Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Aperol supremacy continues to drive UK growth for Campari

Published: 26 October, 2021

The UK has been trading positively showing a “solid performance” with sales up 42.5% for the first nine months of 2021, Campari Group has revealed.

Over 100 vinous gems take centre stage at inaugural Sud De France tasting

Published: 26 October, 2021

Over 100 wines, including Armagnac, from the southern French Region of Occitanie, will be showcased at a wine tasting in London this month, focusing in the region's litte-known wines.

Soapbox: Why 2021’s skills shortage could be the best thing to happen to the hospitality industry

Published: 26 October, 2021

For many workers in hospitality, it’s not only low pay, but aggression and isolation that are the norm. It’s time to change things, says Simon King, former operations director for Gordon Ramsay Group and co-owner of new Surrey gastropub The Victoria Oxshott.

Aldi launches premium Winemasters’ Lot wines for festive season

Published: 25 October, 2021

Aldi is introducing a ‘super premium’ wine range, Winemasters’ Lot, in time for the festive season, to complement and build on their Specially Selected selection. The wines will be available from 8 November, available in stores and online.

Ribera del Duero Top 100 Tasting to be hosted by Tim Atkin MW

Published: 25 October, 2021

Tim Atkin MW and Harpers columnist is to host his annual Ribera del Duero Top 100 Tasting, which will showcase the best wines from the region in 2021.

Indigo Wine adds new producers to portfolio

Published: 21 October, 2021

Indigo Wine is adding a range of new producers to its portfolio, spanning some of the wine world’s most distant regions.

New Zealand deal is a ‘win’ for business

Published: 21 October, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has welcomed news of a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, which could lead to the removal of all tariffs on goods between the two countries.

Ventisquero appoints Les Caves de Pyrène as distributor for Tara label

Published: 21 October, 2021

Chilean producer Ventisquero Wine Estates (VWE) has appointed Les Caves de Pyrène as distributor for its Tara brand.

UK in ‘good growth’ for Pernod Ricard

Published: 21 October, 2021

Pernod Ricard has revealed it has seen a very ‘dynamic start’ in all regions for the first quarter of FY22, with robust demand and strong shipments ahead of the festive season.

Sparkling wine premium could be scrapped in alcohol duty overhaul

Published: 19 October, 2021

Reports from the national press suggest that the premium on sparkling wine duty could be scrapped by chancellor Rishi Sunak in the upcoming Autumn Budget in a move which could bring sparkling wine duty in line with still.

WSTA makes further calls for duty freeze

Published: 19 October, 2021

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is again calling on the Government to freeze alcohol duty as consumers face record high prices over the festive period.

RTDs continue to grow boosted by hard seltzers and FABs

Published: 19 October, 2021

The market for ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol products continues to show traction and demand from consumers, according to a new study from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Online retail BWS sales continue to buck downward trend

Published: 18 October, 2021

Online retail sales of beers, wine and spirits (BWS) remain strong, increasing by 18.6% in September 2021, bucking the downward trend of overall retail sales, according to latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers.

Liberty Wines goes ‘carbon neutral plus’

Published: 18 October, 2021

Liberty Wines has revealed that it has become the only ‘carbon neutral plus’ UK wine supplier – offsetting more emissions than the business generates.

The big freeze

Published: 18 October, 2021

The tailbacks at Felixstowe are the latest plot-twist in the ongoing Covid and Brexit supply saga which is causing disruption for operators. Jo Gilbert looks at the impact on bulk shipments.

Hospitality workers accuse bosses of keeping tips

Published: 18 October, 2021

More than half of hospitality workers in the UK claim their bosses lie about tips, according to new research by comparison site money.co.uk.

Tim Atkin MW: The new joy of travel

Published: 14 October, 2021

After 18 months of Zoom calls, Instagram Lives and home tastings, of Coravin capsules, small samples and endless recycling bags, I finally got to visit a wine region two weeks ago. To be strictly accurate, I did go on an inspirational visit to Danbury Ridge in Essex last year, squeezed in between lockdowns, but my trip to Ribera del Duero involved getting on a plane and flying to another country. Spain always lifts my spirits, but this time they soared.

Soho Street Cocktails signs exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents

Published: 13 October, 2021

Soho Street Cocktails, the ready-to-drink premium cocktail brand, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Vindependents, the independent merchant buying group.

Late-night sector loses 86,000 jobs due to pandemic

Published: 13 October, 2021

The UK’s night-time cultural economy (NTCE) sector has been ravaged by the pandemic, with around 86,000 jobs lost in the sector since the 2019 high, a new report has found.

BWS sales continue to fall in grocery sector

Published: 12 October, 2021

Grocery alcohol sales fell by 6% for the 12 weeks to 3 October due to the impact of the reopening of the on-trade, the latest data from Kantar has revealed.