Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Nyetimber predicts bumper harvest

Published: 20 August, 2025

English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber says it is expecting a top-quality 2025 vintage following a warm and sunny spring, then a hot and dry June.

Black Chalk predicts production could double in boom 2025 harvest

Published: 08 August, 2025

A recent visit to Black Chalk vineyard and winery in Hampshire’s Test Valley highlighted that a bumper harvest could be on the way for the English wine sector.

Mentzendorff onboards Exton Park in Hampshire addition

Published: 06 August, 2025

Importer Mentzendorff has added Hampshire winery Exton Park to its portfolio.

Sparkling diversifies: consumers drift away from Champagne

Published: 18 June, 2025

Global wine consumption is on a downward spiral thanks to a perfect storm of negative influences, from economic factors and health concerns to the moderate drinking trend and changing consumption patterns across occasions. According to the IWSR’s 2024 report, What’s Driving Wine’s Structural Decline, per capita consumption of wine in the UK peaked in 2009 and has been in decline since, “except for a small temporary boost during Covid. On a per-adult basis, the UK now drinks about 14% less wine than it did in 2000.”

Black Chalk targets growth with appointment of Neil Irvine

Published: 07 May, 2025

Hampshire wine estate Black Chalk has announced the addition of Neil Irvine to the newly created role of sales director. The onboarding comes as the producer seeks to boost sales growth.

Wine Lister: English sparkling competes with Champagne in quality perception

Published: 21 March, 2025

A new report on English sparkling wine from Wine Lister, the fine wine consulting agency, shows that on average critics’ score the category 90.6, which compares favourably with sector-leading Champagne wines (90.8).

Five minutes with Stephen Duckett, Hundred Hills Winery

Published: 04 February, 2025

Andrew Catchpole catches up with a tech-entrepreneur turned fine English winemaker at his Oxfordshire estate.

WineGB launches definitive guide to award-winning British wines

Published: 22 November, 2024

WineGB has collaborated with the Vineyard & Winery Show to create the Golden 50 Wines List – a database of award-winning British wines that have received gold medals across 10 national and international competitions in 2024.

Sugrue South Downs partners with Wanderlust on new English sparkling

Published: 11 November, 2024

England's youngest winery, Sugrue South Downs, has unveiled a new collection of single-vineyard cuvées produced in the heart of East Sussex.

Five minutes with Patrick McGrath MW

Published: 29 October, 2024

Over a sneak preview of the recently disgorged (and as yet to be released) Domaine Evremond Classic Cuvée – the joint sparkling venture in Kent between Champagne Taittinger and its UK agent-importer Hatch Mansfield – Andrew Catchpole catches up with Hatch’s Patrick McGrath MW, who explains the inspiration for this ambitious project.

Hugh Johnson invests in Sugrue South Downs sparkling wine

Published: 09 September, 2024

Hugh Johnson OBE, a leading figure in the world of wine writing and one of the UK's most recognised wine commentators, has invested in Sugrue South Downs, the award-winning English sparkling wine producer led by Dermot and Ana Sugrue. The exact sum of Johnson’s investment remains undisclosed.

Friday Read: Why the UK should embrace the new labelling rules

Published: 30 August, 2024

Madalena Moreira, oenologist at Encirc, argues there is room for everyone in the UK wine trade to benefit from the post-Brexit bottling rules, and that the changes will not negatively impact sales of quality English sparkling wine.

Squerryes Vineyard expands with new winery and winemaker

Published: 20 August, 2024

Squerryes, a family-run vineyard in Westerham, has revealed plans for expansion, including the appointment of Tom Jones as its new winemaker, who will start next month.

Gusbourne explores potential sale

Published: 23 July, 2024

English winemaker Gusbourne may soon have a new owner, as Lord Ashcroft, who holds a 67% stake in the company, announced he is exploring “various strategic options” for his shareholding.

UK vineyards surpass 1,000 as wine sales rise 10%

Published: 04 July, 2024

WineGB has announced significant growth in the UK’s wine industry, with the number of vineyards reaching 1,030, a 9.2% increase from the previous year. According to the Food Standards Agency Wine Team, English and Welsh wine sales also grew by 10% from 2022.

Guy Woodward: English wine is facing a dilemma

Published: 02 July, 2024

Last month’s English Wine Week kicked off with two high-profile but contrasting events. First, the august members’ club 67 Pall Mall held a glitzy industry lunch for producers, trade and media. Nineteen different English wines were poured

WineGB Awards celebrate record-breaking achievements and innovation in English Wine Week

Published: 21 June, 2024

The eighth annual WineGB Awards concluded with a showcase of the finest wines from England and Wales, marking the end of English Wine Week with a record number of entries and gold medals. This year’s competition celebrated the diversity and quality of wines produced across 33 counties, with over 350 medals awarded.

English Sparkling: Boom or bust?

Published: 24 May, 2024

With rumblings of oversupply in the market and the UK’s biggest-ever crush in 2023, Jo Gilbert asks, could the bubble be about to burst for English wine?