Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Wine GB unveils first British producers to receive sustainable certification

Published: 17 August, 2020

Wine GB has announced the first British vineyards and wineries to formally achieve recognition for their sustainable credentials.

Lack of global sustainability standard impeding consumer buy-in

Published: 18 May, 2020

The absence of a coherent, joined-up global standard to measure producers’ progress on sustainability risks undermining communication on the good progress being made by the wine industry.

Tim Atkin MW: A taste of things to come?

Published: 07 May, 2020

Everyone seems to have advice about how to get through lockdown. Even if we’re all still sitting here in December, our diaries emptier than your local Wetherspoons, I can’t imagine the well-meaning guidance changing much. Eat healthily, exercise, take up a new hobby, read a book, tidy your cupboards, call your friends and family, order food online.

Saperavi trials among host of ‘experimental’ measures in Banfi sustainability programme

Published: 14 April, 2020

Leading Tuscan producer Castello Banfi is pushing viticultural boundaries as part of its wider commitment to advancing sustainability, with hybrid grapes and interlopers such as Georgia’s Saperavi on the cards.

Symington announces vintage ports

Published: 14 April, 2020

The Symington Family has announced its 2018 vintage Ports - to be launched via live video presentation for the first time.

Climate crunch

Published: 01 April, 2020

New mathematical forecasting is helping scientists plot vine suitability against an ever-changing climate map. Jo Gilbert looks at the challenges to 2050 and beyond.

Familia Torres launches ancestral winegrowing project

Published: 17 March, 2020

Family-owned winery Familia Torres has kicked off the latest stage of on an ongoing growing project in Alts d'Ancosa in the Penedès, where it will be planting historic local variety, Forcada.

Champagne Top 100 launched in London

Published: 03 March, 2020

London fine-wine club 67 Pall Mall is partnering with wine-event and education provider Scala Wine to launch The Champagne Top 100.

Friday Read: Why we shouldn’t be grubbing up bush vines

Published: 07 February, 2020

“Don’t grub up bush vines!” was the resounding advice from Pedro Ballesteros MW at the new Barcelona Wine Week this week, where he cited Catalan Garnatxa producers as examples to follow in the need for a new approach in viticulture to tackle climate change.

Furmint February puts climate change in the crosshairs as only three out of ten vintages are good enough for Aszú

Published: 31 January, 2020

The extent to which climate change is impacting the production of styles of Furmint was highlighted at recent Wine of Hungary masterclass, where participants were told that making sweet wines will be the “challenge” for Tokaj over the next decade or even century.

Climate action group IWCA welcomes four new members

Published: 30 January, 2020

International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) has welcomed our new wineries in its mission to decarbonize the global wine industry.

Essex and East Anglia primed for viticultural expansion say climate change researchers

Published: 28 January, 2020

Climate change researchers have pegged Essex and Norfolk as the next major areas to plant as warmer summers extend the area where grapes can be grown productively in the UK.

Wine Australia reveals AUD $500m raised in charitable donations

Published: 22 January, 2020

Wine Australia has revealed that more than AUD $500m has been raised so far in charitable donations from across the globe in relation to the devastating bushfires.

Tyrrell’s reduces 2020 vintage ‘severely’ due to smoke taint

Published: 22 January, 2020

Tyrrell’s Wines has made the decision to have a “severely reduced” 2020 vintage due to smoke taint caused by the bushfires, with the Australian producer estimating a total crop loss of 80%.

Guy Woodward: The irresistible side of climate change

Published: 13 December, 2019

As we flew into her native California last month, my wife was confused. The captain had announced we would be landing in 20 minutes, but looking out the window, she saw an unfamiliar sight. “That’s weird,” she said. “Looks like we’re only just passing over Utah – there’s the salt flats.” Don’t tell me we’ve been diverted, I thought… No, all was on track, and we touched down safely at LAX 20 minutes later. Turns out the vista that had so disoriented my wife was, in fact, the scorched earth of the Golden State, dry beyond recognition.

Mixing politics and wine

Published: 22 November, 2019

What attracted me to wine journalism nine years ago was that the stories were about the wine and the people, not cocaine-fuelled celebrity mishaps or sexual exploits involving a reverse osmosis machine. The beauty of wine was that, by and large, there was no 'news.'

Soave launches project to tackle soil erosion

Published: 19 November, 2019

The Consorzio of Soave has embarked on a pioneering project to study the impact of soil erosion in its vineyards and to help producers develop and maintain techniques to protect their soil.

Stellenbosch Wine Routes becomes first Southern Hemisphere region to sign Porto Protocol

Published: 23 October, 2019

Stellenbosch Wine Routes has signed up to the Porto Protocol as part of its commitment to combat climate change.

Torres calls for action on climate change

Published: 30 September, 2019

Family-run Spanish wine producer Familia Torres has renewed its call for more action on climate change and declared its support for Fridays For Future, the international youth movement inspired by activist Greta Thunberg.