Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

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.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Can we plan for the unknown?

Published: 23 November, 2020

“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” Charles Bukowski

UK retail lifts moribund global sales at Pernod Ricard

Published: 22 October, 2020

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard has seen its sales drop 6% in the first quarter of the financial year, though UK retail sales remain dynamic.

Italy rising in half-year Liv-ex trades

Published: 23 July, 2020

The growing importance of Italian wines on global trading markets is reflected in the half-year data released by Liv-ex, the online fine-wine trading platform.

US on-trade reopening gives near-future glimpse of path ahead for UK

Published: 21 May, 2020

Reduced food and drink ranges, continued off-trade sales, ongoing food take-out, plus the need for support from suppliers to ‘optimise drinks assortments’ are among the main takeaways from a recent Nielsen CGA survey of the US restaurant and bar sectors.

Friday Read: UK wineries battle coronavirus crisis with British determination

Published: 20 March, 2020

Rapidly slowing exports, a pivoting to direct to consumer sales as on-trade sales stall and vineyards on lock down – such is the picture of the UK wine industry today as it grapples with the ongoing disruption from the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Jerry Lockspeiser: The essential Christmas gift for every wine entrepreneur

Published: 20 December, 2019

About twenty years ago I tried to sell a sparkling wine from Italy that was almost unknown in the UK market. We were a significant supplier to the major retailers and worked closely with them on new product development ideas, from lesser known grape varieties, regions and countries, to new styles and packaging for better-known wines. My Italian sparkling wine was from a medium sized organic producer whose wines we had won listings for, but the buyers felt that it was not well known enough in our market and wouldn’t sell. It was, of course, Prosecco.

Pinot Grigio - the end of the affair?

Published: 08 November, 2019

Ines Salpico reports on a strategic rethink as sales of Italy’s favourite white experiences a dramatic fall.

Daniel Lambert offering up the wine trip of a lifetime

Published: 09 September, 2019

Daniel Lambert Wines has the dream round-the-world ticket up for grabs to the winner of its new independent incentive scheme.

Liv-ex releases 2019 classification

Published: 01 August, 2019

Wine buyers continue to diversify away from Bordeaux, according to the latest biennial classification list from global wine-trading platform Liv-ex, released today.

Accolade Wines launches first Echo Falls Malbec

Published: 17 July, 2019

Accolade Wines is to extend its Echo Falls range with a Malbec variant.

Mini wine bottles and fruit flavoured blends help Broadland’s sales soar to £70m

Published: 16 July, 2019

Broadland Wineries has seen sales jump 11.6% to £70.6m in the 12 months to the end of March 2019 helped by fruit flavoured blends and mini wine bottles.

Californian wine under £20 boosts UK sales

Published: 09 April, 2019

US wine exports to the UK have seen a slip in value but a rise in volume, thanks largely to a growth in buyer interest in a previously difficult-to-source section of the market.

Climate change leaving Beaujolais in fear of being priced out of the market by cereal and milk

Published: 11 March, 2019

The temperature is rising in Beaujolais, leaving producers to worry their products will be edged out of consumers’ repertoires by rival crops.

Sales of English and Welsh wine double in 2018

Published: 06 March, 2019

The English and Welsh wine industry produced a record-breaking amount of wine last year thanks to a frost-free spring and a long, mostly dry summer.

Looking ahead: Ian Harris MBE, chief executive, WSET

Published: 14 December, 2018

Tumultuous political times are offering an interesting backdrop to our latest Looking Ahead series.

Differing States: US wine regions on the rise

Published: 28 November, 2018

It’s been just over a decade since North Dakota, the final state to host a winery, joined the party, adding to the substantial growth of many states’ wine tourism and consequent direct consumer sales. California’s primacy remains constant, though its share of US production continues to slide from what

California soul

Published: 15 November, 2018

Travelling with fellow MWs in the Golden State, Natasha Hughes MW delves far beyond the usual suspects.

Looking Stateside

Published: 06 November, 2018

US wines have been generating an unprecedented buzz in the UK. Andrew Catchpole discovers why

Lanchester Wines and Adnams strike green partnership

Published: 07 August, 2018

Durham-based merchant Lanchester Wines has produced a range of wines for Suffolk-based brewer, distiller and retailer Adnams, with a focus on sustainability.