Tim Atkin MW: Why en primeur is not working

Tim Atkin MW on why the en primeur system needs urgent reform to not only regain the trust of critics and the trade alike but most importantly keep it relevant and credible to future investors. 

Mike Paul: is the new EU planting wine regime a missed opportunity or pragmatic compromise?

Given the space devoted recently to predictions relating to the future of the wine business I've been surprised at the lack of attention focused on the new EU vine planting regime which is due to come into effect at the end of 2015. From that date each member state with over 50,000 hectares under vine will be able to add 1% per year to its vineyard area.

Mark Fiddes how history can give your brand a cause to celebrate

"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts," said Laocoon of the Trojan Horse.

Jerry Lockspeiser: when it comes to liking wine preconceptions are everything

Many years ago I was trying to sell Argentinean wine to the Co-op. We had a delicious, modern style Torrontes that had been custom made for the UK market but I just could not persuade the buyer, of its merits. He tasted it several times always with the same result: he said he didn't like Torrontes. 

Jerry Lockspeiser on why wine is for drinking and not for a health or fitness regime

Negative reports about alcohol are as frequent as Manchester City goals. So it would be nice to believe the studies suggesting that the legalised drug we peddle is infact good for health. 

Two Good, 2 Bad fo 2013, Hopes and Fears for 2014: Jerry Lockspeiser, Off Piste Wines

Settle in to Boxing Day in the capable hands of Jerry Lockspeiser of Off Piste Wines as he looks back on his good and bad memories of 2013 and his hopes and fears for 2014.

Using social media is one thing, being interesting is another, says Jerry Lockspeiser

The message I heard being yelled at wine businesses more than any other this year was 'Wake up to Social Media'. For anyone interested in communicating with consumers it's got to be at the centre of company and brand marketing plans for 2014. Or has it?

Mike Paul on taking commercial education to the next level

A recurring theme at the recent Wine Vision Conference was that the wine industry needed to improve its marketing. We are too production oriented: we don't really understand the consumer. If we have heard it once we have heard it a thousand times and I'd be surprised if anyone in the room in fact disagreed with the message.

Mark Fiddes: why some celebs shift brands and others don't

Jean-Claude Van Damme demonstrating Volvo trucks = 60 million hits on You Tube.

Jerry Lockspeiser: why we need to price wines on enjoyment not what they cost

Imagine for a moment that Champagne does not exist. The sparkling wine market is dominated by cava and prosecco with competition from the New World.  Consumers are accustomed to affordable, well made but largely uninspiring sparkling wines.

Mark Fiddes on the art of good storytelling when advertising vodka

What does a Long Slow Comfortable Screw Up Against The Wall have in common with Plutonium?

Mike Paul: in search of the true value of a bottle of wine

The BBC Watchdog reporton the questionable value of half price deals in the supermarkets sparked a great deal of interest. Such deals have always stirred emotions, but the ensuing discussion also  highlighted  a concern I have when I hear commentators making definitive statements about the price a particular wine is worth.

Jerry Lockspeiser on why we should not turn our backs on sweet wine drinkers

It is said that what America does today the UK follows a few years later. So it's no surprise that wine styles which have become popular over the pond are beginning to show up here. But sweeter reds? Whatever is the world coming to?

Jerry Lockspeiser stands up for the WSTA: a great British success

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has been around for a decade short of 200 years. Its name evokes wood panelled board rooms and gentlemanly discussions more than the world of Google and iPhone apps.

Mark Fiddes on whether marketing with cats is the "purrfect" way to sell more wine

"My name is Tiddles...this is my first time at Moggies Anonymous.

Mike Paul on why New Zealand faces a critical year ahead

The next 12 months will be a critical period for New Zealand's wine producers.

Michael Karam: Getting behind Lebanese winemakers

Harpers' clarion call to support Lebanese wines in September was heeded by at least one retailer. Slurp in Banbury is promoting 30 Lebanese wines from five producers: Massaya, Chateau Ksara, Domaines des Tourelles, the EU-backed Coteaux Heliopolis and of course the mighty Chateau Musar.

Mark Fiddes: what to do with those "Undrinkable" bottles you bring back from holiday

Carol Emmas: Is Booths changing the face of multiple wine retailing?

I imagine there are a fair few supermarkets currently feeling a bit hot under the collar after Booths moved the goalposts to install a By The Glass 64-bottle wine-dispensing system in its Knutsford store.

Jerry Lockspeiser: let's show consumers the true cost of a bottle of wine

Jonathan Cahill's recent opinion piece about wine value, duty and consumer perception got me thinking. The central point of Jonathan's piece is that because alcohol duty is fixed it takes up a much bigger percentage of the retail price when the wine is cheap than when it is more expensive. Ergo we should be telling consumers that the higher the price they pay for a bottle of wine the more their money is buying wine rather than tax, so the better the value, and exponentially so.