Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Excise duties hike latest blow to SA wine industry

Published: 24 February, 2021

The South African government has announced it will increase the excise duties on alcohol by 8%.

Dom Perignon winemaker moves to Kent

Published: 08 December, 2020

Nick Lane, who was part of the winemaking team at Dom Perignon, has moved to the UK to join contract-only winery, Defined Wine.

Friday Read: Monoculture wars – the vineyards killing ecosystems

Published: 30 October, 2020

In Napa, John Williams, winemaker and the owner of Frogs Leap, is a winemaker in the minority. Around 6-7% of his land is devoted to crops other than vines. It’s a move that makes him stick out like a sore thumb surrounded by Rutherford’s rolling valleys where there’s barely a fruit tree in sight. In a region where a single hectare costs on average $1m, why devote a single plot to anything else?

WSTA maps out UK visitor centres for thirsty ‘staycationers’

Published: 24 August, 2020

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has launched an interactive map of distilleries and wineries that are open to the public in the UK.

California Wine country eludes Hennessy fire

Published: 20 August, 2020

California’s wine country has so far been spared the wrath of the latest wildfires, which broke out in the northern part of the state on Monday.

Welsh Wine Week to launch with online tasting

Published: 23 July, 2020

Welsh Wine Week will launch with an online tasting led by wine experts Charlie Womersley and Oz Clarke OBE, who will be joined by iconic Welsh performer Max Boyce.

Ramón Bilbao targets organic certification for vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2020

Spanish producer Ramón Bilbao has begun the three-year process of converting its Rioja and Rueda vineyards to organic production methods.

British vineyards hit by Covid crisis

Published: 02 June, 2020

The Covid-19 outbreak is causing serious damage to the UK’s wine industry, according to a survey of its members commissioned by Wines of Great Britain.

Hail the mighty Maipo

Published: 11 May, 2020

Andrew Catchpole shines the spotlight on Chile’s most famous region for quality reds

Essex and East Anglia primed for viticultural expansion say climate change researchers

Published: 28 January, 2020

Climate change researchers have pegged Essex and Norfolk as the next major areas to plant as warmer summers extend the area where grapes can be grown productively in the UK.

State of emergency in Hunter Valley as Oz prepares for worst bushfire week on record

Published: 12 November, 2019

Fire chiefs, residents and wineries in New South Wales are currently preparing for a “catastrophic” fire day today as 60 fires continue to tear through the region’s residential areas and wine country.

WineGB welcomes MPs' support for UK wineries

Published: 07 October, 2019

WineGB has welcomed the move from a number of MPs for more support for the UK’s small vineyards.

Campaign highlights the strengths of Soave

Published: 12 August, 2019

Soave is making a comeback thanks to a new Summer of Soave campaign.

Consorzio Doc delle Venezie introduces three-year suspension of new vineyards

Published: 30 July, 2019

Consorzio Doc delle Venezie has introduced a three-year suspension of new vineyards in a bid to achieve an “even higher quality and balanced market growth”.

Austral Patagonia: the march to the world's most southerly winery

Published: 08 July, 2019

Argentina used to have the most southern vineyards in the world until Central Otago surpassed them. However today, the cultivation of vine at latitude 45 in Chubut province adds to the Argentina’s viticultural map, representing a new challenge for winemakers working in the mountainous regions and also in the Patagonian plains. Here, Alejandro Iglesias breaks down the new southernmost border of Argentine wine.

R&D vineyard opens doors for Fruit Focus

Published: 02 July, 2019

A tour of the NIAB EMR’s research vineyard at East Malling will be one of the highlights of Fruit Focus 2019, the leading annual technical event for the UK fruit industry.

Soave’s top sites upgraded to crus

Published: 06 June, 2019

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture has officially recognised 33 cru vineyards in Soave, following an 18-year “zoning” project by the region’s consorzio.

Sustainability accreditation in the works for UK wine

Published: 26 April, 2019

A new sustainability and climate change mitigation scheme for the UK wine industry could be complete by the end of the year.

Interview: Danny Lucchesi, Delicato Family

Published: 25 March, 2019

Viticulturalist Danny Lucchesi talks to Chris Wilson about special old vines, Zin and Gnarley Head

Boom in Tassie vineyards as producers capitalise on cooler climate premium

Published: 18 February, 2019

Tasmania’s vineyard area has grown by 25% over the past two growing seasons, with plans for another 15% increase in the pipeline, as both local and mainland Australian producers invest in the island’s viticultural scene.