Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Q&A: Sunaina Sethi, JKS Restaurants

Published: 04 May, 2016

At just 29, Sethi has already developed the wine lists for London restaurants Trishna, Gymkhana and Hoppers. Jo Gilbert asks what it's like to jump ship.

Profile: Neil Bruce, Fulller's Brewery

Published: 03 May, 2016

Fuller's Brewery has ambitious plans for its wine portfolio, unveiling some radical rethinking of how it's sold and Neil Bruce the head of wine is up for the challenge.

Gavin Quinney: The en primeur results and wrap-up

Published: 03 May, 2016

After a marathon tasting, our resident Bordeaux correspondent Gavin Quinney assesses 2015 quality and where to look for value

Insights: What lies ahead following En Primeur?

Published: 03 May, 2016

It has been nearly five years since the Bordeaux fine wine market, which had been riding an incredible high, came to a screeching halt and it has been on a downward spiral ever since - until now.

Analysis: Burgundy's best buys

Published: 29 April, 2016

With Burgundy prices edging ever upwards, supply short and demand on a high, Tim Atkin MW looks at canny buys.

Insights: Suppliers are focusing on value-added services to the service industry

Published: 29 April, 2016

Today suppliers have to offer an array of services to help their customers sell on their wines and they are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their repertoire.

The Smith Report: China comes good for wine for Chile and Australia

Published: 29 April, 2016

Chilean and Australian wines are on a roll in China where imports are on the up and currency fluctuations have boosted volume.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Running Business

Published: 28 April, 2016

Jerry Lockspeiser has learned a lot of lessons through his training for marathons that are also applicable to running a successful business.

ICCWS 2016: What to expect from climate change

Published: 28 April, 2016

In recent weeks, much emphasis has been placed on the short-term benefits of global warming.

Q&A: Beltran Domecq, President of the Consejo Regulador de D.O. Jerez/Sherry

Published: 28 April, 2016

President of the governing body for Sherry, Beltran Domecq is fighting to make the category hip again.

From an MW inside Parliament: What the wine trade needs to do to combat duty hikes

Published: 27 April, 2016

Conal Gregory, the only Master of Wine to have been elected to Parliament, warns that there is no hope for duties to be reduced or even frozen if there is no effective campaign fighting that battle. He gives tactical tips on what the trade could do better to combat future hikes.

Q&A: Angelo Gobbi, Bromley Court Hotel

Published: 26 April, 2016

Angelo Gobbi is the whiskey sommelier and the overseer of all libations at the Bromley Court Hotel outside of London. Following a renovation of the hotel and in the throws of spring, beverages in the terrace garden call.

Analysis: Are wine and spirit companies making the most of marketing in today's tech savvy world?

Published: 26 April, 2016

The production of wines and spirits is based on centuries' old, traditional methods, but have producers failed to make the most of digital marketing to engage consumers?

Insights: Some chateaux urge Bordelais to be 'very prudent' with en primeur pricing

Published: 21 April, 2016

Bernard Magrez and his daughter Cecile Daquin, of Chateau Pape Clement, are urging other chateaux owners to be 'very prudent' this year when it comes to en primeur pricing. "This could be the last chance for Bordeaux" to woo back buyers warns Daquin.

Analysis: Are organic and biodynamic wines going mainstream?

Published: 19 April, 2016

Following the positive response over the past two days at the fifth annual Real Wine Fair, Doug Wregg, co-organiser of the event, confidently believes that natural and biodynamic wines are no longer niche products but are increasingly becoming more mainstream.

Q&A: Vittorio Moretti, President of the Franciacorta Consortium

Published: 14 April, 2016

Owner of the Bellavista and Contadi Castaldi brands, Vittorio Moretti was elected president of the Franciacorta Consorzio in December 2015. He now faces an uphill struggle, in transforming Italy's premium traditional method fizz from a niche category into a household name.

Insights: 'We are at a crossroads' in the UK wine trade, says Fontannaz

Published: 14 April, 2016

Across the supply chain the UK wine trade has been under tremendous pressure, according to Bernard Fontannaz, founder of Origin Wine, and it has got to stop focusing so heavily on price and start communicating better with consumers.

Opinion: IPOB may not be everyone's cup of tea

Published: 12 April, 2016

Is IPOB dividing california winemakers? In Pursuit of Balance, a group that focuses only on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from California, has been generating some good publicity for those involved and helped to make names for some producers and the specific regions they hail from.

Q&A: Dan Townsend, general manager for Europe, Treasury Wine Estates

Published: 12 April, 2016

Following the announcement of the acquisition of Diageo's wine portfolio Dan Townsend talks about the integration of the business and its plans for the future.

Q&A: Tim Mondavi, partner, Continuum Estate, Napa Valley

Published: 08 April, 2016

The Mondavi family has a deeply rooted history in the Napa Valley and when they had to sell the publicly controlled business to Constellation Brands in 2004, decided to take some time out to launch Continuum Estate.