News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Naked Wines toasts soaring 2014 sales

Published: 21 January, 2015

Online wine specialist Naked Wines has seen its festive wine sales soar 40% on 2013, and says it sold 13 million bottles altogether in 2014.

UK's wine recession to end in 2015, says Vinexpo

Published: 20 January, 2015

UK wine consumption has fallen 10.5% per capita since the recession hit in 2008, but Vinexpo says the worst is over and wind drinking will start to edge up over the next five years.

Groceries Code Adjudicator hamstrung in efforts to fine supermarkets

Published: 20 January, 2015

The Groceries Code Adjudicator has admitted she is hamstrung in her efforts to reprimand retailers as the government has not yet finalised her powers to hand out fines.

New Zealand wine producers 'excited' about 'rebalanced' UK market

Published: 20 January, 2015

Sauvignon Blanc continues to be the most popular variety in the UK and no other region is more synonymous with the aromatic grape variety than New Zealand, which continues to make inroads in the UK market.

Cockburn's Port lines up year of celebrations for bicentenary

Published: 20 January, 2015

Cockburn's Port is embarking on a year of celebration in 2015 to mark the company's bicentenary - including launching a commemorative edition of its Special Reserve.

Vinexpo 2015 set for radical revamp after producers felt 'cut off'

Published: 20 January, 2015

Exhibitors and visitors to this summer's Vinexpo in Bordeaux can expect to be "wowed" by a completely different type of trade show, which is looking to be more welcoming to producers from outside its Bordeaux heartland.

Heidsieck Monopole Champagne signs 3-year deal to sponsor Hyde Park concerts

Published: 20 January, 2015

Champagne brand Heidsieck Monopole has signed a deal to become the official Champagne partner for the Hyde Park summer series of concerts for the next three years.

English sparkling wine Coates & Seely moves from Liberty to Gonzalez Byass

Published: 20 January, 2015

English sparkling wine producer Coates & Seely has switched its UK distribution from Liberty Wines to Gonzalez Byass.

On-trade supplier Matthew Clark toasts bumper December as sales top £100m

Published: 20 January, 2015

On-trade drinks supplier Matthew Clark says December was its most successful month ever as sales broke the £100 million mark, as customers plumped for top-end wines and Champagnes.

Top-up shop and vloggers tipped as major trends for 2015, says Euromonitor

Published: 20 January, 2015

Euromonitor forecasts the rise of convenience shopping and the growing power of vloggers or "native influencers" as two consumer trends expected to grow in 2015 that could impact the drinks trade.

Restaurant and retail property prices up 11% in 2014

Published: 19 January, 2015

The restaurant and retail property markets saw average prices move up more than 11% in the last year, according to a report from Christie + Co.

Diageo's World Class Bartender of the Year search begins with bartender semi-finals

Published: 19 January, 2015

Fifty of the UK's top bartenders have been selected to take part in the semi-finals of Diageo's competition to find the best bar talent as part of its Reserve World Class 2015 competition.

Premium wine growth hampered by big grocers, warns Rabobank

Published: 19 January, 2015

The growth of premium wines is being restricted by major grocers and tough economic conditions, despite more adventurous consumers seeking them out.

Copestick Murray to distribute advertising mogul Sir John Hegarty's wines

Published: 19 January, 2015

Copestick Murray was inspired by Bartle Bogle Hegarty co-founder Sir John Hegarty's 'no holds barred' keynote speech at the WSTA conference last year to sign a distribution deal for his wines in the UK and Ireland.

Conviviality Retail half-year profits surge 46%

Published: 19 January, 2015

Conviviality Retail, owners of Bargain Booze and Wine Rack, has seen half-year profits jump 46.7% on the back of underperforming store closures and strong Christmas trading.

Rioja's José Madrazo Real de Asúa has died

Published: 16 January, 2015

One of Rioja's pioneers, José Madrazo Real de Asúa, of the Spanish winery CVNE, has died.

Labour's alcohol policies to boost Britain's health attacked by trade bodies

Published: 16 January, 2015

Labour party plans to introduce a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sporting events, combined with a series of measures to boost Britain's health have been attacked by the drinks industry's major trade associations.

Nielsen confirms sparkling wine and major spirits categories as big Christmas winners

Published: 16 January, 2015

Nielsen has confirmed that sparkling wine and the main spirits categories were the big winners during Christmas 2014.

WSTA's Miles Beale urges all in UK drinks industry to help secure 2% cut in alcohol duty

Published: 16 January, 2015

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, spells out today on Harpers.co.uk why it is so important everyone in the UK drinks industry plays their part in trying to secure a 2% drop in alcohol duty in the Budget in March.

Miles Beale: how you can help secure a 2% cut in alcohol duty

Published: 16 January, 2015

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, sets out the steps everyone involved in the UK drinks industry can play their part in convincing the Chancellor to a 2% drop in alcohol duty in the forthcoming Budget