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Published: 03 February, 2020
The Diageo-funded, self-proclaimed ‘drinks accelerator’ Distill Ventures backed a winning horse when it helped launch Seedlip on to the market. Jo Gilbert finds out where they go from here, with Frank Lampen, co-founder and CEO, Distill Ventures
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Published: 24 January, 2020
Harpers columnist Jerry Lockspeiser is the former chairman of Off Piste Wines. Lockspeiser left at the end of 2019 after ten years at the company, which he helped to grow from ‘acorn to oak tree’ after joining back in 2010. His departure follows an investment in Off Piste just before Christmas, which will take the company into a new phase of development. Lockspeiser was also involved in the founding and building of Bottle Green in 1990 and organic wine specialist Vinceremos Wines in 1985. Here, he takes a reflective look back on 15 years that changed the wine world.
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Published: 23 January, 2020
We get under the skin of wine buyers to discover how they got into buying, what informs their day-to-day decisions and what tips they’d offer newcomers.
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Published: 23 January, 2020
Based in a recently-renovated 400-year-old barn in the Surrey Hills, Taurus Wines is a family-run independent merchant. MD Rupert Pritchett, who has winemaking experience in Gigondas and Margaret River, says his secret to success is simple; don’t rip people off. Fair enough.
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Published: 23 January, 2020
UK-based wine businessman and writer Mike Turner has added a new string to his bow for 2020. As well as running Please Bring Me My Wine, a wine industry focused digital media consultancy, and co-owning Primrose Hill restaurant La Ferme, where he oversees the wine list and wine training, he has launched a new online wine merchant.
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Published: 21 January, 2020
Andrew Catchpole shares a glass or two with one of London’s youngest rising stars, Christopher Lecoufle, GM and head sommelier at Les 110 de Taillevent, London
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Published: 14 January, 2020
Founder of Wine 4 Trade Anne-Catherine Vigouroux outlines to James Lawrence what visitors can expect from the French Wine Discoveries 2020 tasting on January 21, and the opportunities for French producers in a post-Brexit Britain
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Published: 10 January, 2020
The life jacket seemed like a good idea, given the size of the launch and the strength of the wind barreling down the jetty. Nervously, I climbed on board and prepared for the final leg of a journey that had started more than 1,000km away in Santiago with a flight to Puerto Montt. From there, I’d taken a ferry to the Isla Grande de Chiloé and driven to Quicavi on its eastern coast. Now it was time to visit the tiny island of Añihué, home to one of the most remote and unusual vineyards in the world.
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Published: 09 January, 2020
JOE FATTORINI
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Published: 06 January, 2020
Santiago Navarro is out to change the world and the mass-market wine business with his flat eco wine bottle. Jo Gilbert catches up with the co-founder and chief executive
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Published: 02 January, 2020
Looking ahead to the first year of a new decade, the Harpers team delivers its (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) predictions for the year ahead…
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Published: 30 December, 2019
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Published: 20 December, 2019
About twenty years ago I tried to sell a sparkling wine from Italy that was almost unknown in the UK market. We were a significant supplier to the major retailers and worked closely with them on new product development ideas, from lesser known grape varieties, regions and countries, to new styles and packaging for better-known wines. My Italian sparkling wine was from a medium sized organic producer whose wines we had won listings for, but the buyers felt that it was not well known enough in our market and wouldn’t sell. It was, of course, Prosecco.
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Published: 17 December, 2019
Just one month into the role, Armit’s new MD Brett Fleming tells Chris Losh why he’s only looking onwards and upwards from now on
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Published: 13 December, 2019
As we flew into her native California last month, my wife was confused. The captain had announced we would be landing in 20 minutes, but looking out the window, she saw an unfamiliar sight. “That’s weird,” she said. “Looks like we’re only just passing over Utah – there’s the salt flats.” Don’t tell me we’ve been diverted, I thought… No, all was on track, and we touched down safely at LAX 20 minutes later. Turns out the vista that had so disoriented my wife was, in fact, the scorched earth of the Golden State, dry beyond recognition.
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Published: 12 December, 2019
In a new series we get under the skin of wine buyers from across the trade, quizzing importers, restaurants, independents and wholesalers about how they got into buying, what informs their day-to-day decisions and what tips they’d offer newcomers.
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Published: 26 November, 2019
JOE FATTORINI
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Published: 22 November, 2019
Running west along London’s Southbank on the section after the London Eye, with the Houses of Parliament to the right across the River Thames and just before Lambeth bridge, I came across a red van selling hot drinks. The side of the van was emblazoned with the words SINGLE ORIGIN HOT CHOCOLATE.
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Published: 19 November, 2019
An innovative Romanian winery has put the country on the vinous map. Andrew Catchpole talks to the iconoclast at the helm
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Published: 13 November, 2019
Norwich-based independent merchant HarperWells has a bustling shop in the centre of the city and a busy events calendar. Sam Howard looks after the company’s wine fine list and private clients - here he shares his secrets to keeping his customers happy and building a client base outside of East Anglia.
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