Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

French media given green light to name-check wines in law change

Published: 12 June, 2015

France's controversial Evin law which bans alcohol advertising has been amended to allow the media to talk about wines in copy.

Campari disposes of Enrico Serafino Italian wine operation

Published: 11 June, 2015

Italian drinks giant Gruppo Campari has sold off its Piedmont-based Enrico Serafino wine operation.

Moody's warns of more margin and market share misery for multiples

Published: 11 June, 2015

A warning that supermarket margins face more pressure from price deflation in the months ahead has been made by a leading credit rating agency.

Hospitality sector visitors up 16% at London Wine Fair

Published: 10 June, 2015

London Wine Fair organiser Brintex has reported a 16% increase in visitors from the hospitality sector to this year's exhibition.

Analysis: French brands are now adopting sophisticated day brand building plans

Published: 09 June, 2015

France is often seen as the most traditional of the world's wine regions but, as Erin Smith discovers, things are often far more modern than meets the eye.

Insights: Independents Italian outlets are gaining traction through education and experimentation

Published: 09 June, 2015

Independent Italian outlets are upping the appeal of lesser-known, over-£10 wines by educating consumers and letting them experiment.

Prosecco DOC Consortium says 'there will not be a shortage' of Prosecco this year

Published: 09 June, 2015

The Prosecco DOC Consortium has responded to recent reports of the potential shortage of Prosecco saying "that there will not be a shortage of Prosecco in the coming months."

Analysis: Italian indigenous varietals set to boom

Published: 08 June, 2015

Italy has some of the largest choice of indigenous varietals that produce a dizzying range of wine styles and consumers are increasingly embracing them.

Fenavin wine fair has positioned itself as a gateway to Spanish diversity

Published: 08 June, 2015

Having emerged as Spain's pre-eminent wine fair, Fenavin has positioned itself as a gateway to Spanish diversity as well as value.

Field Morris & Verdin launch new Italian fine wine division, headed by former Berry Bros buyer

Published: 05 June, 2015

Field Morris & Verdin, the agency and wholesale division of Berry Bros. & Rudd Ltd, is launching a new Italian fine wine division, DBGitalia.

En primeur - a mixed bag and a missed opportunity, experts say

Published: 03 June, 2015

This year's en primeur campaign has been a mixed bag that failed to capitalise on the chance to reset the market, according to fine wine investment experts.

Brown-Forman to invest $50m to build a distillery on Slane Castle Estate

Published: 03 June, 2015

Brown-Forman the corporation that owns famed American Bourbon brand Jack Daniel's has purchased SlaneCastle Irish Whiskey Limited and plans to invest $50m into the site in Ireland.

Hambledon reaches £2.75m crowdfunding target

Published: 29 May, 2015

Hampshire wine producer Hambledon Vineyard has secured its £2.75m crowdfunding target and has raised the investment opportunity to £3.5m.

Calls for a united body to promote UK wine producers

Published: 29 May, 2015

English wine producers are calling for a new promotional body to represent producers and growers amid swelling consumer interest.

New viticulture research programme opens in Kent to boost English wine industry

Published: 28 May, 2015

A trial research vineyard is being established at the East Malling Research centre in Kent which aims to boost productivity and margins within the English wine industry.

Gusbourne Estate set to raise £3.57m from share to boost investment

Published: 28 May, 2015

English wine producer Gusbourne Estate is looking to raise more than £3.57m to invest in its winery and brand.

Wines of Rioja looking to crown a 'Rioja retailer of the year'

Published: 27 May, 2015

There's still time to enter Wines from Rioja campaign for independent retailers, which runs throughout October.

Romanian wine supplier predicts rise of indigenous grapes following supermaket boost

Published: 27 May, 2015

A Romanian wine supplier that has increased UK exports tenfold in the past five years predicts a golden dawn for the country's wines after gaining listings for premium lines made with indigenous grapes.

UK consuming 12m more bottles of wine per week than previously thought

Published: 22 May, 2015

According to a new research conducted by the journal BMC Medicine 12 million more bottles of wine are consumed per week in England than previously thought.

HMRC bust seizes 68K litres of alcohol smuggled into the UK

Published: 22 May, 2015

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in combination with Border Force and French Customs seized 68,000L and three lorries in the Port of Dover in an overnight operation earlier this week.