Producers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Southern Comfort sale averts disaster as Brown-Forman's sales drop 2%

Published: 09 June, 2016

The sale of Southern Comfort and Tuaca has bolstered a 2% drop in net sales for Jack Daniels owner Brown-Forman.

Portuguese still wine producers' patience is paying off

Published: 09 June, 2016

While Portugal is still most famous for its fortified wines, Portuguese still wines are gaining ground in the world of wine, but it has been a long road.

Halo effect in gin creating thirst for premium tonic

Published: 09 June, 2016

Premium brand 1724 Tonic Water has found a new UK distributor as it aims to gain ground in the growing premium tonic market.

Analysis: How directly engaging with consumer can pay big dividends

Published: 09 June, 2016

Directly engaging with consumers can pay big dividends for a modest outlay, if coupled with imagination. One Cork One Point from the Haciendas Company, the Beronia Txoko Club with Gonzáles Byass and Concha Y Toro all are offering winning initiatives where wine companies are building relationships directly with consumers.

M?ori wine: Indigenous culture conquering the world with non-indigenous grapes

Published: 08 June, 2016

The world's first M?ori-owned wine company has its sights set on breaking into the UK market with a 500-year plan to promote its wines and preserve the land.

Loire Valley's frost loss estimates hit an average of 30%

Published: 08 June, 2016

Following a meeting last month, Loire Valley vineyard owners and producers came together to asses the damage of frost that hit several wine producing regions across France in late April and estimate that 20- 30% of the harvest may be lost.

Nicolas Feuillatte launches contemporary communication strategy

Published: 08 June, 2016

A major marketing shake up was unveiled at Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte's 40^th anniversary bash in Paris on 7 June

Gains in Malbec lost due to Argentine El Niño

Published: 08 June, 2016

An Uco Valley winery is picking up the pieces of some of the worst weather in decades as sales of its "trendy" malbec plummet.

Australia's Mediterranean varieties driving next cycle of interest in UK

Published: 07 June, 2016

Australia's future popularity in the UK may well ride on the growing number of Mediterranean varieties emerging from the country, delivering a more niche and premium proposition than the established reliance on volume sales.

State of uncertainty following the Conviviality and Bibendum deal still remains

Published: 06 June, 2016

A month on from Conviviality Retail acquiring Bibendum PLB, there still seems to be a state of uncertainty around what a deal of this magnitude could mean for the trade.

Q&A: Guillermo de Aranzabal, president, La Rioja Alta

Published: 06 June, 2016

Armit Wines' La Rioja Alta is known for its 890 and 904 wines - key years in the founding of the original winery. Harpers.co.uk caught up with the winery's fifth-generation president to find out what the Rioja label means to his business.

Rioja a double-edged sword for premium brands

Published: 06 June, 2016

As one of the primary regions in the world's third largest wine producing country, the Rioja label carries a huge amount of weight in the on and off-trade worldwide - and especially in the UK, where its easy-to-drink reputation has made it a stalwart on British supermarkets shelves.

Nicolas Feuillatte partners with Harpers in exciting new 'Other Side of Life' competition

Published: 03 June, 2016

New intitaitive asks "what do you do when not immersed in the trade?" with trip for two to Nicolas Feuillatte on offer.

Treasury Wine Estates moves to consolidate its US businesses

Published: 03 June, 2016

Following the acquisition of the bulk of Diageo's US and UK wine business for £390 million in October, Treasury Wine Estates announced today it would be restructuring the US business.

Sulphur debate boils over

Published: 03 June, 2016

With the emergence of a counterculture in wine styles, the President of the OIV, the International Vine and Wine Organisation, has issued a controversial warning over the push to reduce sulphur (SO2) levels in wine.

Convenience sector growth outpaces the market

Published: 02 June, 2016

Within the convenience sector wine sales's growth is outpacing the rest of the wine market and for those suppliers, particularly of New World wines, and retailers with identifiable brands and new formats, the opportunities to capitalise on the sector abound.

ICCWS: Cool climate wine gaining ground

Published: 01 June, 2016

Speaking at the Cool Climate Symposium (ICCWS) in Brighton last week, Oz Clarke said cool climate wines such as English and Welsh wines, could be the perfect antidote to the big, overripe wines.

Wolf Blass signs multi-year partnership with Manchester City FC in Asia

Published: 31 May, 2016

Treasury Wine Estates' Wolf Blass brand has signed a multi-year partnership deal to be the official wine partner of the Manchester City Football Club for Asia, Middle East, Africa and Mexico.

Opinion: Logistic providers within the drinks trade need to respond to the changing landscape

Published: 31 May, 2016

As DHL's Tradeteam celebrates two decades in business, managing director James Gill discusses the changing face of the drinks logistics market and the crucial role logistics partners play in working with their customers to address the challenges.

Q&A: Julio Sáenz, La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Published: 27 May, 2016

La Rioja Alta, S.A., has been making wine since it was founded by five families back in 1890. We chatted to Julio Sáenz, winemaker at the premium vineyard since 1996 and technical director since 2005, about how their wines and the winemaking have evolved.