Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Jerry Lockspeiser: This is the worst wine we have ever tasted

Published: 21 December, 2023

In his final column of 2023, Harpers regular Jerry Lockspeiser looks back over the year, before mulling over some lessons for the one ahead.

Embracing change in Rioja

Published: 20 December, 2023

Setting out to discover the renewed dynamism and diversity in Spain’s flagship DO, Harpers teamed up with Wines of Rioja to host an indie merchant buying trip to the region. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Hallgarten acquired by Coterie Holdings

Published: 19 December, 2023

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has been purchased by Coterie Holdings, joining Lay & Wheeler, bonded warehousing Coterie Vaults and wine lender Jera in a growing fine wine portfolio.

Soapbox: Why is the government so disinterested in the wine trade?

Published: 19 December, 2023

The Wine Society CEO Steve Finlan calls out the government’s lack of engagement with the hard-pressed UK drinks trade.

Friday read: The other Caucasus contender

Published: 15 December, 2023

Armenia has a thriving wine industry, as Jacopo Mazzeo discovers, but faces an uphill battle to establish itself on the world stage.

Tim Atkin MW: Moving away from ‘icons’

Published: 12 December, 2023

My late friend Michael Cox, who ran Wines of Chile’s UK office for more than a decade, had a great line about so-called “icon” wines. “Is that one word or two?” he would ask with a raised eyebrow. The pun works best in English, but the marketing strategy it points fun at is pretty much universal. Wines promoted as “iconic”, especially

Basques to build major Drinks & Wine Campus

Published: 04 December, 2023

Their culinary prowess is widely known, but now the Basques are looking to boost their wine credentials with the creation of a €15 million wine and drinks university campus.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Has wine become like religion for some?

Published: 28 November, 2023

In last month’s article for Harpers, I considered the potential for huge disruption in the UK wine trade from new rules that will allow the blending and processing of wines imported in bulk. They raise the possibility of making drinks that have all the taste and packaging characteristics of established wines while not being subject to the historic restrictions for making them.

Alcohol duty frozen until 2024

Published: 22 November, 2023

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has quelled fears of a second duty rise this year in this afternoon’s Autumn Budget, by announcing a freeze until August next year.

Soapbox: Somm tips on ordering wine

Published: 21 November, 2023

Aulis’s Charles Carron Brown irons out the mistakes commonly made in approaching a somm, helping to bag the wine a diner wants, rather than the one the somm wants them to drink.

Plumpton College Queen’s Anniversary Prize

Published: 17 November, 2023

Plumpton College has been awarded the highest National Honour in education, a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its work in wine education and wider impact on the English and Welsh wine sector.

Five minutes with Talya Roberson, Marasby

Published: 07 November, 2023

Jo Gilbert gets clued up on Roberson’s latest venture – the first of its kind platform, which promises to offer consumers the chance to buy English wine, direct from producers, at vineyard prices. 

The White Hart: On the trail of English wine

Published: 24 October, 2023

Jo Gilbert visited the White Hart pub & restaurant in East Sussex to find out how the venue is looking to become a hub for English wine.

Profile: The wonder of Wanderlust

Published: 17 October, 2023

Wanderlust’s Richard Ellison talks Andrew Catchpole through his journey into wine.

From ‘smashable’ to age-worthy, Soave plots its renaissance

Published: 09 October, 2023

Much has been made of the potential of Italian whites beyond the near ubiquitous Pinot Grigio. But few conversations have centred on an arguably more important question – namely, is there a contender to take a place with the top white wines in the world?

Exclusive: BWS falls into sustainability perception gap

Published: 05 October, 2023

In many ways, alcohol seems to be ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability agendas. Wine producers around the world work on nature’s front line and are among the few sectors to have successfully high recycling rates globally via glass. Spirits have been at the forefront of experiments with alternative formats and zero waste projects.

Isa Bal steps up to chair Sommelier Wine Awards

Published: 02 October, 2023

Harpers and Imbibe Live are delighted to announce that Isa Bal MS is to head up the revived Sommelier Wine Awards competition (SWA).

Jerry Lockspeiser: Growth is central to business strategy. Is it time to change?

Published: 27 September, 2023

Many years ago I was asked to act as a strategic consultant to a Chilean wine business. They wanted help with reformulating their strategy, first to achieve break even, then to reach sustainable profitability. The business was 100% targeted at export markets, with the UK a key priority.

Chile ramps up focus on innovation at London tasting

Published: 15 September, 2023

First time visitors to this year’s Wines of Chile annual tasting in London could be forgiven for thinking that this is a country in a permanent state of evolution, often operating at the fringes of established viticulture to drive a rolling agenda of innovation.