Producer Q&A: Félix Solís Avantis

UK MD Richard Cochrane and President Félix Solís, the two leaders of the major wine company, fill Andrew Catchpole in on the latest innovative developments.

The wine list’s new rules

In part 2 of our series, Jo Gilbert goes back to basics with on-trade suppliers to tease out the nuances of the burning question: what makes a good wine list?

The Drop: Bringing it home

Bottle shop, wine bar or app? The Drop’s marketing director Helen Fletcher explains to Andrew Catchpole how it is all three and how this popular hybrid is set to grow.

Profile: Defined Wine

A dynamic, Kent-based contract winemaker is creating waves across the English scene. Andrew Catchpole drops by to find out what the noise is all about.

Soapbox: Bracing for major change

With swingeing duty rises about to hit the trade, Hallgarten & Novum Wines’ MD Andrew Bewes looks beyond the headline cost and turns his attention to the challenges operators face when implementing the increase at ground level.

Inspirational event to boost Rioja

Rioja DOCa global marketing & communications director Inigo Tapiador talks through the upcoming Rioja Residency on 21 June.

Tim Atkin MW: Why AI matters

My friend Matt likes to confuse algorithms. “Every now and then, I type the first thing that comes into my head into Google, Facebook or Instagram,” he told me. “Emperor penguins, Everest, wrestling, Taylor Smith, cupcakes.” In a world where our digital footprint is used by everyone from advertisers to political parties, it’s a spirited attempt to put AI off the scent.

Italy’s hot topics

Five minutes with Ben Bernheim, Pink.wine

The boom in rosé sales in the UK is more complicated than it first appears, as Ben Bernheim, rosé expert and co-owner of Pink.wine, explains to Andrew Catchpole, with just some big names driving the market.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Are relationships more important than the product?

The 2023 London Wine Fair took place recently. I hadn’t been for a few years and was intrigued to see how the latest iteration would turn out. Would it be buzzing and dynamic, filled with innovation and new things, a valuable time for its target market, or flat and tired, a downbeat reflection of our troubled times?

Q&A: Nayan Gowda winemaker, Jardín Oculto

Nayan Gowda, well-travelled UK winemaker now making wines at 2,300m altitude with Jardín Oculto in the Cinti Valley in Bolivia, talks Darren Smith through his work.

Asda: Adding variety

Asda has appeared quiet on the drinks front of late, but big change has been brewing, as Angela Mount reports.

Soapbox: Sizing up the bad payers

As financial challenges sweep the trade, one importer voices the fears  of many that late payment by accounts is becoming ingrained

Guy Woodward: Language matters

Of the many acerbic lines I heard on a recent visit to Australia (winemakers really are a different breed there – in a good way), few matched the pithiness of those delivered by Dave Bicknell.

Five minutes with Eric Zwiebel MS, The Samling

Following his recent move to The Samling Hotel in the Lake District, Eric Zwiebel, director of wine at The Samling talks us through his plans for the cellar.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Can business be a force for good?

I was thrilled to read of a recent initiative by The Wine Society, not just because I am a member, but because it speaks volumes about how they approach their business.

Sustainability Report: A social affair

From staff welfare to attracting employees, by way of putting back into the community, ethical concerns are ever higher on the agenda. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Harpers' Sustainability Charter: Charting signatories' progress

One year on, James Lawrence tracks developments with some of our Sustainability Charter signatories.

Leading the charge for sustainability in the boardroom

Harpers’ recent Folding Sustainability into the Boardroom DNA webinar delivered great insights into advancing the cause. 

Sustainability Report: The Co-op interview

For decades the Co-op has led the way in ethical trading and renewable energy in the grocery sector. In 2023, how is this reflected in its BWS offering? James Bayley reports.