Guy Woodward: no more ivory tower posturing, let's get personal with consumers

Harpers is pleased to announce it has signed up Guy Woodward, former editor of Decanter, as a regular columnist and contributor.This month he tips his cap to the creative minds at Naked Wines and other innovative retail sites that are genuinely communicating to consumers in a way they can understand and says there are so many lessons to be learnt from the old school wine trade still stuck in its ivory tower. 

Tim Atkin MW on the hail crisis in Burgundy and what producers could learn from Argentina

"Would you like to go up in one of our planes?" asked Eduardo Martín, director of the Argentinean Ministry of Agriculture's anti-hail squad. It was an offer that was all too easy to refuse. In Mendoza, the 24 pilots who are employed by the Ministry to combat hail are paid danger money and deserve every peso. Since 1998, when planes seeding clouds with silver iodide replaced rockets as a way of combating the biggest risk to vineyards, the pilots have been doing what must rank as one of the scariest jobs in the world. You fly inside a cloud at 1,500 metres for up to seven hours a day with almost zero visibility, relying on your instruments to guide you. A plane went down in 2004 and it won't be the last.

Leading independents hit out at major wine suppliers for their "lazy" service

Leading independent wine merchants have stepped up to the plate today to strongly criticise the quality of service that they are receiving from many of the major UK national wine suppliers and distributors.

Harpers Design Awards relaunches as global competition

The Harpers Design Awards are being relaunched for 2014 as a global competition, inviting entries for wines, spirits, beers, ciders and soft drinks from anywhere in the world - providing they are already on sale in the market.

Richard Siddle on why independents are demanding so much more from major suppliers

It was nearly three years ago when leading independent wine merchants and their suppliers came together to hold open debates on how they could work closer together. The sessions, organised by Harpers, culminated in both sides agreeing a set of Best Practice Guidelines by which they felt they could work better together.

France Summit to focus on how the country is adapting to UK consumer needs

Harpers will once again be turning the spotlight well and truly on the ins and outs, ups and downs of the French wine category as the French Summit returns for its second year on October 21 at London's St Ermin's Hotel.

Guy Woodward lambasts old school wine world for being stuck in its ivory tower

Former Decanter editor, Guy Woodward, uses his first regular Harpers column today to lambast the old school wine world for being out of touch with how consumers now want to talk about wine.

'Team Cox' to run Médoc Marathon in memory of Michael Cox

Leading members of the wine trade are to come together as "Team Cox" to run the Médoc Marathon in memory of Michael Cox, the former UK head of Wines of Chile, who died earlier this year.

Guy Woodward remembers Maradona, Gazza and 1990 in his World Cup memories

Two days without World Cup football on TV? Well here is our latest World Cup Memory to keep you going whilst we wait for the quater-finals to kick off tomorrow afternoon. Step forward Aston Villa fan and former editor of Decanter, Guy Woodward, for his trip down World Cup memory lane. Guy has also agreed to sign for Harpers as one of our regular columnists here on Harpers.co.uk and in the magazine, so look out for his latest column on the site tomorrow.

Beermoth looks to bring US style beer retailing to Manchester

Specialist beer shops have joined the 21^st century, among them Beermoth, in central Manchester's hip northern quarter, and set up by Scot Davies, a former manager at the city's The Knott bar, and American Jeremy Stull, who worked at the esteemed Port Street Beer house.

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Nik Darlington plays out the World Cup for real - with the world of wine

You could cut the tension with a grissino. The shoot-out was tied at 2-2, both sides' fans on tenterhooks.

Tour de France celebrates with Champagne de Castelnau

As parts of the UK brace themselves for the start of the gruelling Tour de France cycle race that starts in Yorkshire on July 5, Champagne de Castelnau has introduced this very appropriate limited edition Champagne.

Christian Seely shows the quality of the Douro with a vertical tasting of Quinta do Noval

Christian Seely's contention that the Quinta do Noval vineyards are producing outstanding dry red table wines was vindicated at a mid-summer vertical tasting in London. The flamboyant, bow-tie- wearing managing director of the leading port house has always believed that unfortified wines from the Douro had the potential to express Noval's terroir. A look at the estate's three dry reds - Quinta do Noval Douro DOC,  Cedro do Noval and Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional - between the period 2004-11 supported that view.

Dan Townsend on Italia 90, Johan Cruyff and Archie Gemmill in his World Cup Memories

Costco set to launch new craft beer offer

Costco Wholesale UK is poised to break into the craft beer market, the £1.7bn turnover warehouse club chain has revealed.

Jude Law to star in new short film for Johnnie Walker Blue Label

British film star, Jude Law, is to appear in a special short film to promote Johnnie Walker Blue Label, the blended Scotch whisky, called 'The Gentleman's Wager'.

Gymkhana comes out top in the National Restaurant Awards

Premium London Indian restaurant, Gymkhana, has been voted the best restaurant in the UK in last night's National Restaurant Awards, run by Restaurant magazine, sister title to Harpers.co.uk.

Stephen Rosser applauds the quality of wines being produced in Portugal's Douro Valley

Stephen Rosser, of the Association of Wine Educators, tips his hat to the growing number of quality wines being made across Portugal's Douro Valley that are slowly making the region if not as famous for its Ports at least respected for its winemaking skillls working with vines that date back over a 100 years.

Matthew Dickinson on Gary Lineker, Maradona, Zico and his World Cup memories

Today wine consultant, Matthew Dickinson, who by living in Avignon can still claim to be partly in the World Cup with France looks back over the years to give his World Cup memories. If you would like to share your World Cup best and worst moments with the trade then simply answer the same questions as below and emaile richard.siddle@wrbm.com.