Producers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Bacardi debuts biodegradable bottle

Published: 21 October, 2020

Bacardi has unveiled plans to develop the “world’s most eco-friendly spirits bottle” which will biodegrade in 18 months.

Wine GB launches industry hallmark for classic method wines

Published: 15 October, 2020

Wine GB has announced its first ever collective campaign for producers in England and Wales, including a hallmark to help to differentiate English and Welsh PDO sparkling wines made using the “time and craft-intensive classic method”.

Low and no sales on the rise

Published: 07 September, 2020

Sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks are up 30% year-on-year in the off-trade, with consumer spend on alcohol-free spirits hitting £5.4m, according to data from Nielsen.

The Wine Society launches initiative to support ‘key’ growers

Published: 03 September, 2020

The Wine Society has launched a campaign to support some of its key growers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sales at Pernod Ricard slump post-Covid

Published: 02 September, 2020

Organic sales at Pernod Ricard fell 9.5% as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, the company has reported, with revenues for the year to 30 June reaching €8.5bn.

Jolie-Pitts debut rosé Champagne

Published: 01 September, 2020

The march of celebrity backed wine brands into mainstream consciousness continues with the launch of Fleur de Miraval, a new collaboration with former Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and the Péters family in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Brewdog teases Bad Beer Vodka as brewer celebrates carbon negativity

Published: 24 August, 2020

Beer powerhouse Brewdog is continuing to pave the way for sustainable action as it teases the launch of a zero waste vodka made from brews which are not quite in spec or too old to sell.

California Wine country eludes Hennessy fire

Published: 20 August, 2020

California’s wine country has so far been spared the wrath of the latest wildfires, which broke out in the northern part of the state on Monday.

On ‘Clean’ wine – ambiguity among the vines

Published: 20 August, 2020

Wine is an odd consumable. It’s a drug, it isn’t legally required to list ingredients, and it’s often described with vague, ambiguous terms. In the wake of the natural wine movement and the age of ‘wellness’, it was just a matter of time until a brand tried to hoodwink us. Quickest to the mark were Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power with ‘clean wine’, Avaline.

Relief as gin spared from US tariff hikes, but battle for Scotch continues

Published: 13 August, 2020

The US has backed down on its threat to expand a 16-year old trade fight with the European Union to impose tariffs on gin – a move which would have been “hugely detrimental” for the British alcohol industry.

Mud House pushes outdoors lifestyles in new global campaign

Published: 11 August, 2020

Leading NZ wine brand Mud House has launched a new global campaign titled ‘Taste the Adventure’.

Apothic adds first single-varietal to range

Published: 10 August, 2020

Premium Californian wine brand Apothic is to add its first single-varietal wine to its portfolio next month.

Julio Sáenz, winemaker, La Rioja Alta

Published: 04 August, 2020

As La Rioja Alta celebrates its 130th anniversary, and with the release of its second ever Viña Arana Gran Reserva (2014) in August, Andrew Catchpole catches up with Julio Sáenz for taste and talk over his most recent trio of Gran Reserva wines.

IXSIR partners with monks for southern Lebanon expansion

Published: 29 July, 2020

Lebanese winery IXSIR has added a new vineyard to its portfolio in the southern Quatine area of the country, planted in partnership with Maronite monks that own the land.

Champagne fails to agree 2020 yield amid “worst crisis since WW2”

Published: 24 July, 2020

The Champenois are in disarray as efforts to reach agreement on the level of yield for the 2020 harvest failed at a recent meeting of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) in Epernay.

Ramón Bilbao targets organic certification for vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2020

Spanish producer Ramón Bilbao has begun the three-year process of converting its Rioja and Rueda vineyards to organic production methods.

Pernod Ricard issues more upbeat guidance for 2020

Published: 23 July, 2020

Pernod Ricard is predicting a softer impact on its business as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, according to its latest guidance for its 2020 results.

Three new wines from Offbeat

Published: 22 July, 2020

New Wiltshire-based sustainable winery Offbeat wines has released three wines, following the sell-out success of its first issue.

Premium rosé trend gathers pace

Published: 14 July, 2020

World-wide consumption of rosé has long seen a steady increase, growing 40% between 2002 and 2018, with three countries – France, United States and Germany - accounting for 60% of all volume consumed in 2018. But the category’s value proposition seems to be changing, with consumers increasingly seeking a sense of provenance, expression of terroir and varietal character (all data from Observatoire Mondial du Rosé).

GB sustainability initiative given the “green” light

Published: 10 July, 2020

The environmental sustainability scheme for the UK wine industry is now underway, around a year after plans were first announced in order to put GB winemaking on a par with green rivals in New Zealand and Champagne.