Jeremy Beadles WSTA: my leaders and mentors

As we celebrate Christmas we also look to the year with a series of articles from key figures in the trade. First up is Jeremy Beadles, chief executive, Wine & Spirit Trade Association.

Letter calls for minimum alcohol price

Public health chiefs have called on Scottish politicians to support the minimum price for alcohol.

Winners and losers in 2009

First Cape, Lindemans and Blossom Hills were some of the best branded wine performers of 2009 while Hardys and Gallo saw sales fall compared to the previous year, according to The Grocer's Top Products Survey.

Brintex announce new board members for LIWF and Distil

Brintex has announced two new appointments to the London International Wine Fair (LIWF) and Distil Advisory Board.

Ireland to get new €2.9m whiskey distillery

The owners of Irish brewer and pub chain Porterhouse Group are in negotiations to create a new distillery in Ireland.

Price hikes unlikely to reduce alcohol consumption

Imposing a minimum price for alcohol is unlikely to significantly reduce consumption, according to a new report out today.

Ballantine's joins forces with pavement artist

Pernod Ricard's Scotch whisky brand, Ballantine's has joined up with street pavement artist, Julian Beever in a Christmas marketing campaign outside Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3.

Wines in the Press - December 18-21

The Guardian

Howard-Sneyd joins Direct Wines

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, head of wines at Waitrose, is to join industry rival Direct Wines as its global wine director.

The UK's best wine lists recognised

Harpers Wine & Spirit today reveals the shortlisted restaurants for our Drinking Out Excellence Awards, the UK's first dedicated gongs for wine lists.

Mission Possible: the hunt for South Africa's forgotten Chenin Blanc

A quest to find South Africa's oldest Chenin Blanc vines has been resolved.

Health lobbyists dismiss UK drinking survey

Health campaigners claim official drinks surveys "grossly" underestimate how much wine the nation is drinking on a weekly basis.

Tesco launches iPhone wine App

Tesco has launched an iPhone visual search application that allows customers to take a picture of a wine label and check whether it is stocked by Tesco Wine by the Case with an option to buy.

Foster's faces exchange rate hit

The Australian wine group Foster's has warned that business is performing below expectations due to decline in demand for Australian wines and poor currency exchange rates.

Virgin achieves record-breaking sales

Festive sales has seen Virgin Wines  exceeded all expectations in its 12 Days of Christmas campaign.

WSTA backs parental guidance

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association has welcomed new guidelines on when parents should introduce children to alcohol.

Tuscan wine 'illegally blended'

Italian wine producers face a dent to their reputation and an undermining of their appellation system after authorities have discovered that 10m litres of Tuscan wine may have been illegally blended.

Four in 10 consumers 'spending more on wine'

A survey has found that almost four in 10 wine drinkers will be spending more on wine this Christmas.

Inverarity Vaults opens Edinburgh branch

Parents warned about underage drinking