Nightclub owners opening new venture called Mason House

Marc Merran, Eamonn Mulholland and Jean Philippe Kley, the team behind other nightclub ventures in London including Beat, Mo*Vida, Chinawhite, Aura and Fifity, are set to open a new venture, Mason House, on Argyll Street at the end of Novemeber, built in the vaults of the London Palladium.

Normacorc wins innovation award

Alternative wine closure producer Nomacorc, has won the Innovation Challenge's New Technology Award for its Select Bio Series, which is the world's first zero carbon footprint wine closure.

Swiss drinkers lead the way in lower-alcohol wines

Lower-alcohol wines have been identified as a key way of kick starting the Swiss wine market in a boost to a category that has yet to fully take off in the UK.

Treasury Wine Estates faces lawsuit

The hangover continues for Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) following its AUD $160 million write down earlier in the year; TWE now faces a lawsuit by Melbourne City Investments and second potential class action lawsuit funded by IMF Ltd and Maurice Blackburn lawyers who, to date, have only publicised their potential intent to undertake a shareholder class-action case against TWE but who have not, at this stage, commenced any legal proceedings.

Disgraced Bordeaux UK chief banned as director for nine years

Ian Vanderhook of Bordeaux UK has been banned as a director for nine years after his company collapsed with debts of more than £10m.

Global wine production is shifting away from Europe says Cobevco's Justin Knock MW

The 2013 global wine harvest is further confirmation that Europe is losing ground on its dominant position as the largest wine growing continent in the world.

Wine brands with no back story will struggle warns Ste Michelle's Ted Baseler ahead of Wine Vision

New wine launches that offer no back story other than what varietal or blend they are are not going to connect with modern wine consumers, warns Ted Baseler, president and chief executive of US winery, Ste Michelle Wine Estates, speaking ahead of this month's Wine Vision conference in London.

British economic growth to gain momentum through to 2015 predicts the CBI

A further sign that the economy is recovering is given today by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) which has raised its economic growth forecasts for both 2013 and 2014 and is forecasting growth to gather even greater momentum into 2015.

Why creating "magic" in-store is key to our success says Waitrose chief

Doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing and creating magic when customers enter stores are key tactics being used to drive sales across Waitrose, according to managing director Mark Price.

Get your dancing shoes on for the Benevolent's Christmas Ceilidh

The Benevolent is looking to get the wine and spirits trade in to the festive spirit early by hosting a Christmas Ceilidh on November 28.

Wine Rack to unveil new look store concept on November 7 in West Byfleet

The new store concept for Wine Rack is to be officially unveiled on November 7 in West Byfleet, Surrey when owners, Conviviality Retail, open the doors to what it hopes will be a new retail wine offer to high street wine buyers.

South Africa to focus on US and emerging African markets says new WOSA chief

South Africa will increasingly target the entire domestic market of Africa along with the US as trading conditions become ever more challenging in mature export markets such as the UK, according to the new head of Wines of South Africa (WOSA).

Global wine production in 2013 is expected to be up 10% on 2012 says OIV

The worldwide production of wine in 2013 is up by over 10% on the 2012 vintage, according to the latest figures from the OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin).

Analysis: How France is holding its own in global wine production despite difficult 2013 vintage

In response to last week's report from Morgan Stanley Research, which revealed a possible global wine shortage on the horizon, Harpers.co.uk is taking a closer look at key wine producing countries to assess whether they may or may not be contributing to the the global wine shortage hype. Today we look at France.

China could be world's second largest wine consuming country within five years

China is on course to be the second largest wine consuming country behind the United States within the next five years, according to Don St Pierre Jr, co-founder of Chinese importing company, ASC Fine Wines, speaking ahead of his appearance at this month's Wine Vision conference in London, being organised in partnership with Harpers.

Richard Siddle: the PR lessons to be learnt from recent media blitz on wine

Global bulk wine market opens up says Murphy Wine Company

Buyers are currently experiencing a certain sense of relief as the global bulk wine supply has opened up and created a slight breathing space.   Big harvests this year in the Southern hemisphere helped relieve the pressure from the losses of the 2012 European harvest.  The 2013 Northern hemisphere harvests are indicating  a return to average crop levels in Europe, and California is set to have another big crop which will help to continue the trend.

Australians turn their backs on imported sparkling wine in favour of home grown fizz

The prospects for Australian sparkling wine are looking rosy, thanks to a weakening dollar which has forced the cost of imported wines up, according to new research from Wine Intelligence.

UK trade's first chance to taste New Zealand's "best ever" vintage

The UK wine trade will get its first chance to taste wines from what is claimed could be the best New Zealand wine vintage in history at a special New Release Tasting organised by New Zealand Winegrowersin London on November 5.

Master of Malt launches whisky and gin advent calendars

Whisky and gin lovers will get the chance to enjoy specially created advent calendars from Drinks by the Dram, part of the Master of Malt website which takes bottles of whisky and splits them into 3cl/30ml drams so customers can sample a whisky before committing to buying a bottle.