International wine trade pays tribute following the death of Château Musar's Serge Hochar

The international wine trade has united today to pay its respects to the legendary Lebanese winemaker, Serge Hochar, of Château Musar, who died over the new year.

Harpers launches March for Independents conference and campaign to support merchants

In a bid to put the spotlight firmly on the independent merchant sector Harpers is to launch a campaign in the new year designed to highlight the issues facing retailers which will build up to a major independent merchant conference in London on March 3.

Chief of the Week: Joe Wadsack, the BBC's Mr Booze

Hold on to your Santa hats, lock up your drinks cabinet and gird your loins for our Chief of the Week: Mr Joe Wadsack.

Andrew Shaw to head up Bibendum PLB's new buying team

Andrew Shaw is to head up  Bibendum PLB's new joint buying team to work across all trading companies of the business - Bibendum, PLB and Walker and Wodehouse.

Glasgow Distillery Company finds rare 30 year-old single malt casks to release its first whisky

Glasgow's first standalone whisky and gin distillery in over a 100 years has acquired 30-year-old rare aged single malt Speyside casks which it is to turn in to its first official whisky release.

Tesco accused of 'blunderbuss' approach in scrapping supplier fees

Tesco's move to scrap supplier fees and instead focus on getting the lowest prices upfront has been greeted with scepticism by leading consultants who describe is as "old-fashioned" and taking a "blunderbuss approach".

Anne-Catherine Vigouroux on what to expect at January's French Wine Discoveries tasting

Ahead of January's French Wine Discoveries tasting at London's Tobacco Dock Anne-Catherine Vigouroux  of organisers, WIne4Trade, explains what visitors can expect from the 120 exhibitors taking part at the event on January 13.

Price wars saved UK shoppers £182m in last three months, says Kantar

While the grocery market has returned to very slight growth, real grocery deflation, which has seen prices fall by 0.7% versus last year, equates to savings of £182 million for consumers in the last three months, according to Kantar. 

Still time to test your knowledge and take the Harpers Quizmas Quiz Challenge!

There has been a lot going on over the last 12 months and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news, views and opinions in the UK wine and spirits sector. So why not find out how much you remember or what caught your attention in 2014 by taking part in our fun Harpers Quizmas Quiz Challenge.

James Bond returns to vodka - Belvedere vodka for new Spectre film

Bond is back and this time's he's drinking vodka. Belvedere vodka to be exact.

Matthew Gaughan on what the UK can learn from the rise of craft beers in the US

As in the UK, the beer scene in the US has been transformed over the last 20 years. As mainstream lagers have got blander and colder, craft breweries have sprung up around the country to be greeted by an enthusiastic and increasingly knowledgeable set of drinkers.

BBC Food & Drink's new double act of Joe Wadsack and Tom Kerridge goes live on January 2

Joe Wadsack, the acclaimed wine broadcaster and consultant, will make his first appearance as the new face of wine on BBC's Food & Drink programme when the programme is re-launched with two Michelin-star chef, Tom Kerridge, on January 2, 2015. 

The Week That Was: news, views and opinions on Harpers.co.uk

If you have been out and about a lot this week enjoying the build up to Christmas, or busy trying to cash in on some festive sales, here is a round up what you might have mised here on Harpers.co.uk:

Chiefs of the Week: Plucky members of Skin Côntact - live March 9, Vinopolis, London

EWGA acquires Heritage Wines and strengthens distribution across south west and London

Two of the UK's largest regional wine wholesalers have come together in a deal that sees Heritage Wines and its bonded warehouse acquired by EWGA.

Caliterra's Rodrigo Zamorano on making wines that change people's perceptions of Chile

Chilean winery Errazuriz, established over 130 years ago, has owned Caliterra since 2004. Helen Arnold talks to its chief winemaker, Rodrigo Zamorano, about his new Edicion Limitada range, and the changing face of Chilean wine.

Lidl comes out top of the grocers for the most effective Christmas TV ad

As if Lidl's 2014 could not get any better, it has now been found to have produced the most effective Christmas television advert, even beating John Lewis's Monty the penguin in to second place.

Minister backs call for lower duty tax band for reduced alcohol wines

The UK's public health minister has expressed "frustration" with a lack of flexibility around introducing a lower tax band for lower end wines, but the WSTA warns such a step would discriminate against wine from warmer climes.

Think of a winning caption for this cartoon and the original could be yours...

Here's the chance to win a very special Christmas present that you have helped create. Yes, simply think up a funny caption to go along with this cartoon and the winner will receive the original cartoon, with your caption.

COPY: Harpers new consumer report reveals key wine trends in the UK on-trade

In the second of our exclusive consumer reports, Harpers turns the spotlight on drinking trends in the UK on-trade and finds out what the average Brit thinks of the wine in their glass and what attracts them, or not, to ordering wine when out and out about compared to other drinks