Final, final call for Harpers Global Design award entries

OK it's nearly time to put down those pens, stop writing and hand your forms in to the teacher. Yes, tomorrow marks the closing date for entries to Harpers Global Design awards which hope to reward and highlight the best drinks labels and bottles on sale around the world.

Justin Howard-Sneyd starts wine club for Domaine of the Bee estate

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW is following in the footsteps of boss Tony Laithwaite by starting a wine club for sales from his Languedoc estate Domaine of the Bee.

Lebanon and Brazil to offer specialist masterclasses at Emerging Regions Tasting

Visitors to next month's Emerging Regions Tasting will get the chance to take part in two specialist masterclasses and discover more about Lebanese and Brazilian wines.

'Normal' vintage kicks off in Spain as government moves to curb last year's excess

The first grapes of the 2014 crop are being harvested in Spain, with winemakers predicting a "normal" sized vintage of between 42 and 45 million hectolitres.

Liberty Wines adds Australian Tempranillo to portfolio

Liberty Wines has added Australia's La Linea to its portfolio, which managing director David Gleave MW says demonstrates the potential for Tempranillo in the Adelaide Hills.

Bordeaux's 2014 wine harvest to be up 50% on last year

Bordeaux's upcoming wine grape harvest should see a return to normal for the region, with forecasts placing it as coming in at 5.6 million hectolitres. 

South Africa's Kleine Zalze takes on new cellarmaster

Most wine industry's challenges are no different to other sectors, says economist Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth, the celebrated US wine economist and blogger, has dismissed the idea that the dynamics of the wine industry are different to the challenges faced by other business sectors.

One more day to register for Benevolent Fantasy Football League

The countdown to the start of the new English Premier League season is well and truly on. Which means there is only a day left to get your thinking caps on and enter the new Benevolent Fantasy Football League, have some fun, compete against friends (and soon to be foes) and raise some money for the drinks charity along the way.

Mike Veseth, the Wine Economist, on the global issues facing the wine industry

Mike Veseth is a specialist in globalisation who blogs as The Wine Economist. He is also professor emeritus of International Political Economy at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma near Seattle. After reviewing his books Wine Wars and Extreme Wine for Harpers.co.uk  Jerry Lockspeiser talks to him about what he sees as the key global business issues facing the wine industry.

Stowfords Press introduces new look to push premium cider image

Leading cider brand, Stowford Press, has gone through a re-design to push more its premium credentials and focus in on the the traditional cider press image on the label which it hopes will reinforce its heritage and provenance.

Entries for Harpers Global Design Awards extended to August 22

The deadline to enter this  year's Harpers Global Design Awards has been extended by a week and now closes on August 22.

Single serve wine glass Intrepid Fox taken over by angel investor

Single-serve tulip wine glass Intrepid Fox, brought to market by entrepreneur James Nash after appearing on Dragon's Den, is being relaunched after the company was bought out.

Australian wine companies to gain better protection with joint agreement with Woolworths

Australian wine producers are set to gain better protection with the signing of the "Good Wine Buyer and Suppler Principles: A Code of Fairness and Transparency'' with Australia's biggest wine retailer Woolworths Liquor Group (WLG).

TED-style DisruptWine Talks to be central focus of the 2014 DWCC conference

A series of what are being billed as "DisruptWine Talks"  will be one of the key new features at this November's Digital Wine Communications Conference taking place in Montreux, Switzerland.

William Grant & Sons invests in new global whisky innovation role

William Grant & Sons has promoted Kevin Abrook to become the company's first global whisky specialist for innovation and will start his new role on September 1.

Chile's wine production plummets by one quarter, say official figures

Chile's wine production has plummeted by almost one quarter compared to last year, but experts aren't expecting price rises as the country still has plenty of leftover wine in its tanks.

Price wars and discounters hit overall retail sales

Retailer price wars coupled with the ongoing impact of the hard discounters saw overall UK retail sales slip back for the first time in two years, according to the latest British Retail Consortium /KPMG figures.

Warner Edwards Distillery launches rhubarb gin

Northamptonshire's Warner Edwards Distillery has added a rhubarb gin to its portfolio.

Maison Sichel shows its support for independents by signing Harpers Best Practice Guidelines

Maison Sichel is the third major French wine company to support the UK independent sector by signing up to Harpers Best Practice Guidelines designed to promote open and fair trading between wine merchants and suppliers.