced a trio of new additions to its portfolio, including the part Berry Bros &. Rudd-owned English Hambledon Vineyard and Joseph Burrier from Mâconnais and Beaujolais in France.

Liv-ex: Fine wine prices down across board for January

Published: 17 February, 2025

Data from Liv-ex, the fine wine trading platform, reveals that with the expectation of their Italy 100 index, all of the platform’s major indices have seen price falls compared to December.

Beth Kelly MW becomes Tesco's new wine developer

Published: 17 February, 2025

Tesco has announced a new appointment to the wine team as Beth Kelly MW joins the supermarket. Previously a buying manager at Majestic Wine, Kelly will be taking on the role of wine product development manager at the multiple, where she will be responsible for France and South Africa across both still and sparkling wines.

UK/US trade wars: 'Tariffs are coming'

Published: 17 February, 2025

Thanks to “Trump 2.0, tariffs are coming. It’s not a matter of if, but when”, WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said at last week’s standout Wine Paris conference, where leading industry figures gathered to discuss how to manage and offset mounting geopolitical tensions and trade wars on the global wine trade.

Bancroft adds first Czech winery to portfolio

Published: 17 February, 2025

Thaya, based in Moravia, Czech Republic, is the first Czech winery to be added to importer Bancroft’s portfolio.

Global Scotch sales: Slight decline with £5.4bn exported in 2024

Published: 14 February, 2025

Figures from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) reveals that the total global export value for Scotch whisky stood at £5.4bn for 2024. This represents a slight decline of 3.7% in exports by value compared to 2023.

Napa Valley remains steadfast in its global outlook

Published: 14 February, 2025

Connor Best of Napa Valley Vintners, speaking at the recent Premiere Napa Valley tasting in London, explained that the premium wine region's outlook will stay resolutely outward-looking despite the potential impact of global trade wars.

Wine Paris delivers on international flavour at record event

Published: 14 February, 2025

Wine Paris has confirmed what the busy aisles suggested, namely that this year’s event (10-12 February) had record-breaking attendance of global drinks trade, propelling it to current pole position in the battle of the big wine and spirits shows.

Koshu brings flavour of Japan to London

Published: 14 February, 2025

This year’s Koshu of Japan (KOJ) tasting at Japan House, which brought together some 100 or more trade and press for a tasting of the nine collaborating wineries last week, marked a further advance of these wines’ delicate footprint in the UK market.

Hospitality trade sees growth again in December

Published: 13 February, 2025

New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) can reveal hospitality had another strong month in December 2024, with output for the food and drink sector growing 2%. This made it the largest contributor to growth for the wider consumer-facing services industry.

LWC ramps up substantiality goals with new ESG commitments

Published: 13 February, 2025

LWC, the UK’s largest independent drinks wholesaler, has announced a new set of ESG commitments, which is aimed at helping the wholesaler reach its net zero by 2050 target.

Boutinot partners with Uco Valley winery for new joint venture

Published: 13 February, 2025

Greater Manchester importer Boutinot is partnering with Uco Valley estate and winery Bodega Urqo, in a wine-making joint venture called Azul y Blanco (AyB).

Cape Mentelle: new range showcases Margaret River region

Published: 12 February, 2025

Margaret River winery Cape Mentelle is introducing its new Marri range to UK customers via its importer, Bancroft Wines. The four-wine range includes wines synonymous with the Western Australian appellation in Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Leadership change at Symington Family Estates

Published: 12 February, 2025

Current chairman Johnny Symington MBE is retiring from the eponymous Port business after 40 years at the helm, passing the baton on to younger family members.