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Richard Siddle: comment, May 18, why LIWF is still our showcase to the world

Published:  18 May, 2012


There has been a lot of nostalgia in recent weeks as the nation's media prepares us all for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It is as if a look back to the 1970s, the three-day weeks, power cuts and Carry On films, will make us feel a whole lot better about life in Britain in 2012.

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Richard Siddle: comment May 4; seeing the world through Boris's eyes..

Published:  04 May, 2012


Here's a topical anecdote to mark the seemingly never-ending London mayoral elections that took place on Thursday.

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Richard Siddle: comment April 5, Government splits drinks industry over minimum pricing

Published:  05 April, 2012


The debate around the proposed minimum price of alcohol appears to have split the trade in two.

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Gavin Quinney blog: Bordeaux's en primeur 2011

Published:  28 March, 2012

As the world's top tasters get ready to head to Bordeaux to sample the 2011 vintage, Gavin Quinney, owner of the region's Château Bauduc, blogs on what he thinks lies ahead.
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Richard Siddle: comment, is Cameron's minimum pricing move a double bluff?

Published:  23 March, 2012

When Steve Hilton, David Cameron's so called policy advisor, packed his man bag to head to California many thought he had taken all of the Prime Minister's big policy ideas with him.
Well think again.

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Richard Siddle: comment March, how wine companies are changing the way they operate

Published:  21 March, 2012

Itseemed like the world, its wife and extended family had turned up at Prowein, the German wine fair early this month. Over 40,000 members of the global wine family had made the trek to Dusseldorf by plane, car and winnebago to take advantage of what is increasingly being seen as the most commercially important trade fair in the world.

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Richard Siddle: on the road with Glenmorangie at Sassicaia

Published:  29 February, 2012

There are wine press trips and there are spirits press trips and both are very different affairs. But never in my experience do you get a wine and spirits trip all mixed up in one.

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Richard Siddle: comment, February 24, time for us all to stand up over responsible drinking

Published:  24 February, 2012

David Cameron's warning last week that his government is looking to introduce much tighter drinks legislation, including potentially a minimum price for alcohol, resulted in the industry taking another beating from the national media.
Yet other than the obligatory responses from our much called upon drinks trade associations, where was the reply from our major drinks companies?

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Richard Siddle: comment, February 24, time for us all to stand up over responsible drinking

Published:  24 February, 2012

David Cameron's warning last week that his government is looking to introduce much tighter drinks legislation, including potentially a minimum price for alcohol, resulted in the industry taking another beating from the national media.
Yet other than the obligatory responses from our much called upon drinks trade associations, where was the reply from our major drinks companies?

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Richard Siddle, comment: what sort of brand appeal do you have?

Published:  16 February, 2012


It says something of how far the power of brands are now so embedded in our lives that the adverts during this week's Super Bowl had more of an impact than the game itself.

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Richard Siddle: comment, January 30, The gospel according to the Famous Five

Published:  30 January, 2012

As the industry takes a collective intake of breath for us all to plan our respective budgets for the financial year ahead, who better to guide us in our efforts than the collective thoughts of the BWS chiefs at each of our major supermarkets. The Famous Five if you like.

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Anne Krebiehl: a review of the Thrilling Vintages from Germany tasting by The Wine Barn

Published:  17 January, 2012


"It is just important to give the trade the opportunity to taste, to show how good and versatile these wines are," said Iris Ellmann, MD of German specialist merchant The Wine Barn at yesterday's Annual Trade Tasting.

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Richard Siddle: comment, December 16, Let's Get Engaged

Published:  16 December, 2011

If you did believe all you read in the papers then you would not get out of bed in the morning. If the economic predictions for the year ahead were not enough to get you reaching for a bottle of the strong stuff, we're now being told by a TV retail celebrity that if you did pop down to your local high street you would not be able to find a shop with a bottle to sell you.

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Richard Siddle: my visions of China

Published:  02 December, 2011

When's the last time you had a Chinese takeaway? Last week? A fortnight ago? If the pundits are right we'll soon be asking the same question about the last Chinese wine you had.

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Richard Siddle: memories of Wine Future 2011 Hong Kong

Published:  02 December, 2011

The old idiom a problem shared is a problem halved certainly came to mind whilst listening to, and taking part in, three days of Wine Future Hong Kong 2011 event last month. Near on 1,000 wine professionals from 45 different countries made the effort to fly to what has now been dubbed the wine capital of the world to hopefully take a few pearls of wisdom back to their home markets.

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Richard Siddle: why we need to understand the new consumer

Published:  27 October, 2011

Let me introduce you to a friend of mine. They've not had a pay rise in two years, they're worried about their job, they live on a tight budget and are forever searching the internet to find voucher discount codes and only eat out if they can get a family deal. But they are also really into their food and will shop around to buy local or authentic products. They give money to charity and are actively walking away from businesses with big profits that don't do anything for the environment.

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Richard Siddle: lobbyists give drinks industry clean bill of health at party conferences

Published:  13 October, 2011

When temperatures nudge past 80 degrees we are normally in the midst of what the national media refer to as the silly season. The months of July and August when the politicians disappear off to Tuscany and there is nothing to fill the papers than stories of ducks being stuck down chimneys or similar tales of animal derring do.

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Richard Siddle: will a code bring better transparency for independents from suppliers?

Published:  26 September, 2011

I'm not sure how the other participants felt turning up at last week's inaugural Harpers independents and suppliers meeting but I was apprehensive how it might go. Chairing a debate when you know you have strongly opposing views on either side might make for good viewing, but would it actually achieve anything?

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Richard Siddle: comment September 9, Lighten up about low alcohol wines

Published:  15 September, 2011

"Hi darling, I'm just popping out to get a bottle of wine. Anything you fancy?" "Ooh yes, could you get one of those 5.9% strong wines. I've got a big meeting tomorrow and need a clear head."

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Richard Siddle: comment August 26, Let's all get behind South Africa

Published:  15 September, 2011

It is said there is no such thing as bad publicity, well try telling that to the South African wine industry this month sent reeling from allegations of human rights infringements of workers at some wineries.

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