News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

EU says yes' to Pernod deal

Published: 23 July, 2008

Pernod Ricard's bid to take over Allied Domecq has crossed an important administrative hurdle after the European Commission gave its approval to the deal last week.

The value of shares in the family-owned parent company of Champagne Taittinger, Taittinger SA, has risen strongly following reports that the company is up for sale and considering numerous takeover bids'.

Sale of a Champagne socialist

Published: 23 July, 2008

On 14 June, late French President Franois Mitterand's wine cellar was auctioned for €14,683 at the Htel Drouot in Paris.

Gaelic political football

Published: 23 July, 2008

Just when the Scotch Whisky Association thought its work on defining the different categories of Scotch was over, along comes Sir Iain Noble.

Corby gets screwy

Published: 23 July, 2008

Corby bottlers has installed a new generation of screwcap machinery fitted with a vacuum system'.

C&C deal with Terra Mater

Published: 23 July, 2008

Cockburn & Campbell has been appointed sole agent for the wine of Chilean producer Terra Mater.

Alpine flowers

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Alpine Italian province of Trentino, the Italian-speaking part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northern Italy, is home not only to distinctive white wines and full-bodied reds, but also to piquant spumante, ethereal grappa and delicate Vin Santo. Innovative cooperative wineries perform the bulk of the region's production, the remainder handled by smaller specialty producers. Nearly half of Italy's bottle-fermented sparkling wines come from this region, and an overwhelming proportion of its wines possess DOC status. With five principal viticultural areas and more than 20 varieties cultivated, Trentino produces a broad variety of increasingly distinguished wines with unmistakable regional character.

P&O Nedlloyd cuts shipping lead times by five weeks

Published: 23 July, 2008

Shipping giant P&O Nedlloyd has cut lead times for Australian shipments by nearly five weeks.

Roederer winners

Published: 23 July, 2008

John Stimpfig beat a shortlist of fellow Harpers contributors to pick up the International Wine Writer of the Year prize for his work in the FT: How to Spend It supplement at the inaugural Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards, presented at Vinexpo earlier this week.

The Interview: Rudi Venerandi, Proprietor, Alba, London

Published: 23 July, 2008

Has your wine list changed much since you opened the restaurant in 1989?

Philglas & Swiggot opens in Marylebone

Published: 23 July, 2008

London wine merchant Philglas & Swiggot has opened its third shop in Marylebone's New Quebec Street (020 7402 0002), to the north of Oxford Street.

CIVC launches competition for wine educators

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Comit Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the trade organisation which represents Champagne houses and growers, has introduced a pan-European competition aimed at rewarding anyone who teaches, lectures or educates on the subject of Champagne.

JD takes number three spot from Gordon's

Published: 23 July, 2008

Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey has overtaken Diageo's Gordon's gin to become the UK's third biggest spirit brand with a 6.2% share of the on-trade market.

Constellation drops bid for Allied Domecq

Published: 23 July, 2008

The consortium headed by Constellation Brands and Brown Forman has abandoned its attempt to take over Allied Domecq. City analysts believe this leaves the way open for Pernod Ricard's recommended 7.4 billion offer in conjunction with Fortune Brands for the UK drinks giant to proceed without further challenge.

Italy Supplement 2005

Published: 23 July, 2008

In celebrating Italy's diversity, we have tried to cover as many regions as we can between this summer and the rest of the year, focusing especially on those lesserknown ones, such as Basilicata included in this supplement and Trentino in the accompanying issue. We have also asked some of the top experts writing on Italian wine for the UK market, Nicolas Belfrage MW, Michael Palij MW and Franco Ziliani, to look at some of the themes that underpin Italy's modern vinous identity: the tensions between indigenous and imported' grape varieties, between traditional and modern' vinification techniques and between big brands and smaller producers.

IWSC trophy winners announced at Vinexpo

Published: 23 July, 2008

The International Wine and Spirit Competition used the opening day of Vinexpo earlier this week to announce the first round of Trophy Winners in this year's competition.

Homage to Catalonia

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Codornu group is best known for its Cavas, but in recent years the company has spread its wings and now owns still wine companies across Spain and the globe. Codornu's international director, Xavier Pages, explains what's next for the Catalan giant

The promised land

Published: 23 July, 2008

The ancient Greeks introduced viticulture in the south of Italy, naming Italy Oenotria after the Greek word for wine, oinos. Since then, Puglia has played a key role in the Italian wine scene. For many years the region was an anonymous source of bulk wines, often used to enhance well-known wines in France as well as Italy. Although one can still see truckloads from the south on their way north, Puglia is now claiming its own place in the national and international wine world. It is widely regarded as the Promised Land'.

Logistics Supplement 2005

Published: 23 July, 2008

It somehow seems appropriate for this logistics report to be delivered as a supplement - as an accessory to the main
issue of Harpers. In this discrete format, it represents the way that many people in the wine trade consider logistics as an adjunct to their real' business.
But this view is short-sighted, and potentially costly. Yes, the UK industry is largely about marketing and sales; but
fulfilment remains the key to success. So while various distribution functions may be very sensibly outsourced, they are delegated and then essentially marginalised at peril.
Logistics processes have too great an impact on the products and services offered by almost every wine business to merit less than regular and thoughtful attention.