English wine gears up for bumper 2015

English wine is gearing up for another cracking year as its sales edge closer to the ambitious £100 million target and top MPs and industry chiefs begin to champion its progress both at home and abroad.

Sake set to finally make its mark in the UK in 2015

Major wine retailers boast mixed fortunes over Christmas

Majestic Wine saw sales creep up 1.1% over a "difficult Christmas" while Waitrose celebrated a bumper 15.4% increase in BWS sales over the same period last year.

Independent wine merchants celebrate festive fillip

Independent wine merchants across the country are toasting a cracking December, with sales up across the board.

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo teams up with Sky Movies

Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo is partnering with Sky Movies for the broadcaster's largest ever multi-channel sponsorship deal, which will get underway in March.

Demand surges for bigger bottles of wine

Demand for bigger bottles of wine is increasing, with one retailer predicting sales will rise by 8% in the next 12 months.

Brits fork out 50% in tax on festive drinks shop

British consumers forked out over 50% on tax for their festive alcohol shop, as taxes have surged by 19% in the past four years.

One third of wines in clear glass bottles are light damaged, says Wotwine

Shoppers should take care when buying wine in clear glass bottles, says Wotwine, after 35% of wines in clear glass out of the 6,000 wines it sampled in the last two years exhibited signs of damage from light.

Sparkling wine is top performing grocery category at Christmas

Sparkling wine was the top-performing grocery category in the supermarkets for the six weeks of Christmas growing by £25.4 million on the previous year.

Wine sales hit hardest by Scottish multibuy ban

Since Scotland introduced a ban on multi-buy alcohol deals in the off-trade in October 2011, wine sales have been hardest hit, dropping 4.6% in the year following implementation.

Direct Wines appoints David Thatcher as group ceo as Simon McMurtrie steps down

Simon McMurtrie, Direct Wines group chief executive, is stepping down later this month to act as chairman for a number of businesses, with current UK managing director David Thatcher replacing him.

Obituary: Serge Hochar of Lebanon's Château Musar

Michael Karam, acclaimed journalist, ambassador for Lebanese wine and author of  Wines of Lebanon remembers, Serge Hochar, the charismatic and buccaneering owner of Lebanon's Château Musar, who died at the age of 74, while on holiday with his family in Mexico over the new year.

International wine trade pays tribute following the death of Château Musar's Serge Hochar

The international wine trade has united today to pay its respects to the legendary Lebanese winemaker, Serge Hochar, of Château Musar, who died over the new year.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Doug Wood of WoodWinters

Doug Wood, owner of Scottish independent merchant WoodWinters, lets off steam about supermarkets, credit control and 'parasitic internet-only' retailers, while looking forward to lots of Christmas presents from staff.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: John McLaren

John McLaren, UK director of the Wine Institute of California, on how the UK has changed to become a fresh land of opportunity for Californian producers, how it's in a 'holding pattern' with grocers, and why he 'may scream' if he's told to 'engage with consumers' again.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Cambridge Wine Company's Hal Wilson

Hal Wilson, managing director of independent merchant Cambridge Wine Company, gives us the low-down on opening a new wine bar, Cahors wines making a comeback and why he's watching this space with Philglas & Swiggot.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: PLB's John Osborne

John Osborne, managing director of the PLB trading division at Bibendum PLB, talks about the 'year of transformation', how retailers must adapt to the changes in how consumers shop and further supplier consolidation into next year.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: Australian Vintage's Julian Dyer

Julian Dyer, general manager for UK & Europe at Australian Vintage, talks about McGuigan breaking into the Top 5 global wine brands in the UK, consolidation in the supply sector, and why he's back the WSTA's Drop the Duty campaign.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fears for 2015: WSTA chief Miles Beale

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine & Spirits Trade Association, says the industry's progress against the Responsibility Deal is something to shout about. Meanwhile he's gearing up the pre-Budget Drop the Duty campaign and planning to engage with government after 2015's General Election.

2014 Review and Hopes and Fear for 2015: Direct Wine Shipments Neal McAlindon

Neal McAlindon, director at Belfast's Direct Wine Shipments, tells Harpers.co.uk why 2014 has been another good year, despite tricky market conditions in Northern Ireland.