Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

National Champagne Week aiming to improve Champagne's approachability

Published: 22 September, 2016

National Champagne Week returns for the fourth time next month, aiming to bring the ever popular French fizz to a new audience.

Rising stars to appear at first Sud de France tasting since Occitanie extension

Published: 21 September, 2016

The body which overseas an promotes premium wines from the southern France, is due to hold its first annual tasting since the Occitanie region was extended to include both the Languedoc-Roussillon and the Sud Ouest.

Vins de Bordeaux launches promo campaign with leading restaurant group

Published: 16 September, 2016

The Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) is running a promotional campaign with six brands within one of the UK's leading restaurant and pub companies.

UK Indian Summer and frost in Champagne spells success for English wines

Published: 16 September, 2016

Winemakers at Naked Wines are predicting a top vintage for English Sparkling wine thanks to a September heat wave and low rainfall.

The week that was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

Published: 16 September, 2016

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have put together a review of the top online news, Q&As, and opinion stories.

French microalgae may be the answer to key vine diseases

Published: 15 September, 2016

A microalgae found in the sea off Brittany's coastline can wipe-out key vine diseases with new scientific tests in France showing 100% efficiency in destroying Downey Mildew. The major scientific breakthrough could provide natural alternatives to the use of pesticides on vineyards.

How young Bordeaux winemakers are leading the charge for accessibility and affordability

Published: 12 September, 2016

Organic Bordeaux producer and educator Laetitia Ouspointour is one of a generation young, dynamic winemakers who have made it their mission to debunk some of the most persistent Bordeaux myths.

Bordeaux producers encourage wine students

Published: 09 September, 2016

The official selection of Cru Bourgeois wines for the 2014 vintage will be unveiled this month by new president of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc Olivier Cuvelier.

Analysis: Exploring the Loire

Published: 08 September, 2016

Happily for the adventurous among us the Loire Valley is brimming with epicurean opportunity. If you need an acid-fresh white or two on the list, there are plenty less familiar names than the ubiquitous Sancerre to turn to. In the hunt for alternatives, let's start with some of the more obvious choices.

Inaugural Fitou wine tasting coming to London

Published: 05 September, 2016

Languedoc sub-region Fitou is holding its first trade tasting in the capital next week, to show off the vast improvement in wines from the area.

Languedoc producers latest victims of hail storms in France

Published: 22 August, 2016

The Languedoc was the most recent region to suffer at the hands of extreme weather, when a severe hailstorm hit last week.

The Wine Show's Joe Fattorini to run Médoc Marathon raising £5K for The Benevolent

Published: 09 August, 2016

ITV's 'The Wine Show' presenter Joe Fattorini is set to run the Médoc Marathon and aims to raise £5,000 for drinks charity The Benevolent.

Southern France city streets flood with wine following vandalism

Published: 04 August, 2016

French police have confirmed the criminal nature of an attack on a wine storage business in the port city of Sète, in southern France.

Loire: a new opportunity?

Published: 29 July, 2016

While the Loire was among the highest climbers of France's wine regions in terms of UK exports in 2015, frost this year has forced several independent Loire producers to redistribute and raise their prices of existing allocations.

Bordeaux brings a touch of tradition to Cotswolds' The Big Feastival

Published: 29 July, 2016

Traditional French wine and festivals in the heart of the great British countryside haven't always gone hand in hand.

Outrage as the London Annual Champagne Tasting is cancelled

Published: 28 July, 2016

The committee which organises the annual London event has announced that it will not be holding this year's tasting - and doesn't know when or if it will return to the UK.

Top wine consultant and professor Denis Dubourdieu dies aged 67

Published: 27 July, 2016

Top claret from Bordeaux may have always cast a shadow over local white wines, but that was until the work of Denis Dubourdieu.

French wine production expected to drop 8% for 2016 due to poor spring weather

Published: 25 July, 2016

French wine production is expected to decline 8% for the 2016 harvest following the damaging hailstorms and spring frost which hit several different areas across the country according to the French Minister of Agriculture Stéphane Le Foll.

Inter-Beaujolais appoints new leaders for two year term

Published: 21 July, 2016

Inter-Beaujolais has appointed two new leaders as part of a two year rotation to lead the producer association.

Cocktail craze in the UK still has room to grow

Published: 14 July, 2016

New research released from CGA Strategy's International Cocktail Report, Great Britain's cocktail consumption has evolved, but there are still opportunities that may be available if trends in the US are anything to go by.