News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Interactive wine tasting ready for online debut

Published: 23 July, 2008

Virtual Wine will broadcast its first live wine tasting on Sunday 16 October at 7pm.

Call for greater Port/table-wine distinction

Published: 23 July, 2008

The head winemaker of Port producer The Fladgate Partnership has criticised the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP) for failing to tighten up vineyard designations in the Douro Valley, reports Stuart Peskett.

South Africa has massive problem' with on-trade

Published: 23 July, 2008

For on-trade buyers, South Africa is only good for cheap entry-point wines, predominately Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, according to Andy Bayley and John Graves, sales and marketing director and national accounts director respectively for Atlantic Wine Agencies.

Sainsbury's buyer news clarified

Published: 23 July, 2008

Jane Hughes, Sainsbury's category manager for wine, has clarified the wine buying set-up.

Constellation circles Vincor

Published: 23 July, 2008

Constellation Brands has been rejected in its hostile takeover bid for Canadian wine giant Vincor, which bought UK agent and distributor Western Wines last year.

On Trade Special: Late Payments

Published: 23 July, 2008

Before I landed a job reporting on the world of wine for Harpers, one of my tasks in life was to sell wine at a restaurant near the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Soon after opening, it was apparent that the legions of lawyers who populate Chancery Lane were not turning up in the expected numbers.
The restaurant soon ran out of money - although it was almost half a year later that it began to run out of most of its wines. It all became rather problematic: May I strongly recommend this wine, sir? It has been drinking very nicely.

Lanson's Royal approval

Published: 23 July, 2008

Champagne Lanson will be the official house Champagne for the Royal Albert Hall for the next three years.
The brand, which has held the contract at the London venue
for the past three years, has also sponsored numerous Premiership football teams, as well as the Wimbledon and French Open tennis tournaments.

The festive Grouse

Published: 23 July, 2008

This Christmas will see a six-week advertising campaign featuring The Famous Grouse.

Rights on wine names

Published: 23 July, 2008

Port, Sherry and Champagne producers are bitterly disappointed that the recently announced and much-trumpeted wine-trade agreement between the United States and the European Union fails to protect their appellations fully. And on the basis that the European Commission has failed to negotiate a complete ban on the ongoing abuse of such names in the USA, they are seeking financial support from the EU in the new US campaign that's about to start and seeks to put an end to such fraudulent practices.

Wine Australia gets the book club bug

Published: 23 July, 2008

Wine Australia is launching a new marketing initiative next month which aims to capitalise on the growing popularity of book clubs.

Rain finally arrives in Douro

Published: 23 July, 2008

The six-hour rain shower that hit the Douro in early September was the first the region had received since May - and Port producers and table winemakers alike breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Bottle Green ready for Richard & Judy effect

Published: 23 July, 2008

A new Argentinian wine from the Bottle Green portfolio will be appearing on Channel 4's Richard & Judy show.

Allgrove moves to Esher

Published: 23 July, 2008

Marc Allgrove, European trading director for the Hardy Wine Company, has moved to the UK to support Constellation Europe's sales and marketing team to maximise the sales performance of Hardy Wine Company brands throughout the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe'.

Mixologist says new Perrier cocktails are s'eau appealing

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cocktail guru Dale DeGroff has designed a range of drinks using Perrier mineral water. DeGroff said that the brand was the height of chic a few years ago' and that his new cocktails will remind everyone what a wonderful creation [Perrier] is'.

Hughes opens Mondo UK

Published: 23 July, 2008

Mondo Search, the Australian-owned headhunting firm that specialises in the drinks industry, is opening a UK office
led by Christian Hughes. A qualified sommelier, Hughes has worked in recruitment since 1996.

30% of women assaulted when drunk, says Portman

Published: 23 July, 2008

A new survey, commissioned by industry-funded campaigners The Portman Group, has showed that four in 10 young women (36%) have been sexually assaulted after getting drunk and are more likely than men to get into fights and arguments.
The research - Anatomy of a Big Night Out' - was conducted among 1,000 18- to 30-year-olds.

Bacardi leaves the Latin Quarter

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bacardi has ditched its Latin Quarter' advertising campaign for a new series of cinema and TV ads entitled The Way
It Should B'.

Boutflower quits Laymont & Shaw for Tanners

Published: 23 July, 2008

Robert Boutflower, managing director of Laymont & Shaw, is leaving the Cornwall-based Spanish specialist for Tanners.
Boutflower will join the Shrewsbury-based importer and retailer as private sales and retail director next week, following nine years with Laymont & Shaw.

Hidden dragon

Published: 23 July, 2008

At a recent lunch at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, six Chinese businessmen ordered five bottles of wine. Malcolm Zacanaro,
the executive assistant manager for food and beverage at the hotel, initially thought nothing of it until he saw the bill, which came to more than RMB 120,000 (US$15,000) for the wines alone. Zacanaro says, The Chinese market is extremely price-sensitive. At the top end, hosts want to impress, so they order the most expensive bottles. And at the bottom end, people are less knowledgeable, so they order by price.'

Ctes du Rhne to turn the airwaves red this autumn

Published: 23 July, 2008

A new radio advertising campaign for Ctes du Rhne wines will break in October and run for two months. This campaign, in addition to the current six-month sponsorship deal with Smooth FM, will take the wine region's total radio investment to more than 320,000.
The radio spots will appear on Magic FM, Total LBC, Classic FM and Smooth FM, among others, and are expected to reach 4.5 million listeners.