Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Cork’s march to ascendancy

Published: 25 February, 2021

Having removed much of the taint of TCA to cork’s reputation, the classic stopper continues to establish itself as a benchmark of quality, as James Lawrence reports.

Penfolds’ first Cali wine twenty years in the making alongside TWE restructure

Published: 17 February, 2021

Penfolds has released its first ever Californian wine – a move that forms part of a major restructure of parent company Treasury Wine Estates’ (TWE) operating model which aims to rebalance its US operations and focus on new Penfolds launches outside of Australia.

Long read: It’s time for a France re-think

Published: 04 February, 2021

Rowena Curlewis, CEO of drinks design specialist Denomination, tells us why she thinks French wine brands could afford to up the ‘badass’ design stakes when marketing overseas.

Jerry Lockspeiser: The wine and book markets are eerily similar

Published: 02 February, 2021

What can wine learn from other sectors of the economy? How do they add value to their products, communicate with consumers, achieve profitability?

BNIA: ‘US Sanctions will destroy Armagnac industry’

Published: 11 January, 2021

The Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l'Armagnac (BNIA) has described the latest announcement by the US for sanctions against French wines and spirits as “a real economic bomb” that will “destroy Armagnac industry”.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Britain 2021 – Fear or opportunity?

Published: 17 December, 2020

As we come to the end of this extraordinary year and look towards the future, are we filled with feelings of fear or opportunity, or a strange mix of both?

‘Nouvelle generation’ to drive Beaujolais export potential

Published: 10 December, 2020

With good recent vintages to its name and wines that sit squarely with the modern trend towards fresher, lighter styles, Beaujolais certainly appears to be well placed to capture the attention of a new generation of drinkers. Add in ‘ownership’ of Gamay, a distinctive and easy-to-like variety, and the region also offers a sense of discovery (or re-discovery for older drinkers) in a world awash with international grapes.

UK to suspend US tariffs in hope of relief on Scotch exports post-Brexit

Published: 09 December, 2020

The UK is to suspend existing EU-imposed import tariffs on a slew of US products as Brexit transition comes to an end on 1 January, with the hope that a reciprocal move will see harsh US duties on Scotch lifted.

Fine wine reaches a record high on Liv-ex

Published: 09 December, 2020

Fine wine has remained buoyant this year, with increased reliance on technology and automated trading helping the market to reach as yet unprecedented levels.

Lawmakers line up worldwide to protest China’s Oz wine tax

Published: 02 December, 2020

A group of over 200 MPs and other legislators from 19 countries have launched a campaign against China’s swingeing new tariffs on Australian wine.

New Zealand wine exports reach NZ$2 billion

Published: 26 November, 2020

International demand for New Zealand wine has surged over the past decade, with total export value now reaching a record-breaking NZ$2 billion in 2020.

MMD ultra marathon fundraiser to raise support for California fires

Published: 24 November, 2020

Maisons Marques et Domaines (MMD) is embarking on a collaborative Ultra Marathon in order to raise funds in support of the US wineries affected by this year’s devastating wildfires.

Beaujolais Nouveau producers ‘forced’ to make hand sanitiser

Published: 23 November, 2020

Producers of Beaujolais Nouveau have been left with no choice but to turn part of their crop into pure alcohol, it has been reported, after exports of wine from the region fell during the first nine months of the year.

France and the US top Robert Parker’s inaugural Top 100 Wine Discoveries List

Published: 18 November, 2020

France and the US cap off a new list of wines from Robert Parker Wine Advocate, which aims to identify the next big icon wines and trends from around the globe.

EU and US renew calls for end to retaliatory wine tariffs

Published: 10 November, 2020

The Brussels-based CEEV (Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins) and Wine Institute of California have renewed calls for a suspension of retaliatory tariffs on wine in response to the trans-Atlantic dispute over Boeing aircraft subsidies.

Washington State adds Candy Mountain to AVAs

Published: 05 October, 2020

Candy Mountain has been confirmed as Washington State’s 16th American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

North South to raise wildfire funds

Published: 05 October, 2020

North South Wines is to launch a new wine in the UK from Monterey-based Scheid Family Wines as part of a drive to raise crisis funds for businesses and communities devastated by the recent wildfires in California.

Robust retail demand reverses fortunes at Diageo

Published: 29 September, 2020

Drinks giant Diageo has revealed that its outlook for the first half of the fiscal year 2021 has “improved since the year-end”, reversing a moribund earlier forecast for a year that has been rocked by Covid-19.

English wine exports double

Published: 08 September, 2020

Exports of English wine more than doubled in 2019 while sales overall rocketed 70%, according to the latest data from Wine GB released today.

2020 NZ harvest "exceptional"

Published: 03 September, 2020

Despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, New Zealand’s 2020 vintage is “exceptional” in terms of both quality and quantity, according to the 2020 New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report.