The week that was

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have put together a review of the top online news, Q&As, and opinion stories.

We're in the money?

An increasingly competitive retail environment has led to yet another mega-merger, this time between Asda and Sainsbury’s. We ask what this new giant force could have in store for wine

Wine expert urges UK to avoid comparing German Pinot Noir with counterparts

A German wine expert has urged the UK wine industry not to compare Pinot Noir from Germany with rival counterpart production of the grape variety in regions such as Burgundy.

Wakefield predicts best Shiraz vintage in decades

Wakefield Wines has predicted the 2018 Shiraz vintage will be the best in decades.

NZ Winegrowers gears up for Sauvignon Blanc day with digital push

New Zealand Winegrowers has launched an online campaign ahead of International Sauvignon Blanc day tomorrow (4th May).

Phantom Creek puts focus on Riesling and Pinot Gris

Phantom Creek Estates has partnered with Olivier Humbrecht MW as part of its strategy to start producing Riesling and Pinot Gris.

Wine Intelligence highlights alternative format trends

Justerini & Brooks reclaims UK distribution of J&B Rare whisky

Justerini & Brooks has reclaimed the exclusive UK distribution of its house whisky - J&B Rare, after a 21 year gap.

Distell defies challenging season with promising harvest

Distell has reported a ‘promising quality’ harvest despite experiencing one of the most challenging seasons in recent years.

Think Gin: The big flavour debate

The colourful world of flavoured gin was a hot topic at yesterday’s annual Harper’s Think Gin event, coming up time and time again as sub-section driving overall gin growth, yet at the same time dividing opinion on what role it should play within the wider category.

Splash Wines gears up for UK launch

Splash Wines, the US based direct-to-consumer wine marketer, has announced its intention to expand into the UK market.

Think Gin unveils this year’s winners

The winners of this year’s Think Gin awards were unveiled as the Harpers and Drinks Retailing News event returned to London bigger and better than ever.

Three Spanish wine producers join forces to offer ‘unique’ wines

Three Spanish wine producers have joined forces to offer UK wholesalers, on-trade operators and independents an opportunity to source a unique portfolio of wine from the country.

Bacardi completes Patrón acquisition

Bacardi has completed the acquisition of premium tequila producer Patrón Spirits International.

McGuigan expands Black Label with first sparkling wines

McGuigan Wines has expanded its Black Label portfolio with three sparkling wines, including a red variant, marking the first fizz to join the range.

Vins de Bordeaux gears up for spring with trade tasting series

Vins de Bordeaux has revealed it is launching a series of educational tastings especially created for wine trade professionals.

Sainsbury’s and Asda confirm £12bn merger and hint at 10% price cuts

Sainsbury’s and Asda have confirmed they are to merge creating a supermarket powerhouse with combined revenues of £51 billion, overtaking Tesco as the number one player in the sector.

Barefoot adapts Pinot Grigio flagship to match pink and fizz trends

E&J Gallo’s carefree California wine brand Barefoot Wine is fastest growing top five wine brand in the UK according to Nielsen. Harpers caught up with head winemaker Jen Wall to discuss 20 years of making affordable, fruit forward wines that people want to drink.

The week that was

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have put together a review of the top online news, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Provence 2017 wine production slumps 12% as quality rises

Wine output from Provence slumped by 12% or 21 million bottles in 2017 following harsh late frosts, according to the region’s winemakers.