Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Four fairs combine for inaugural WineMainz event

Published: 12 March, 2026

Germany is set to gain a fresh event for its domestic wine industry, with four existing wine fairs coinciding for the first ever WineMainz event this April.

Friday Read: Indigo Wine’s authenticity ethos aligns with premium trends

Published: 27 February, 2026

At specialist importer Indigo Wine’s portfolio tasting, Harpers caught up with MD Regine Lee MW who believes the importer’s philosophy is aligning well with market trends in the premium on- and off-trade.

IWSR: Global H1 alcohol volume sales decline, value steady

Published: 06 November, 2025

Fresh data from IWSR can reveal that global total beverage alcohol (TBA) consumption volume was in decline during the first half of the financial year, with a drop of -1% reported.

‘Turbo autumn’ sees top German producers negotiate early ripening

Published: 03 November, 2025

The German wine association Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) – which represents around 200 of the nation’s top producers – has announced the completion of this year’s harvest.

German harvest set to be smallest since 2010

Published: 22 October, 2025

According to trade body The German Wine Institute (DWI) this year’s harvest in Germany is predicted to total at 7.3m hls. This figure would make it the smallest grape harvest in the country since 2010 (7.1m hls).

Reichstrat von Buhl leads new agencies showcased at Bancroft tasting

Published: 23 September, 2025

At Bancroft’s Autumn + Winter Edit, exciting producers recently added to the importer’s portfolio, showcased their wines to the trade.

Hove wine oasis wins 31 Days of German Wine

Published: 22 August, 2025

Fourth & Church restaurant and wine shop in Hove, East Sussex, has won the inaugural 31 Days of German Wine, an expanded version of the 31 Days of German Riesling campaign which ran for over a decade.

Piwi vision: Resistant varieties’ UK potential

Published: 09 July, 2025

The challenges posed by climate change to viticulture are now well documented, with the likes of experimental plantings of Touriga Nacional in Bordeaux, or the flight of mainland Oz winemakers to cooler Tasmania, bearing testimony to the pressure on established varieties in their more traditional vineyard homes. And the UK – despite its cooler-climate island reputation – is not immune to such change, with both warmer and more erratic weather patterns affecting its vineyards.

Wines of Germany announces fresh campaign

Published: 19 February, 2025

Wines of Germany UK has announced their 2025 campaign to promote wines from the country’s appellations.

Staff shortages affect 45% of wine industry Prowein finds

Published: 11 October, 2023

According to new research published by Prowein, 45% of businesses in the wine industry have been affected by staff shortages over the last two years.

CGA report highlights changing customer attitudes to hospitality

Published: 01 March, 2023

Exclusive research conducted in partnership with CGA by NielsenIQ shows how the cost of living crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have fundamentally shifted the online customer journey for British, French and German consumers that visit pubs and restaurants.

Demand for no and low products becoming ‘year round phenomenon’

Published: 17 January, 2022

The demand for no/low alcohol brands surged across key global markets in 2021, with consumer interest no longer confined to seasonal trends like Dry January.

Reasons to pick Riesling

Published: 29 September, 2021

Harpers partnered with Wines of Germany for its Big G closing debate, which mulled over the topic ‘A wine for all reasons: why German wine is the smart choice’. These extended highlights give a flavour of that far-reaching discussion and what indie retailers and restaurateurs alike can do to boost their German category sales. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Wines of Germany launches Retailer Partners competition

Published: 27 September, 2021

Wines of Germany has launched an innovative scheme to encourage UK independents to spread the word about Germany’s vinous offering.

World’s Best Vineyards launches auction to support Ahr victims

Published: 26 August, 2021

The World’s Best Vineyards is to launch an online auction to raise funds for the Ahr wineries hit by devastating floods earlier this year.

Harnessing Germany's ‘undiscovered’ potential

Published: 19 August, 2021

Germany is pretty much a blank slate for many consumers, but with contemporary wine styles that mean there’s all to play for.

Big G debate ‘A Wine for all Reasons’ rallies Germany’s champions

Published: 05 August, 2021

Readers are invited to register for the closing debate of this year’s Wines of Germany Big G virtual event, featuring experts in the field from across the trade, at 3pm on Tuesday 10 August.

Long Read: Floods in the Ahr valley – A tale of destruction and solidarity

Published: 22 July, 2021

Large areas of Western Germany were flooded last week and are dealing with an unprecedented level of destruction and loss. The overall sense of bafflement and being overwhelmed has prompted an international movement of solidarity, namely within the wine community, eager to help fellow winemakers many of whom have lost all their cellared stock, equipment, homes and wineries. Whether the foundations of the latter are still sound is yet to be determined; as is, in most cases, whether insurances will cover the damage caused by this unexpected natural disaster.

Wines of Germany show The Big G returns

Published: 20 July, 2021

Wines of Germany has announced the return of its The Big G show in partnership with Harpers Wine & Spirit.

31 Days of German Riesling winners bring ingenuity to the fore

Published: 09 September, 2020

This year’s winners of the annual 31 Days of German Riesling competition has put a spotlight on just how much businesses have adapted during the pandemic, using often imaginative ways to bring German Riesling to a wider audience.