People & Opinion - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Liberty for all

Published: 25 April, 2018

David Gleave MW talks to Andrew Catchpole about the vision that continues to underpin his business 20 years since it began

Meet the buyers: John Critchley, Morgenrot

Published: 23 April, 2018

This month we caught up with the leading wholesalers from Britain’s provincial hotspots

Q&A: Charles Smith, Wines of Substance

Published: 16 April, 2018

Since selling off the five key labels of his eponymous wine range to Constellation Brands in 2016, former rock band manager turned Washington-based wine pioneer Charles Smith is now focused on creating Wines of Substance. Jo Gilbert reports

Guy Woodward: Casting wine in a cool, urban light

Published: 12 April, 2018

Guy Woodward Former editor of Decanter

Meet the buyers: David Robertson, group wine manager, HB Clark

Published: 10 April, 2018

This month we caught up with the leading wholesalers from Britain’s provincial hotspots

Meet the buyer: Rachael Leach, director of private client sales, Swig

Published: 06 April, 2018

I got into the trade by accident, after finding out about WSET from an article for a level 2 course that came with (the real attraction) an accompanying daily lunch at José Pizarro’s restaurant. That love of wine and need to get involved was fostered by the blind-tasting team at university, and then a stint at Bancroft in the marketing department.

Tim Atkin MW: Protecting the global spirit of wine

Published: 06 April, 2018

Tim Atkin MW: Wine critic, broadcaster, co-chair of the IWC

Winning at wine: HB Clark

Published: 30 March, 2018

Composite wholesaler HB Clark has a renewed focus on wine as a door opener for new trade. Andrew Catchpole reports

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: