United Kingdom - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Hambledon announces new MD

Published: 24 January, 2024

Hambledon Vineyard has announced it has a new MD as it prepares to embark on a future under joint Symington Family Estates and Berry Bros. & Rudd ownership.

All change for Gusbourne as it announces CEO

Published: 17 January, 2024

Leading sparkling and fine wine producer Gusbourne has today announced it has a new CEO, with former marketing director Jonathan White stepping up following a ‘rigorous internal and external search process’.

Government consumes 1,400 bottles of wines and spirits between 2020-22

Published: 12 January, 2024

The UK government wine cellar has belatedly released its bi-annual report, revealing that 1,433 bottles of wine and spirits stock were consumed between 2020-2022, when the nation was subject to on-again, off-again Covid restrictions.

British alcohol sales rise in CPTPP countries

Published: 04 January, 2024

Sales of British alcohol products such as English sparkling and Scotch whisky are on the rise in the Indo-Pacific region, the UK government has announced.

New wine label reforms take effect

Published: 02 January, 2024

As of yesterday (1 January 2024), several new wine reforms introduced by the government have taken effect, including the removal of importer addresses from wine labels.

Government lauds ‘pint’-sized wine as Brexit benefit

Published: 02 January, 2024

The UK government has permitted the sale of ‘pint’ sized still and sparkling wine across supermarkets, pubs, clubs and restaurants.

WineGB looks back on ‘miracle’ harvest

Published: 21 December, 2023

WineGB is celebrating what it believes will be Great Britain’s largest-ever grape harvest as freshly collected data reveals 2023 is set to produce a record-breaking estimated 20 million bottles – twice the size of Britain’s previous record year in 2018.

English fizz enters Swedish monopoly

Published: 01 December, 2023

Hattingley Valley has become the first English wine to secure a Swedish monopoly set listing, thus guaranteeing it a certain level of distribution across a defined number of stores, after it came out top against 14 other wines in a competitive blind tasting.

Nyetimber secures 2024 Olympic Games sponsorship

Published: 27 November, 2023

English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber will be the Official Sparkling Wine of Team GB for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Blackbook releases wine and vinyl bundle

Published: 21 November, 2023

London-based independent wine producer, Blackbook Winery, has teamed up with US musician Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing to create a limited edition wine and vinyl bundle.

Plumpton College Queen’s Anniversary Prize

Published: 17 November, 2023

Plumpton College has been awarded the highest National Honour in education, a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work in wine education and wider impact on the English and Welsh wine sector.

Hambledon takeover bid confirmed

Published: 08 November, 2023

The proposed acquisition of English sparkling wine brand Hambledon has been accepted by the company's shareholders, it was announced today (08/11/2023).

Five minutes with Talya Roberson, Marasby

Published: 07 November, 2023

Jo Gilbert gets clued up on Roberson’s latest venture – the first of its kind platform, which promises to offer consumers the chance to buy English wine, direct from producers, at vineyard prices. 

The Pig launches first-ever English sparkling wines

Published: 06 November, 2023

The boutique hotel group, The Pig, will launch its first-ever bottles of English sparkling wine, with grapes from Bee Tree Vineyard in East Sussex, owned by Dermot and Ana Sugrue, of Sugrue South Downs.

English bumper crop highlights capacity conundrum

Published: 27 October, 2023

A bumper crop has led to winemakers turning down grapes from growers, highlighting English wine’s capacity conundrum: there’s an insufficient number of wineries to produce wine from the exponential growth of vineyards.

Gusbourne follows English wine boom with record harvest

Published: 23 October, 2023

English sparkling and fine wine producer, Gusbourne, has followed in the footsteps of several other domestic wineries in 2023, by announcing a record-breaking harvest.

Ridgeview launches its first B Corp Impact Report

Published: 20 October, 2023

English sparkling wine producer Ridgeview has marked one year of B Corp status by launching its first impact report.

WSTA welcomes UK label changes

Published: 17 October, 2023

Following a public consultation, the government has set out reforms for the wine sector which will begin in 2024.

Balfour Winery named among England’s top visitor attractions

Published: 16 October, 2023

Balfour Winery has been recognised as one of the country’s top visitor attractions as the only vineyard to receive a Gold medal accreditation by VisitEngland – the official tourist board for England.

Vineyards become the fastest growing crop in England

Published: 11 October, 2023

Wine grapes are the fastest-growing edible agricultural crop sector for human consumption in England, it has been confirmed, with recent statistics from Defra putting the growth of vineyard hectarage in pole position.