People & Opinion - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Jerry Lockspeiser: It’s time to treat drinkers like adults

Published: 28 March, 2018

What have Kevin the Carrot, a wine called Sex, and Anything But Chardonnay got in common? Answer: They’ve all been banned.

Meet the buyers: Robin Davis, owner/wine director, Swig

Published: 26 March, 2018

This month we caught up with the surfers riding the wave of the online wine world

Profile: Kingsland Drinks

Published: 21 March, 2018

By taking an holistic approach from sourcing to supply, Kingsland Drinks is injecting innovation along the way. Andrew Catchpole reports

Meet the buyers: Ray O’Connor, wine director, Naked Wines

Published: 19 March, 2018

This month we caught up with the surfers riding the wave of the online wine world

Meet the buyers: Andrew Baker, wine buying director, Virgin Wines

Published: 16 March, 2018

This month we caught up with the surfers riding the wave of the online wine world

Guy Woodward: Lobbing grenades at Majestic

Published: 14 March, 2018

Guy Woodward, former editor of Decanter

Tim Atkin MW: State of the Union Jack

Published: 09 March, 2018

What does the Union Jack symbolise to you? Pride? Shame? Sovereignty? Populism? Peace? Colonialism? All are possible responses and have been almost since the flag was designed in 1800 to reflect the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland. As Tim Marshall writes in his recent book, Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flags, “its beauty or otherwise is in the eye, imagination and politics of the beholder”.

All change at Greene King

Published: 07 March, 2018

Andrew Ingham talks us through the changes he has implemented since taking the helm at Greene King and how to develop a strong wine offer. Angela Mount reports

Meet the buyers: Jason Haynes, Burgundy buyer and co-founder, Flint Wines

Published: 06 March, 2018

In 2006 I decided to set up Flint Wines with long-term friend Sam Clarke, whose background was in spread betting rather than wine, which helped give us a fresh approach to business. During our initial discussions he acquired a new Great Dane puppy called Flint so we borrowed his name and the company was born. The third director, Gearoid Devaney MS, joined the company in 2010 and things have really blossomed since then.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Plan or passion - what's the key to business success?

Published: 05 March, 2018

“I realise just how few grand theories I have, to what an extent the Blizzard was created by a series of small individual decisions without any great defining vision behind it, how we keep muddling through….we still tend to judge things by how interesting we find them rather than by what traffic they may generate…”

Q&A: Lenz Moser, chief winemaker, Chateau Changyu Moser XV

Published: 26 February, 2018

Lenz Moser has gone from making Grüner Veltliner in Austria to producing white Cabernet Sauvignon in China’s Ningxia region for Changyu Pioneer Company. He told Jo Gilbert how he plans to take his wine from the ‘Napa of Asia’ to the rest of the world

Keeping the list keen

Published: 23 February, 2018

We asked leading indie merchants how they approach buying and what they will be hunting out for 2018. Philip Amps, Greg Sherwood MW and Henry Butler explain the method (and occassional madness) in planning for the year ahead:

Q&A: Anita Jackson, Wines of Chile

Published: 23 February, 2018

With a special focus on Chile at Spring SITT, Harpers caught up with UK director Anita Jackson for a lowdown on the current buzz.

Meet the buyers: Berenger Piras

Published: 16 February, 2018

James Lawrence continues his buyer-focused odyssey, speaking to some of the most influential names in the business

Meet the buyers: Andrew Shaw

Published: 16 February, 2018

James Lawrence continues his buyer-focused odyssey, speaking to some of the most influential names in the business

Guy Woodward: Why we should all just embrace low-alcohol wines

Published: 13 February, 2018

Former editor of Decanter @guyawoodward

Tim Atkin MW: Day Zero looms for South Africa

Published: 09 February, 2018

“Day Zero” sounds like the title of a dystopian disaster movie, starring Matt Damon or an ageing Bruce Willis perhaps. But what’s happening in South Africa right now has nothing to do with fantasy or fiction. On the contrary, it’s all too real. If you’ve not been reading the news from Cape Town recently, the city is about to run out of water. On January 18, the city’s mayor, Patricia de Lille, said that the “point of no return” had been reached and that, if things continue as they are with little or no rainfall, by April 12 (Day Zero), the taps will be turned off.

Q&A: Ronan Sayburn MS

Published: 30 January, 2018

Super-somm, uber-educator and private members’ wine club buyer Ronan Sayburn MS talks shop with Andrew Catchpole

Jerry Lockspeiser: What wine would you drink in an igloo?

Published: 26 January, 2018

During November and December last year, a skiing inspired pop-up appeared on London’s Southbank near the Festival Hall. Close to the skate boarders and overlooking the river Thames, Jimmy’s Lodge featured an outside bar and grill, inside restaurant and three heated Private Dining Igloos (or Snow Globes) for 6-10 people.