Accolade Wines recruits Daniel l'Anson as first UK fine wine director to drive premium wines

Accolade Wines hopes to establish a footprint and market for its extensive range of premium wines by appointing its first fine wine director in the UK.

Harpers Awards 2015 promises to roll out red carpet for best in UK wine and spirits

Awards season is well and truly amongst us with seemingly not a day going by without a red carpet being rolled out for the great, good and glamorous. Harpers is giving you the chance to shine in your own industry with this year's entry process for the Harpers Awards well and truly under way.

UK wine trade to unite to pay respects to Château Musar's Serge Hochar

A memorial service is to be held to remember the life and influence of legendary Lebanese winemaker, Serge Hochar, of Château Musar, who died whilst on a family holiday in Mexico over the new year.

Glynn Davis discovers a New York craft beer scene of all shapes, sizes...and strengths

One of the downsides of drinking in specialist beer bars in the UK is that you'll far too frequently hear the comment 'you can't drink many pints of that' when drinkers are confronted with anything stronger than 5%.

Why legally protecting your business assets and brands is vital to any growth strategy

Olivia Perrott, of law company, Stevens & Bolton LLP, says it is vital wine and spirits businesses protect their brand names and  IP assets if they are to maximise growth 

Cambridge Wine's Hal Wilson leads the way and gets local MP to back Drop the Duty campaign

Leading independent wine merchant, Hal Wilson of Cambridge Wine Merchants, has shown the way forward by persuading his local MP to stand up for a drop in wine and spirits duty in March's Budget by writing to Chancellor, George Osborne calling for a change.

Chief of the Week: Skin Côntact's Richard Hemming

Drum roll please for our Chief of the Week who is the man behind the wine industry's very own rock band, Skin Côntact, that has been brought together to not only bring some much needed entertainment for the drinks trade but to help raise money for Comic Relief.

Top British importers and merchants unite to call for better prices from Bordeaux

Some of the biggest wine importers, distributors, brokers and retailers in the country, including Majestic, Berry Bros & Rudd and Farr Vintners, have written to Bordeaux producers to demand changes in pricing of wines being offered to the UK.

Justin Keay finds much to discover at London's annual New Zealand tasting

First impressions count for much and so it was this week at the 2015 Annual Wines of New Zealand Trade Tasting. The unremarkable, ever so slightly claustrophobic Lindley Hall - which seems to host almost all generic tastings these days - was absolutely packed; within seconds of grabbing my glass I found myself firmly wedged into a crowd that reminded me of my student days of catching public transport in India.

Former ITN and CNN correspondents in Wine Enthusiast's top 5

David Smith, the former ITN news correspondent turned winemaker, has received a massive vote of confidence for his Argentinian wine, SonVida, that only had its first vintage in 2007, by being named number four in the prestigious Wine Enthusiast Top100 wines of the year.

The Thinking Drinkers look to celebrate "legends of liquor" in new Soho show

The world of drinks has been blessed with some maverick and memorable figures over the years all of which will be celebrated as part of a new show by the Thinking Drinkers, otherwise known as drinks writers Tom Sandham and Ben McFarland.

Roger Jones concludes his South African tour with a clarion call to the UK to stock up!

The South Africa wine industry generally seems to be fighting a battle to persuade the UK that it produces not only premium quality wines but that they deserve a higher price for these wines. Having seen one notable exchange between a formidable UK Importer and equal South African producer regarding prices it would seem that not all is rosy in the Cape garden.

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Skin Côntact's Ben Smith shares his music likes and loves

The countdown is on until the biggest (well OK only) live gig of the year takes place when the wine trade's very own band, Skin Côntact, take to the stage at Vinopolis on March 9 to help raise money for Comic Relief.

Roger Jones' South African journey covers sublime Pinotgate and bush vine Chardonnay

First visit of the day was not the usual looking winery, but a bungalow in the middle of a housing estate; Thorne and Daughters, and sadly the daughters were too busy to meet me as they were both attending primary school!

Diageo's World Class Bartender of the Year search begins with bartender semi-finals

Fifty of the UK's top bartenders have been selected to take part in the semi-finals of Diageo's competition to find the best bar talent as part of its Reserve World Class 2015 competition.

Geoffrey Dean on why Burgundy's Chateau de Santenay is a winery to watch

Rioja's José Madrazo Real de Asúa has died

One of Rioja's pioneers, José Madrazo Real de Asúa, of the Spanish winery CVNE, has died.

Labour's alcohol policies to boost Britain's health attacked by trade bodies

Labour party plans to introduce a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sporting events, combined with a series of measures to boost Britain's health have been attacked by the drinks industry's major trade associations.

Nielsen confirms sparkling wine and major spirits categories as big Christmas winners

Nielsen has confirmed that sparkling wine and the main spirits categories were the big winners during Christmas 2014.