News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Harpers teams up with Loire Valley for indies promotion

Published: 29 March, 2022

Loire Valley Wines is again running its popular independent wine merchant promotion this Spring/Summer.

Lay & Wheeler looks to the future with new branding

Published: 28 March, 2022

Lay & Wheeler has unveiled new branding, the first rebrand for the company in over 10 years, reflecting the business’s focus on the future.

St Patrick's Day, weather and sport lift drinks sales to a 2022 high

Published: 28 March, 2022

Last week’s out-of-home drinks sales were 7% up on pre-pandemic levels, CGA’s latest Drinks Recovery Tracker reveals.

Depleted yields create ‘tension’ following a stellar year for Burgundy exports

Published: 28 March, 2022

Burgundy is struggling to keep up with rising demand, as a record revenue-producing year in 2021 now puts pressure on winemakers to make the most of depleted stocks.

Vins de Provence rosés: sales rise by 9% in 2021

Published: 28 March, 2022

After a 6% drop in 2020, winery sales bounced back by 9% last year, according to data released by the Provence Wine Council (CIVP). The recovery is mainly due to good export figures, fuelled by booming European markets, and increased sales in channels such as wine merchants and hospitality outlets.

Balfour Winery to develop boutique wine hotel in Kent

Published: 28 March, 2022

Maidstone Borough Council has accepted Balfour Winery entrepreneur Richard Balfour-Lynn’s proposal to develop plans to create a boutique wine hotel in the Archbishop’s Palace, Maidstone, Kent.

And the Oscar goes to… Bond and Bordeaux

Published: 25 March, 2022

For 92 years, the Oscars has been the most significant awards ceremony in the movie industry. Over the last nine decades, thousands of films have collected awards in various categories, from Best Picture to Best Special Effects. A large majority of those will feature some degree of alcohol consumption, incidental or otherwise.

Inaugural California List launched in London

Published: 25 March, 2022

The free-wheeling Golden State has taken a dip into the more stratified world of wine classification, unveiling its inaugural The California List in London amidst samples of some of its most famous and sought-after wines.

Bordeaux and Rioja intertwined as ever at BEIWE event in Haro

Published: 25 March, 2022

The Barrio de la Estación International Wine Encounter (BEIWE) combined two great wine regions, Rioja and Bordeaux, as five hundred wine professionals visited the historic Haro Station District for a tasting to remember.

UK removes ‘retaliatory’ tariffs on American whiskeys

Published: 24 March, 2022

The Bourbon Alliance and its members have welcomed the announcement of a resolution to a trade dispute, which resulted in destructive tariffs on American Whiskeys.

Georgia tasting to crown fast growth in UK

Published: 24 March, 2022

Wines of Georgia has confirmed dates for its 2022 press tastings against a backdrop of booming sales in the UK.

The IMW welcomes 17 new Masters of Wine

Published: 24 March, 2022

The IMW (Institute of Masters of Wine) has expanded its ranks with the induction of 17 new members.

The trade reacts to the government’s VAT increase

Published: 24 March, 2022

Today, the government has officially returned the VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism industry to 20% (24 March).

All change at Bodegas Cosme Palacio

Published: 23 March, 2022

Leading Rioja winery Cosme Palacio has announced a series of important changes at the firm, including new personnel, the launch of a white wine, and a label shakeup.

Benjamin Franchetti: Tuscany can prosper without indigenous varieties

Published: 23 March, 2022

The owner of Tenuta di Trinoro in southern Tuscany has spoken out in favour of international varieties, claiming that, in certain case, indigenous Italian grapes should play a subordinate role to imports.

‘Cool kids’ increasingly shaping global fine wine investment market

Published: 23 March, 2022

An “identity-conscious” demographic of wealthy Millennial buyers are becoming vital to the prosperity of the secondary wine market, according to a study released by Cult Wine Investment.

Portugal tasting returns to London, riding exports rise

Published: 23 March, 2022

After a two year hiatus due to Covid-19, Wines of Portugal is pulling out all the stops, showcasing over 600 wines and 10 different regions at the annual trade tasting next week.

Hallgarten tasting return signals ‘portfolio refresh’ following Gérard Bertrand move

Published: 22 March, 2022

A very buzzy One Marylebone was the setting for Hallgarten & Novum Wine’s strong return to its pre-Covid annual tasting format, where a number of new wines were on show.

Calls to review ‘punishing’ tax regime aired in Parliament

Published: 22 March, 2022

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has convened a meeting of MPs and Lords to hear first-hand from British businesses how the ‘punishing’ proposals for duty reform from three to 27 tax bands will negatively impact the drinks industry and consumers.