Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Distell enjoys revenue rise of 18%

Published: 23 July, 2008

SOUTH AFRICA: Distell has announced revenue growth of 18.4%, and a sales volume increase of 14.4%.

FSA bans second lower-alcohol wine in two weeks

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: Sovio, a semi-sparkling Spanish wine, bottled at 8% abv, is the latest lower-alcohol product to incur the wrath of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Russian vodka sales to soar

Published: 23 July, 2008

RUSSIA (Bloomberg): The value of Russia's vodka market is set to increase 5.8% annually over the next five years.

Hitler's Champagne at auction

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: Swedish presenters snap-up Adolf Hitler's poisoned' 1937 Moet et Chandon at auction

UK grocery market gets tougher

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: The latest TNS Worldpanel grocery market share figures for the 12 weeks ending August 12 show further signs of a consumer spending slowdown with market growth dipping to 3%.

Italian police foil wine scam

Published: 23 July, 2008

ITALY: (Reuters) - European wine drinkers are being duped into buying Italian table wines labelled as the country's finest

Evans & Tate appoint receivers

Published: 23 July, 2008

Australian winery Evans & Tate has been forced to call in the receivers after McWilliams pulled out of the rescue package.

Foster's and Gallo enter Superbrand league

Published: 23 July, 2008

Hardys is still the biggest wine brand in the UK but Foster's and Gallo are closing the gap according to new figures.

WSET to set up bursary fund for disadvantaged students

Published: 23 July, 2008

A bursary fund for disadvantaged students is being launched by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

New Italian agency for Corney & Barrow

Published: 23 July, 2008

A Barolo-based producer has been added to the portfolio of UK wine merchant Corney & Barrow.

Russia lifts ban on Moldovan wines

Published: 23 July, 2008

MOLDOVA: But wine companies winning approval are unable to ship wines to Russia until the "majority" of companies are audited, officials said.

Customs officers seize 12,000 litres of whisky

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: The Teachers whisky was confiscated at a coach depot in Bentley Lane, Walsall, by HM Revenue and Customs.

On-trade message for NZ producers

Published: 23 July, 2008

New Zealand has been told there are "fertile opportunities" for its wines in the on-trade but it needs to add value and build better relationships with UK buyers

Auction of Swedish collector set to hit 1.5m

Published: 23 July, 2008

US: Over 4,500 of some extremely rare vintages are to be sold off in New York, with well over a million pounds expected to be paid for the wines.

Welsh doctors call for higher taxes to curb binge drinking

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales is calling on Westminster and the Welsh Assembly Government to raise alcohol taxes - penalising drinks with the highest amount of alcohol.

South Africa health minister fights drink claims

Published: 23 July, 2008

SOUTH AFRICA (Reuters): The country's health minister is fighting newspaper claims she smuggled red wine and whisky into a private hospital to treat AIDS.