Ross Sleet, Cape Legends: Michael Owen, South Africa 2010 and my World Cup memories

Ross Sleet of South Africa's Cape Legends looks back on his favourite World Cup memories and the pride and emotions of when the tournament came to his home country.

Mark Fiddes: My favourite World Cup Memories

Harpers columnist and brand and advertising consultant, Mark Fiddes of ideamotel gives his World Cup memories as part of our new series.

Tengu Sake's Oliver Hilton-Johnson on driving sake sales in the UK

Anna Greenhous talks to Oliver Hilton-Johnson of Tengu Sake, shortlisted for the International Wine Challenge 'Innovator of the Year' 2014 award, about how he's made sake more accessible and the growing interest in sake in the UK.

Marisa D'Vari: can Cahors Malbec ever grab market share from Argentina?

The key question raised during the recent Cahors Malbec Days (CMD) celebration in Cahors, France is this:  should the Cahors producers trade on the Malbec name in order to grab market share from the Argentine upstarts, or focus on their unique terroir and dramatically different flavour profile?

Will Oatley of Louis Latour Agencies on poor harvests and on-trade trends

Will Oatley, managing director of Louis Latour Agencies, talks the on-trade, poor Burgundy harvests and  putting the spotlight on Champagne.

Douglas Blyde compares the culinary and wine delights of the Fat Duck and Fera at Claridge's

Occurring within days, I was lucky enough to experience arguably two of England's finest chefs calibrate dishes to complement complex ferment from noble estates. These were served in the presence of two of the trade's most celebrated raconteurs.

Anna Greenhous on America's growing love affair with sake

Anna Greenhous looks at sake breweries outside Japan. In this, the first part of a two part article, she takes a look at the USA, where the majority of non-Japanese sake breweries make their home.

James Miles makes the case for the fine wine exchange

Exchanges have been in existence for hundreds of years, yet the concept of an exchange for fine wine is relatively new. Here James Miles, Liv-ex director, examines the origin and role of exchanges, and why the fine wine exchange has played a central role in the growth of the global market.

Miguel Smith on why life is so much better with a Mount Gay rum in your hand

Douglas Blyde meets the UK and international brand ambassador for Mount Gay rum who oversees the brand's maturation facility in Barbados' parish of St Lucy. Miguel Smith joined the business in 1991, and was instrumental in the development of the award-winning Extra Old blend.

Linda Reiff and Patsy McGaughy on raising big money for Napa Valley

Doug Shafer on how he keeps Stag Leap's iconic status around the world

Marisa D'Vari talks to  Doug Shafer, son of founder, John, of  Shafer Vineyards, about how how he continues to build on the world famous Stags Leap wine which today produces 32,000 cases per year with 17% allocated for export markets including Japan, Canada, and the UK.

Marisa D'Vari on what really goes on at the Napa Valley wine auction

Geoffrey Dean celebrates South Africa's two hero grape varieties: Chenin Blanc and Pinotage

Not even the Loire comes close to matching the amount of South Africa's old-vine Chenin Blanc, plantings which span over 3,000 hectares, three times as much as is found in France's best region for the grape. In their continuing quest to market how varied, and how good, their twin calling cards of Chenin Blanc and Pinotage can be, Wines of South Africa laid on a special tutored vertical tasting recently of both cultivars in the London.

Maria Chebotova: what we can learn from Think Red Think Côtes du Rhône campaign

Intense market competition makes it hard to be successful in the UK. As the epicenter of the wine world it is easy to be lost in the tons of advertising campaigns and communications. But having been recognised as having one of the best UK trade campaigns in recent years, the Côtes du Rhône has been doing something different. Olivier Legrand, marketing director at Inter-Rhône, and one of the creative minds behind the Think Red Think Côtes du Rhône concept shares some of the secrets of its success with Harpers.co.uk.

Gilbert Winfield: Let's hope London Cru is first of many UK urban wineries

London Cru, London's first urban winery is the new venture of the unstoppable Cliff Roberson, founder of Roberson Wine. This concept has been going a while in the US and Canada, but the UK seems to be lagging a few years behind on this. Roberson is setting a great example for future ventures, and I hope we see more of them.

Michael Simms, head sommelier at Sartoria, on a life serving wine

Harpers.co.uk talks with Michael Simms, head sommelier at Sartoria in Mayfair about how he accidently fell into training to become a top sommelier.

The art of craft gin distilling with Tom Warner and Sion Edwards

After meeting at agricultural college, Tom Warner and Sion Edwards started on separate paths in the fresh-food industry. But they soon came back together to set up their own boutique gin distillery in the Northamptonshire village of Harrington, which provides the sub-brand name of their flagship Warner Edwards gin. This is craft distilling in action, as Warner and Edwards distil, fill, number, label and wax seal every bottle by hand. Nigel Huddleston asks the questions

Panos Kakaviatos on the struggle to keep up with wine communications

Susana Balbo: Argentina's queen of winemaking

Susana Balbo is one of the best-known winemakers in Argentina, as well as its first female oenologist. She is also the only woman to have held the position of president of Wines of Argentina - she has just been appointed for a third time. Her family winery - Dominio del Plata in Agrelo, Mendoza - exports worldwide, and includes the Gaucho chain of restaurants as one of its key UK customers. Helen Arnold meets her

Sam Neill and Nigel Greening on what makes a great Pinot Noir producer

Two of New Zealand's leading Pinot Noir producers, Sam Neill of Two Paddocks and film star fame, and Nigel Greening of Felton Road, set out at a special tasting last week in London what it is that has drawn them in to trying to create award Pinot Noir from the Central Otago.