Hardys still UK biggest wine brand for 2014

The annual review looks at the 100 biggest alcohol brands in the off-trade and found that over the last year UK consumers spent £400 million more on alcohol, an increase of 5% and consumed more than 70.3 million litres, an increase of 3.3%.

Harpers Design Awards relaunches as global competition

The Harpers Design Awards are being relaunched for 2014 as a global competition, inviting entries for wines, spirits, beers, ciders and soft drinks from anywhere in the world - providing they are already on sale in the market.

Wine Vision to focus on how industry must adapt to millennials' needs

Wine Vision's return to London in November will examine key issues affecting growth in the industry as relationships between wine brands and consumers change and competition from spirits and beer intensifies.

UK wine buyers more cautious to try new ideas than in Europe says Origin's Bernard Fontannaz

It is easier to convince retail buyers in Europe to take on new wine ideas and designs than it is in the UK, according to Bernard Fontannaz, founder of Origin Wines.

Wines Direct offers insights as well as new customers for major online wine players

Specialist online aggregator site, Wines Direct, is now able to give its users the chance to pick out the most popular wines by price, style, country or brand from the UK's leading multiple wine retail sites based on the behavior of its 130,000 unique users a month.

Hardys to enjoy blanket advertising through Sky Sports and England cricket link-ups

Hardys, the Australian wine brand, will be advertised up to an astonishing 5,000 times this summer on Sky Sports as part of its sponsorship of England cricket.

Cloudy Bay's David Hohnen links up with Off Piste Wines to produce Bordeaux wine

Ibiza Ice looks to crack the sparkling wine cocktail category

Ibiza Ice is the latest brand entry in to the growing sparkling wine cocktail category with the added selling point of having only a 5.5% abv.

Formula One drivers can now celebrate with limited edition Champagne GH Mumm

As Formula One drivers spend so much time throwing around quality Champagne, official sponsors, Champagne GH Mumm, has produced a special limited edition bottle unique for Formula One.

Free Run Wines to take on low alcohol wines from New Zealand producer, Selaks Wines

Free Run Wines, the UK off-trade wine supplier, is to distribute a new low alcohol, 9% abv, wine from New Zealand producer, Selaks Wines, which will be introduced along with the rest of the winery's UK range to the trade at next month's London Wine Fair.

Uproot Wines looks to attract new US wine drinkers through colour only wine labels

US consumers no longer need reading glasses or language dictionaries to decipher wine labels; but they do need a taste for colour.

Campo Viejo's Streets of Spain festival attracts 300,000 people

Campo Viejo's Streets of Spain festival doubled in size this year, attracting 300,000 people to London's Southbank Centre over the May bank holiday.

Stars in their aisles

News that David Beckham is to put his name to a new whisky is just the latest in a series of celebrity drink endorsements. But, Richard Foster asks, do such link-ups guarantee good sales?

McWilliam's revamps entire wine range to stand out in "staid" Australian category

Les Dauphins becomes a million bottle brand in the UK and around the world

Les Dauphins, the Rhone brand from Cellier des Dauphins, is now selling over a million bottles in the UK and a million bottles around the world as it continues to expand in to new countries.

Matua introduces new Legends range to its New Zealand wine portfolio

New Zealand winery, Matua, is introducing a new premium range of wines in to its key UK and European markets called Matua Lands & Legends.

Wines of Brazil hopes official World Cup wine will help boost its wines sales in the UK

Wines of Brazil hopes the release of a new limited edition official licensed wine for the FIFA World Cup will bring added attention to all the country's wines in the UK and all its key export markets around the world.

Les Grands Chais de France to launch wine based and sparkling wine over ice brands to the UK

French wine giant, Les Grands Chais de France, is looking to release a number of wine-based drinks, including a Merlot mixed with cola, as it looks to capitalise on the growing interest in fruit based and innovative sparkling wine products both in France and overseas.

I Heart Wine close to hitting 1 million case sales around the world

Copestick Murray's I Heart brand is closing to hitting 1 million 9 litre case sales around the world.

Hardys to be official wine sponsor of English cricket team

Australian wine brand, Hardys, is to be the official wine of the English cricket team having signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the England Cricket Board.