Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

When in Rome raises £400k for future investment

Published: 03 December, 2021

When in Rome, the Stroud-based wine company, has hit its £400,000 Crowdcube funding target with the support of over 180 investors.

Ronan Sayburn and Aldi team-up to assuage fears of “choosing the wrong wine” at Christmas

Published: 03 December, 2021

Choosing the right wine at a dinner party is proving to be a worry for those hosting, new research from supermarket Aldi has found; which is why the supermarket has teamed up with leading sommelier Ronan Sayburn to create a dinner party pack curated from a list of its most premium winter wines.

Vagabond launches new AI somm subscription service

Published: 02 December, 2021

Independent hybrid retailer Vagabond has embraced the digital revolution with the unveiling of a new consumer-facing interface, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

IMW welcomes thirteen new Masters of Wine

Published: 02 December, 2021

The IMW (Institute of Masters of Wine) has expanded its ranks with the induction of 13 new members.

Burgundy superstars and Italian improvers drive interest at Wine Lister

Published: 01 December, 2021

Burgundy superstars and Italian quality improvers have been highlighted as important categories in the second annual report from auction site Wine Lister, called 2021 Wine Leagues.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Is it time to kill wine’s sacred cows?

Published: 01 December, 2021

It really is hard to know what to believe these days. The digital world enables instant sharing of information across the globe, which seems good and democratic. Just about anyone can participate. But with it comes lower reliability and veracity of what is being communicated, making it easier to seed fake gospels claiming that two plus two equals five, or seven, or even nine. Perhaps what really matters is the extent to which people make decisions and take actions as a result.

Hallgarten invests in the future with office move

Published: 01 December, 2021

Specialist wine importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has moved into offices to accommodate a post-pandemic flexible working environment.

Virtual festival dedicated to ‘low-intervention’ wine launches this weekend

Published: 29 November, 2021

France’s only female Master of Wine has launched a new virtual wine festival Alive!, due to take place on 5 and 6 December.

Languedoc producer launches inaugural NFT scheme

Published: 29 November, 2021

A boutique wine label in the Languedoc Roussillon has become the first French wine brand to embrace cryptocurrency and sell digital assets via blockchain.

South Africa trade slams new travel ban

Published: 29 November, 2021

The international communities’ decision to prohibit travel to South Africa will have “significant implications” for the nation's struggling wine and tourism industries, according to oversight body VinPro.

Q&A: Ray Nadeson, Lethbridge Wines

Published: 29 November, 2021

From straw building to solar power by way of highly sustainable viticulture, Australian winery Lethbridge’s driving force, Ray Nadeson, talks premium wines and primordial soup with Andrew Catchpole.

Friday read: Prosecco DOC Rosé's future prospects

Published: 26 November, 2021

After years of intense lobbying by producers, the Prosecco Consortium finally allowed blended sparkling wine styles to be bottled under the 'Prosecco DOC Rosé' designation in 2020. Exports began in November last year, although there have been reports of a Pinot Noir shortage in 2021. Nevertheless, the category has got off to a flying start, with buoyant sales and an enthusiastic consumer reception. But how sustainable is this growth, and will it affect sales of 'ordinary' Prosecco?

'OIV must embrace the digital revolution to stay relevant’

Published: 26 November, 2021

The director general of the OIV has called upon the global wine industry to more quickly embrace the opportunities afforded by new technologies, in order to stay relevant in a fiercely competitive world.

CVNE to release second vintage of resurrected white Rioja

Published: 25 November, 2021

Leading Rioja winery CVNE will release a small volume of its 'new' white Rioja, Monopole Clasico Gran Reserva 2015, in 2022.

Rosé's global success ‘partly based on luck’, says UK buyer

Published: 25 November, 2021

The triumphant march of the rosé category cannot solely be attributed to the marketing genius of its key stakeholders, according to Jeroboams wine director Peter Mitchell MW.

Chilean multinational furthers sustainability drive

Published: 25 November, 2021

One of South America's largest wine producers has introduced a new set of sustainability requirements, including stringent rules pertaining to bottling and packaging.

Dates confirmed for SITT Spring London and Manchester events

Published: 25 November, 2021

Harpers Wine & Spirits has confirmed the dates for its spring editions of SITT - The Specialist Importers Trade Tasting.

Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction achieves landmark sale

Published: 24 November, 2021

The 161st Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction has set a new world record, after €800,000 (£671,000) was bid for a barrel of Corton Renardes Grand Cru.

WSTA lobbies government to solve HGV crisis

Published: 24 November, 2021

With Christmas almost upon us, the WSTA has called upon the UK government to take urgent action over HGV driver shortages and freight disruption to avoid “supply chain chaos” in December 2021 and beyond.