Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Dom Perignon winemaker moves to Kent

Published: 08 December, 2020

Nick Lane, who was part of the winemaking team at Dom Perignon, has moved to the UK to join contract-only winery, Defined Wine.

Roederer completes organic conversion

Published: 13 November, 2020

Champagne Louis Roederer has joined the growing global club of big name producers that have completed conversion to organic certification.

Zachys gears up for first European multi-vendor sale

Published: 27 October, 2020

Zachys has announced its first European multi-vendor sale will take place in London and will include what it claims to be the world’s first barrel of Burgundy to be sold at auction.

Perrier-Jouët launches podcast celebrating outgoing Hervé Dechamps

Published: 29 September, 2020

Maison Perrier-Jouët has launched a podcast series celebrating the legacy of the House’s seventh cellar master Hervé Dechamps, who will retire next month after 37 years.

Taittinger partners with D&D

Published: 10 August, 2020

Champagne Taittinger has announced a new partnership with restaurant group D&D.

Cellar Trends strengthens portfolio with Beau Joie

Published: 29 July, 2020

Drinks distributor Cellar Trends has strengthened its sparkling portfolio with the addition of Beau Joie Champagne as part of its UK growth strategy.

Sandia Chang launches one stop e-shop for grower Champagne

Published: 24 July, 2020

Sandia Chang, the renowned California-born sommelier and founder of Fitzrovia’s hotdogs and Champagne joint in is taking her love of growers Champagne online which the launch of a new e-shop.

Champagne fails to agree 2020 yield amid “worst crisis since WW2”

Published: 24 July, 2020

The Champenois are in disarray as efforts to reach agreement on the level of yield for the 2020 harvest failed at a recent meeting of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) in Epernay.

Prosecco in the pink with parallel rosé trends

Published: 17 July, 2020

A sizeable uplift in rosé wine sales is forecasting a rosey outlook for ‘Pink Prosecco’ which is due to land on British shelves and in ice buckets as of January 2021.

Ex-Lanson MD Paul Beavis pushes Okanagan Valley in the UK

Published: 14 July, 2020

Headed up by previous House of Lanson MD Paul Beavis, Iconic Wineries of British Columbia is hoping to raise awareness of Canada’s Okanagan Valley by bringing CheckMate Artisanal Winery to the UK.

Dom Pérignon releases 2010 vintage

Published: 07 July, 2020

Dom Pérignon has released its 2010 Vintage - from a year Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon said was a “daunting challenge” due to the botrytis that attacked the Pinot Noir vines.

Bollinger adds first cuvée in over a decade with Bollinger PN

Published: 06 July, 2020

Champagne Bollinger has added its first permanent cuvée in 12 years with the launch of Bollinger PN, the first of an intended series focusing on the house’s flagship grape.

Ascot Racecourse launches online wine shop

Published: 05 June, 2020

Hallgarten and Ascot Racecourse have today announced the launch of an online 'Ascot' wine shop.

Champagne Academy launches emergency financial fund for The Drinks Trust

Published: 28 May, 2020

The Champagne Academy has announced the launch of a range of fundraising initiatives to help support The Drinks Trust and its beneficiaries through these turbulent times.

Majestic and Moët launch fizz fundraiser for Drinks Trust

Published: 21 May, 2020

Majestic and Moët & Chandon have clubbed together to create a new fundraising initiative for The Drinks Trust.

Friday Read: Chasing millennials – a moribund or redefined art?

Published: 15 May, 2020

For as long as I can remember, the wine industry has been coveting youth. Generic bodies have been at the forefront of this rush to connect with Gen Y. The CIVB, Inter Rhône and InterLoire have all invested significant resources into campaigns targeted at millennials.

Justerini & Brooks expands on-trade portfolio with grower Champagne

Published: 13 May, 2020

Wine and spirits merchant Justerini & Brooks has added to a new grower Champagne to its list of on-trade exclusives with Pierre Paillard.

Campari to buy majority stake in Champagne Lallier

Published: 20 April, 2020

Campari Group has announced it is in talks with privately owned French company Sarl Ficoma to buy a majority stake in Champagne Lallier.

Champagne: Weathering the storm

Published: 20 April, 2020

With little to celebrate, it’s unlikely consumers will be reaching for the Champagne any time soon, but the category has weathered storms before, says Chris Losh.

Friday Read: Covid-19 set to devastate Champagne's recovery?

Published: 17 April, 2020

Like a staunch liberal and a UKIP voter forced by coronavirus to cohabit under one roof, Champagne has enjoyed a troubled – and complex - relationship with the UK of late. Both Nielsen and CGA Strategy have tracked falling demand for Champagne over the past few years in the UK; in the 12 months to December 2019, the total volume and value of Champagne sales fell by 5.8% and 4.9% respectively in the on-trade. Meanwhile, Nielsen figures indicate that Champagne sales in the Christmas period 2019 fell well short of expectations. It's hard to rally against statistical evidence - the figures do not lie.