Wine writers spend much of the time lobbing verbal hand grenades and garlands from the safety of their PCs. Are they making and breaking the reputations of wines, or is their scribbling merely a self-indulgent irrelevance? Andrew Jefford invites the opinions of key trade figures and journalists
Read more...Europeans often fall into the trap of thinking that Southern Hemisphere summers are as consistent as ours are fickle. But the 2002 vintage confounded that notion, with Australia experiencing its coldest-ever summer in some areas, and the south of Chile one of its wettest. Harpers reviews the mixed harvest in key New World countries
Read more...This week, Harpers concludes its review of The Fifth International Symposium of the Institute of Masters of Wine, held in Vienna between 11-13 July. In sessions and workshops, key speakers debated a range of thorny issues, from GM to RO, brands to corks, and custom-made wines to the spirit of AOC. Neil Beckett and Tim Atkin MW report
Read more...The Fifth International Symposium of the Institute of Masters of Wine was held in Vienna between 11-13 July. Neil Beckett presents the first in a two-part report on an event which saw prominent critics and producers debate the nature and desirability of changes sweeping through the world of wine
Read more...In 2000, the big news for Argentina in the UK was the establishment of a new generic office. A year on, market share has not increased greatly and the country remains in the shadow of its neighbour over the Andes. Charlotte Hey asks the trade what Argentina should do now
Read more...Journalists may disagree, but water is the only drink strictly necessary to sustain mental and physical wellbeing, and life itself. But what other USPs are bottled water marketeers promoting, and how effective have recent campaigns been in persuading the reluctant British to splash out on stylish water features? Joanne Simon reports
Read more...The Brits can claim credit for elevating outdoor eating to the art form known as a picnic', but Harpers' South African representative, Joanne Simon, thinks they still have a thing or two to learn when it comes to barbecues or braais. Here, she looks at the pick of the barbecue wines on promotion this summer
Read more...The July IWSC Showcase Tasting was the occasion for a debate on the future of the industry. The main question was: how can the wine industry attract the younger generation? Barbara Scalera reports
Read more...There's nought, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion,' wrote Lord Byron. But with Bacardi swamping the white rum market, is there anything to get excited about? Joanne Simon profiles the brands seeking to loosen Bacardi's stranglehold
Read more...Reverse osmosis, spinning cones and micro-oxygenation are three winemaking techniques in greater use than the wine trade would like to admit. How do these practices affect wine, and is the controversy surrounding their use just another stick with which to beat interventionist winemakers? Jamie Goode investigates
Read more...New technology, new investment, new quality initiatives and award-winning products. Has the English wine industry finally managed to shed its "home-made, low-quality image"? David Williams reports
Read more...The Definitive Italian Wine Tasting has provided a long-overdue platform for commercially available, mid-priced Italian wines in the UK. Harpers casts an eye over the producers and wines helping to make this year's event the biggest and brightest yet
Read more...Drinks distributors, retailers, importers and marketers of the world unite.' It may not be the catchiest call to arms, but the recent International Federation of Wines and Spirits seminar in London sought to inspire the disparate elements of the trade to be more open to new developments - and with each other. Joanne Simon examines the key themes
Read more...Two months ago, Robert Parker and a group of Britain's leading merchants warned the Bordelais that unless en primeur prices came down, the market could collapse. So have prices fallen sufficiently, or are chteau owners now tinkering in the last chance saloon? Neil Beckett reports
Read more...Though the fate of the euro in the UK is still in the balance, it is now a reality in most of the EU. But what impact will it have on the wine trade? That was the question debated by Tim Atkin MW and a panel of experts at last week's London International Wine and Spirits Fair
Read more...It was the ancient Greeks who introduced the Romans to wine. Over two millennia later, some believe that the world is about to experience a Hellenic comeback. Joanne Simon encounters an upbeat mood among producers in the Attica and Peloponnese regions of Greece.
Read more...Garage wines operate outside the mainstream investment market, and while these small-scale Bordeaux wines have enjoyed huge success in the Far East, they have attracted criticism and suspicion closer to home. So how are they currently performing? Margaret Rand gets the inside track from some of the UK's leading importers
Read more...The recent recognition of umami as the fifth taste has stimulated further research into the range and sensitivity of the human palate. So how exactly are people's wine tasting capabilities determined by the complex interaction of tongue, nose and brain? Jamie Goode takes a trip through the human tasting zone
Read more...Embroiled in economic turmoil, winemakers in Argentina are dealing with ever-increasing problems of supply, labour, distribution and revenue. So are they choosing to slash their output, prices or marketing budget, or is there a confidence and determination to battle through the crisis? Tim Atkin travels to Argentina to find out
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