Michael Sager to launch new restaurant and bar concept

A new restaurant and bar called Fare Bar + Canteen, is set to open in London’s Clerkenwell, offering a 250-strong wine list and 30+ wines, beers and cocktail on tap.

Californian producers target London and Edinburgh

The annual Golden State Tasting is to take place in Scotland for the first time to capitalise on the popularity of Californian wines north of the border.

Liberty Wines' premium on-trade report has its eye on the high ground

In an exclusive Harpers preview, Liberty Wines has shared its upcoming Premium On-trade Wine Report, identifying where growth opportunities still lie. Andrew Catchpole picks out the highlights

Amathus Drinks to distribute Champagne Duval-Leroy

Amathus Drinks has announced a new partnership with Vertus producer Champagne Duval-Leroy.

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Young Sommelier 2018 revealed

The UK arm of leading international gastronomic body Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB has announced its Young Sommelier 2018.

UK trade responds as EU27 approves negotiating guidelines for next phase of Brexit and transition deal

On Friday in Brussels EU leaders finally agreed to adopt negotiating guidelines for the future of EU-UK relations, paving the way for the next phase of talks to get underway, after months of wrangling over the details.

Influential Italian wine pioneer Renato Trestini remembered by trade

The UKs pioneering Italian wine champion Renato Trestini was remembered at his funeral yesterday (Thursday) for his role in establishing high-end Italian estates in the UK market from the early 1970s.

Spain raises the stakes

Spain has long been known as the commercial hub of Europe’s classic winemaking regions – a category that has traditionally seen off-trade sales veer towards its £5-£10 “sweet spot” or lower, to the sub-£5, rather than its top tier of lauded pagos.

Profile: Kingsland Drinks

By taking an holistic approach from sourcing to supply, Kingsland Drinks is injecting innovation along the way. Andrew Catchpole reports 

Côtes du Rhône scam sold 66 million bottles of fake wine

The extent of a large-scale wine fraud in the Côtes du Rhône has been unveiled, amounting to 66.5 million bottles of counterfeit wine.

Bordeaux pulls away from entry level as exports rise

2017 saw an increase in exports for Bordeaux to key markets such as UK, Germany and Belgium, with the US and China also on an upward trajectory, delivering significant growth in higher priced wines.

Transformed Slovakia targets UK

UK wine importers have sealed new distribution deals to import their first cool climate wines from Slovakia, in moves that highlight the transformation of viticulture in the eastern EU country.

China to squeeze bulk supply of Australian red to critical levels over next 3-5 years

Maxxium UK rebrands in a bid to clarify market position

Maxxium UK, the UK’s sales and distribution arm of global companies Beam Suntory and Edrington has undergone an enormous period of change since 2009, when the head office of its global brand owners – then a mix of Edrington, Beam, Rémy Cointreau and former Absolut owner VMS – folded.

Fever-Tree continues to lead the premium pack by adapting to low-cal and dark spirit trends

Fever-Tree accounted for 91% of the value growth of all mixers on the UK’s retail shelves last year, as the UK-based company continues to lead the march of premium mixers.

Sparkling drives growth as inflation bites down on average prices

Volume sales of alcohol continued to decline in the UK off-trade in 2017, but value sales increased in both yearly and quarterly sales, particularly in sparkling wine, which remains the main driver of growth for the overall wine category.

Ruinart Sommelier Challenge 2018 open for entries

The international Ruinart Sommelier Challenge 2018 has thrown down the gauntlet to UK somms, inviting entries for this year’s competition to be held on 9 April at 67 Pall Mall.

Call for greater clarity on low and no alcohol labelling reaches House of Commons

MPs are gathering in the House of Commons today to tackle the “confusing” labelling of low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks.

New Zealand premium exports hit a high note in the US and UK

New Zealand’s reputition as a top producer of quality wines continue to rise in the UK and across the world, as it is named the third biggest wine importer in value to the US.

French organic wine sales grow to a billion euros with UK sales on the rise