M&S own brand wines wipe the floor at first round of International Wine Competition 2015

Marks and Spencer's own brand wines cleared the decks at the first phase of the International Wine Challenge 2015, taking home 69 medals and outpacing nearest rival Tesco by 37 medals. 

Australia matches France's gold medal haul at first phase of IWC 2015

Australia is celebrating a major win at the first tranche of the International Wine Challenge 2015, taking home the same number of gold medals as France and netting 203 medals in total so far.

London Wine Fair on look out for niche wine importers for its Esoterica fixture for independents

Small, independent or niche wine importers have the chance to book a place in the Esoterica feature at the London Wine Fair that has seen 80% of last year's exhibitors book again for the 2015 show.

UK on-trade gears up for bumper festive season

Bars and restaurants are heralding a bumper festive season, with bookings so far 5-10% ahead of last year.

Spanish wines fastest growing in UK bars and restaurants

Spanish wines are the fastest growing in the UK on-trade - listings are up 25% in the last year - at the expense of French wines, whose listings have fallen by 11%.

Accolade Wines going ahead with Grant Burge purchase

Accolade Wines and Barossa's Grant Burge wines have reached agreement on the acquisition of the Grant Burge brand and business, along with its Krondorf winery.

ProWein predicts biggest growth opportunities in the USA and Asia

Global wine trade show Prowein is forecasting stable world demand for wines in 2015 and sees North America and Asia as the largest markets for growth in the coming year.

Pol Roger Portfolio to distribute Kilchoman whiskies

Islay distillery Kilchoman has signed a deal with the family-run Pol Roger Champagne to distribute its range of single malt whiskies.

Guala Closures and MGJ launch screwcap closure liners with varying oxygen permeability

Guala Closures has joined forces with MGJ to develop a new range of liners for closures with different levels of oxygen permeability.

Pernod Ricard UK shakes up senior team

Pernod Ricard has promoted Simon van Moppes to the role of group on-trade director for the global business and Chris Ellis to commercial director for wines and spirits in the UK as it re-examines its market priorities.

Memorial service for Ridgeview's Mike Roberts

A memorial service for Mike Roberts, founder of English sparkling winery, Ridgeview,  who died earlier this month, is to be held on December 5.

Four pubs battle it out for CAMRA's National Pub of the Year

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has shortlisted four pubs who will battle it out to be named its National Pub of the Year.

UK retailers need to target seven different types of shopper, says Kantar study

The changing face of  UK retailing is driven by the way consumers now behave and has created seven types of shopper, according to new research revealed today by Kantar Insights, the retail insights company.

The Week That Was: Top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

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

Chief of the Week: Laura Jewell - soon to be UK "chief" of Wine Australia

TescoGate: Three suspended bosses reported to have left Tesco with more to follow

Kevin Grace, group commercial director, Carl Rogberg, UK finance director, and John Scouler, UK food commercial director, three of the executives that were suspended from Tesco following its accounting crisis have left the company, according to a Financial Times report. Other suspended executives, including head of beers, wines and spirits, Dan Jago,could be dismissed next week, according to media reports.

Special whisky launched to celebrate pro-independence vote in Scotland

US Black Friday shopping extravaganza takes off in the UK

Despite figures from Kantar indicating that the UK has not yet fully embraced the US shopping extravaganza that is Black Friday, this morning major retail websites like Tesco Direct have crashed due to the demand in online traffic, and there have been reports of fights breaking out amongst shoppers in stores around the country. Black Friday it appears has arrived in the UK.

Zuma's Noel Pusch is named Sake Sommelier of the Year

Noel Pusch of premium Japanese restaurant chain Zuma's Abu Dhabi branch has been named Sake Sommelier of the Year at an awards ceremony at London's Westbury Hotel this week.

Wine Australia confirms Tesco's Laura Jewell as its new head of UK and Europe

Wine Australia has confirmed to Harpers.co.uk that it has appointed Tesco's Laura Jewell MW to be its new regional director for the UK and Europe.