People & Opinion - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Temptestblog

Published: 06 February, 2014

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A Year of plenty:2013

Published: 04 February, 2014

An incredible year full of surprises and amazing bottles of wine… and a few lessons that you learn as a sommelier and should NOT forget to put in practice, no matter where you are.

Taste Test: Château Thénac - Côtes de Bergerac 2009

Published: 04 February, 2014

What do you buy for the man that has everything? Not a vineyard in Bergerac that's for sure...

50 Great Portuguese Wines for 2014 Comes to the USA

Published: 03 February, 2014

According to Nuno Vale of Wines of Portugal, over the last year, he has seen an over 15% increase in growth by value of Portuguese wines in their export markets.

Interview with Chateau Haut-Bailly's GM Veronique Sanders: Insight into the 2013 Vintage

Published: 29 January, 2014

In a challenging vintage, chateaux with the most resources and the willingness to deploy them are able to make quality wine. Can the secret be the 'cube?'

Jerry Lockspeiser on why wine is for drinking and not for a health or fitness regime

Published: 23 January, 2014

Negative reports about alcohol are as frequent as Manchester City goals. So it would be nice to believe the studies suggesting that the legalised drug we peddle is infact good for health.

Navigating the New ebook The World Atlas of Wine

Published: 22 January, 2014

Is the new ebook version of The World Atlas of Wine by Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson easy to navigate?

Visiting Paulo Laureano in Alentejo, Portugal

Published: 15 January, 2014

"I believe in wine with terroir, and I believe in wine that has a story behind it," says Paulo Laureano with a smile in his cheerful Australian-accented English, as I walk inside the BL Lounge restaurant. It is a modern, yet laid-back place in the wine resort town of Evora, with a sleek looking bar in contrast to the more traditional restaurant white-washed walls and a wooden beam ceiling.

Why on Earth do People Give up Alcohol in January?

Published: 07 January, 2014

A few thoughts on why I won't be going dry for January.

Visiting Di Siprio winery in Abruzzo, Italy

Published: 05 January, 2014

Di Siprio ... sparkling and fine wines from well capitalized new winery in Abruzzo.

An Overview of Festive Trading - An Independents perspective.

Published: 05 January, 2014

A brief look at the sales and trends throughout the month of December at Hennings Wine Chichester.

Visiting Nicolas Feuillatte in Champagne

Published: 27 December, 2013

Curious for an "insider's view" of one of the largest Champagne Houses in Epernay?

Visiting Maison Ruinart in Champagne

Published: 26 December, 2013

Answer quickly - what was the secret to Nicolas Ruinart's success in founding Ruinart Champagne in 1729?

Two Good, 2 Bad fo 2013, Hopes and Fears for 2014: Jerry Lockspeiser, Off Piste Wines

Published: 26 December, 2013

Settle in to Boxing Day in the capable hands of Jerry Lockspeiser of Off Piste Wines as he looks back on his good and bad memories of 2013 and his hopes and fears for 2014.

Using social media is one thing, being interesting is another, says Jerry Lockspeiser

Published: 19 December, 2013

The message I heard being yelled at wine businesses more than any other this year was 'Wake up to Social Media'. For anyone interested in communicating with consumers it's got to be at the centre of company and brand marketing plans for 2014. Or has it?

Mike Paul on taking commercial education to the next level

Published: 18 December, 2013

A recurring theme at the recent Wine Vision Conference was that the wine industry needed to improve its marketing. We are too production oriented: we don't really understand the consumer. If we have heard it once we have heard it a thousand times and I'd be surprised if anyone in the room in fact disagreed with the message.

Mark Fiddes: why some celebs shift brands and others don't

Published: 16 December, 2013

Jean-Claude Van Damme demonstrating Volvo trucks = 60 million hits on You Tube.

One decadent night ... look what escaped the cellar!

Published: 05 December, 2013

No wine horror stories here.... Just two clarets and a Jimmy... This year has been our year for letting wine escape from our cellar. We have found that we were squirrelling away our wines and not appreciating them as we intended when we purchased them a decade or so ago. While the red wine flowed, so too did the conversation - as if we had caught up just the other day rather than too many years ago. These were the wines that kept the topics rolling in our early Christmas catch up.

Taste Test: La Roncaia Eclisse Sauvignon BlancPicolit 2011 (Friuli-Venezia, Italy)

Published: 02 December, 2013

I nearly had a Slovenian wine last night....

Jerry Lockspeiser: why we need to price wines on enjoyment not what they cost

Published: 28 November, 2013

Imagine for a moment that Champagne does not exist. The sparkling wine market is dominated by cava and prosecco with competition from the New World. Consumers are accustomed to affordable, well made but largely uninspiring sparkling wines.