News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Independent wine merchants celebrate festive fillip

Published: 06 January, 2015

Independent wine merchants across the country are toasting a cracking December, with sales up across the board.

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo teams up with Sky Movies

Published: 06 January, 2015

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo is partnering with Sky Movies for the broadcaster's largest ever multi-channel sponsorship deal, which will get underway in March.

Demand surges for bigger bottles of wine

Published: 06 January, 2015

Demand for bigger bottles of wine is increasing, with one retailer predicting sales will rise by 8% in the next 12 months.

March for The Independents campaign gathers momentum for national conference on March 3

Published: 06 January, 2015

Harpers new campaign to help support and put the spotlight on independent wine merchants is gathering momentum as leading independents line up to take part in a dedicated one day conference in London on March 3.

Brits fork out 50% in tax on festive drinks shop

Published: 06 January, 2015

British consumers forked out over 50% on tax for their festive alcohol shop, as taxes have surged by 19% in the past four years.

One third of wines in clear glass bottles are light damaged, says Wotwine

Published: 05 January, 2015

Shoppers should take care when buying wine in clear glass bottles, says Wotwine, after 35% of wines in clear glass out of the 6,000 wines it sampled in the last two years exhibited signs of damage from light.

Sparkling wine is top performing grocery category at Christmas

Published: 05 January, 2015

Sparkling wine was the top-performing grocery category in the supermarkets for the six weeks of Christmas growing by £25.4 million on the previous year.

Wine sales hit hardest by Scottish multibuy ban

Published: 05 January, 2015

Since Scotland introduced a ban on multi-buy alcohol deals in the off-trade in October 2011, wine sales have been hardest hit, dropping 4.6% in the year following implementation.

Retailers need to eradicate code breaking measures warns Grocery Code Adjudicator

Published: 05 January, 2015

Major grocery retailers radically need to change the way they work with suppliers and ensure their trading practices in no way encourage members of staff to break the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

Direct Wines appoints David Thatcher as group ceo as Simon McMurtrie steps down

Published: 05 January, 2015

Simon McMurtrie, Direct Wines group chief executive, is stepping down later this month to act as chairman for a number of businesses, with current UK managing director David Thatcher replacing him.

Obituary: Serge Hochar of Lebanon's Château Musar

Published: 04 January, 2015

Michael Karam, acclaimed journalist, ambassador for Lebanese wine and author of Wines of Lebanon remembers, Serge Hochar, the charismatic and buccaneering owner of Lebanon's Château Musar, who died at the age of 74, while on holiday with his family in Mexico over the new year.

International wine trade pays tribute following the death of Château Musar's Serge Hochar

Published: 02 January, 2015

The international wine trade has united today to pay its respects to the legendary Lebanese winemaker, Serge Hochar, of Château Musar, who died over the new year.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Nick Oakley

Published: 02 January, 2015

Nick Oakley of Oakley Wine Agencies on the growth of Portuguese wines in 2014, and how he'd like to sell more to independent merchants.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Stephen Forward, Essentially Wine

Published: 02 January, 2015

Outspoken independent merchant and Harpers' blogger Stephen Forward of Essentially Wine picks out Naked Wines, Oddbins and Borough Wines as ones to watch in 2015.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Matthew Hennings

Published: 01 January, 2015

Matthew Hennings of Hennings Wine Merchants, says the trade must continue to fight against those intent on 'dumbing down' wine to the consumer with 'whopping discounts and lousy wine'.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Anita Jackson

Published: 01 January, 2015

Anita Jackson, UK director for Wines of Chile, says 2014 got off to a tough start, and tips Chile for further organic and sustainable innovations for 2015.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: David Frost Scotch Whisky Association

Published: 31 December, 2014

David Frost, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, reflects on the Scottish referendum and the increased investment in the sector, while hoping for an improvement in sales in 2015.

2014 Review and Hope and Fears for 2015: Ted Sandbach of Oxford Wines

Published: 31 December, 2014

Ted Sandbach, managing director of independent wine merchant the Oxford Wine Company, talks about plans to open a new wine bar in 2015, and how deep supermarket discounting is still a serious challenge for independents.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Jerry Lockspeiser, Off Piste Wines

Published: 31 December, 2014

Jerry Lockspeiser, chairman of Off Piste Wines and serial wine industry entrepreneur as well as Harpers columnist, gives his thoughts on why 2015 may be a "crossroads year" for the retail trade, and how we are still "failing to inspire" wine drinkers.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Doug Wood of WoodWinters

Published: 30 December, 2014

Doug Wood, owner of Scottish independent merchant WoodWinters, lets off steam about supermarkets, credit control and 'parasitic internet-only' retailers, while looking forward to lots of Christmas presents from staff.