Producers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Santorini prices edge towards Champagne

Published: 19 July, 2023

Santorini, the land of very old vines, is facing new challenges, with skyrocketing price-per-kilo costs putting them on par with some of the world’s most expensive.

Chivas Brothers makes carbon cutting technologies ‘open source’ to industry

Published: 19 July, 2023

The Scotch whisky producer has deployed highly efficient heat recovery technologies within the whisky distillation process, halving carbon emissions at its Glentauchers distillery.

Spirits of Virtue relaunch targets UK thirst for quality low & no

Published: 17 July, 2023

Scottish zero-alcohol producer Spirits of Virtue has completed a ‘redevelopment and relaunch’ project with the aim of boosting the reach of its recently expanded portfolio.

Catena Zapata named ‘World’s Best Vineyard’ 2023

Published: 14 July, 2023

The annual ‘World’s Best Vineyard’ winners have been announced, recognising the very best wine tourism experiences around the globe.

Justerini & Brooks adds Bodegas Fulcro of Rias Baixas DO

Published: 13 July, 2023

Fine wine importer Justerini & Brooks has expanded its portfolio of Spanish wines with the addition of Bodegas Fulcro in the Rias Baixas DO.

Oz Vintage 2023 estimated to be “smallest in a generation”

Published: 11 July, 2023

According to the results of Wine Australia’s National Vintage Survey, the 2023 Australian winegrape crush was the lowest reported since 2000, a 24% decrease on the 2022 crush of 1.73m tonnes and 26% below the 10-year average of 1.78m tonnes.

E. & J. Gallo Winery and Randall Grahm announce exclusive collaboration

Published: 10 July, 2023

E. & J. Gallo Winery has teamed up with the ‘Rhône Ranger’ Randall Grahm, the Californian winemaker famed for his iterations of classic French wines.

Uccelliera and Voliero joins Bancroft

Published: 10 July, 2023

Montalcino-based Uccelliera and Voliero have joined the Bancroft Wines portfolio, adding to its roster of family-run wineries from around the world.

Benchmark tasting pits Grüner and Furmint against 'commercial' wines

Published: 10 July, 2023

Austrian Grüner Veltliner and dry Furmint from Tokaj were very much in the spotlight at a ‘benchmark’ tasting last week, hosted by Lenz M. Moser and Stefan Neumann MS.

Native varietals the way forward for Tejo

Published: 10 July, 2023

The first vines were planted in Tejo as far back as the Roman times, so it may seem odd to describe the area as ‘on the up’. However, after a period in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s when Portugal, as a whole, could be considered to prioritise quantity over quality, the fertile land of Tejo is producing an array of wines to be reckoned with, particularly with its indigenous varieties.

Proposals to remove ban on international blending in the UK

Published: 07 July, 2023

The government claims new proposals to enable businesses to ‘blend’ and ‘transform’ bulk wine on UK turf will ‘put a rocket’ under UK trade, by allowing businesses the flexibility to blend across countries of origin – though some say this will sound death knell for wines of provenance.

Miguel A. Torres pens open letter calling for more climate activism

Published: 29 June, 2023

Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres has urged the wine industry to do more to combat climate change in an open letter.

London Cru acquires Sussex vineyard

Published: 28 June, 2023

London's first urban winery has purchased a vineyard in West Sussex, adjacent to Bolney Estate.

Rioja’s top wines take the spotlight in London

Published: 26 June, 2023

A selection of age-worthy styles from recent to older decades were on full show at the recent Rioja Residency – a new, unbeatable showing of the region’s best wines.

Friday read: London’s wineries offer ‘disruptive’ balance to English Wine Week

Published: 23 June, 2023

London’s urban wineries’ inaugural joint tasting this week (19 June) marked an intriguing counterpoint to the more regular medley of tasting, dinners and vineyard picnics that typically mark English Wine Week.

UK Port celebrates 650 years history of Portuguese alliance

Published: 16 June, 2023

The UK Port industry is celebrating six-and-a-half centuries of cooperation and trade this week, which included a celebratory dinner hosted by Taylor’s in the Tower of London’s White Tower.

Balfour tells British farmers 'grow grapes to secure your future'

Published: 16 June, 2023

Richard Balfour-Lynn, co-founder of Balfour Winery, one of the UK’s largest English wine producers, has urged British farmers to convert their land to viticulture in the face of climate change and rising demand for grapes.

Ribera del Duero DO 2022 'very good' according to external committee

Published: 16 June, 2023

Ribera del Duero DO is lauding its 2022 vintage as “very good” following the verdict of the Exceptional Committee, a group of 12 leading figures from the Spanish wine industry.

Trentodoc welcomes its first Champagne 'émigré'

Published: 16 June, 2023

Cyril Brun has become the first French national to take up residence at a Trentodoc winery, accepting the position of technical director at Ferrari Trento.

Chapel Down stunt “raises eyebrows” among the Champenois

Published: 13 June, 2023

English winery Chapel Down has loosed the cat among the proverbial pigeons in Reims ahead of English Wine Week, by going undercover as Champagne – and apparently beating the Champenois at their own game.