News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Minimum drinks prices - in England and Wales

Published: 15 March, 2009

Plans for minimum drinks prices in England and Wales could mean spirits priced at least £14 a bottle and some wines upwards of £5.40.

Paragon Vintners to close

Published: 13 March, 2009

Paragon Vintners is to cease trading after its parent company, Angostura Suisse, has decided to exit the UK wine distribution business.

Consumers slash wine spending

Published: 13 March, 2009

Over one third of UK consumers have slashed spending on wine or have opted for bargain bottles, according to the latest research from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

SABMiller in China expansion

Published: 13 March, 2009

Brewing giants SABMiller has acquired one of China's largest breweries in a $42 million joint venture that will expand its influence in one of the world's most lucrative markets.

Minimum price plans could flout Euro law

Published: 13 March, 2009

Radical plans by the Scottish government to introduce a minimum price for alcohol could almost certainly fall foul of European law, it has been claimed by legal experts.

Alcohol helps to boost Waitrose sales

Published: 12 March, 2009

Alcohol sales were one of the few highlights of Waitrose's trading year in 2008.

Morrison races ahead

Published: 12 March, 2009

Morrison march up the retailing ladder continues with like-for-like sales up 7.9%, well ahead of its rivals, and total sales up 12% to £14.5 billion for the year to the end of February.

Morrison races ahead

Published: 12 March, 2009

Morrison march up the retailing ladder continues with like-for-like sales up 7.9%, well ahead of its rivals, and total sales up 12% to £14.5 billion for the year to the end of February.

Scottish alcohol plans shelved

Published: 11 March, 2009

Plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and raise the alcohol buying age to 21 by the Scottish Executive have been shelved for at least a year.

Strong dollar hits Brown-Forman profit

Published: 11 March, 2009

Jack Daniel's and Southern Comfort producer Brown-Forman saw net sales fall by 11% in the three months to Jan 31, largely through the impact of the strong US dollar reducing the value of export sales.

New rum distillery to open in Barbados

Published: 10 March, 2009

Barbados sees the opening of its first new rum distillery in years. St Nicholas Abbey opens on Cherry Tree Hill in the north of the island at the end of March, the final part in a massive renovation project undertaken by local architect and rum aficionado Larry Warren, who bought the property in 2006.

Wines in the Press, March 7-9

Published: 10 March, 2009

What the national wine critics had to say this weekend, March 7-8

Harvest Blog from Mario Pablo Silva, Vina Casa Silva, Chile

Published: 09 March, 2009

Our third harvest report from Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Viña Casa Silva March, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Harvest Blog from Mario Pablo Silva, Vina Casa Silva, Chile

Published: 09 March, 2009

Our third harvest report from Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Viña Casa Silva March, Colchagua Valley, Chile

WSTA pushes supplier auctions

Published: 09 March, 2009

The Wine & Spirit Association is urging its members in the UK to consider reverse e-auctions as a way of saving money on supplies.

Codorniu deal for Altia

Published: 09 March, 2009

Finnish drinks giant Altia has own the exclusive sales and marketing rights for Codorniu wines in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and the Baltic travel retail markets.

Arkansas says 'yes' to Sunday sales

Published: 09 March, 2009

Arkansas has become the 36th US state to repeal a so-called Blue Law which bans take-home liquor sales on Sundays.

Peter Duff: an obituary

Published: 09 March, 2009

Following the death of Peter Duff we are happy to publish this obituary that has been compiled by Alcohol in Moderation in memory of its founder and the father of its executive director, Helena Conibear