Italy's Franciacorta wines double sales to UK

Sales of Italy's Franciacorta wines in the UK have doubled in the first six months of 2014 thanks to growing market awareness.

Origin Wine's Stormhoek Stack launches in UK

Bancroft Wines takes on South African winery Ataraxia

Private equity firm KKR ups bid for Treasury Wine Estates

Treasury Wine Estates has opened its books to private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts following its revised - 10% higher - offer of US$3.15 billion for the wine business.

Put your football knowledge to the test in the new Benevolent Fantasy Football League

So do you think your football? Your Christmas Tree formation over your 4-4-2? Know what "running between the lines" actually means? Well why not put those skills to the test and take part in the new Benevolent Fantasy Football League - oh and raise some money for the drinks charity along the way.

The Week That Was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Consumers will drink cheap wine until the trade convinces them to do otherwise, warns Jerry Lockspeiser

The UK wine trade should stop lamenting the fact the average consumer is looking to buy cheaper wine and work harder to convince them to do otherwise, according to leading wine consultant Jerry Lockspeiser.

London Cru forced to name its wines Thunderbirds-style as wines 1, 2 and 3

London Cru, the capital's first urban winery, may have succeeded in shipping grapes from Europe to make wine in the UK, but it has had more difficulty with the bureaucrats in what it can now call them.

WSTA conference to focus on engaging consumers

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association's annual conference will focus on the role branding, innovation and digital communications play in engaging with consumers in today's wine and spirits world.

Wine brands say promotion forecasting site Bring A Bottle could 'misdirect consumers'

Top wine brands have accused new drinks promotions forecasting website Bring A Bottle of having the "potential to misdirect consumers".

Alex Fisher joins board of Bibendum Wine Holdings

Bibendum Wine Holdings, the parent company of national wine and drinks supplier, Bibendum Wine, has stengthened its board  with the appointment of former Bidvest 3663 managing director, Alex Fisher, as a non-executive director.

Jeremy Rockett leaves González Byass GB after 10 years

González Byass GB marketing director Jeremy Rockett has left the business after 10 years of service.

Broadland Wineries joins Les Grands Chais as UK distributors of Singlz PET wine glass

Broadland Wineries has signed a deal to produce single serve PET wine glass Singlz in the UK  which it will fill with its own wines from its Norfolk base.  

Price comparison site Bring A Bottle pinpoints cheapest times to buy major drinks brands

Customers should be buying and stockpiling lager in June and July, and Champagne at Christmas, according to new data from Bring A Bottle which pinpoints exactly when the biggest promotions start across a range of top-selling brands.

Hallgarten Druitt boosts sales and marketing teams

Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines has recruited a former Mirror journalist to head up its communications team and added an extra national accounts manager.

How a 'yes' vote from Scotland would affect alcohol taxes and logistics

Excise duty expert Alan Powell considers how Scottish independence could affect drinks firms operating both sides of the borders in terms of excise duty and logistics.

A 'yes' vote from Scotland could cripple drinks firms with duty headaches

If Scotland splits from the rest of the UK drinks firms could face potentially crippling changes to duty which would add a significant cost and administrative burden - even causing some to go out of business.

Naked Wines kicks off same-day delivery trial in San Francisco

Major wine companies should not pin their futures on China, warns Krug chief

The wine world needs to let go of its obsession with China, and stop believing that the market can solve all its problems, according to Margareth Henriquez., chief executive of Krug, the top branded Champagne house.

Oddbins to start franchise operation with 26 independent wine retailers

High street chain Oddbins is planning to kick off its franchised model by converting around 26 independent wine merchants to the company fascia.