Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Friday Read: Wine ecommerce - learning from China

Published: 06 March, 2020

China has become the world leader in wine ecommerce and there is much we could learn, writes Emilie Steckenborn, founder of the Bottled in China Podcast.

Tim Atkin MW: Spare a thought for the wine tasters that get it right

Published: 06 March, 2020

TIM ATKIN MW

Central Otago: Pinot spotlight

Published: 06 March, 2020

Central Otago is reaching a new maturity, as Andrew Catchpole discovers at its annual Pinot Noir Celebration.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Is it game over for wine?

Published: 05 March, 2020

Is it all over for wine as we know it? Shall we pack up and go home, accepting our time has passed?

Hattingley Valley releases first still wines

Published: 05 March, 2020

Hattingley Valley is officially broadening its stable of wines beyond sparkling with two new still wines soon to be released as part of a stand-alone range.

Chinese wine volumes predicted to fall 20% due to coronavirus

Published: 04 March, 2020

The Chinese wine market could contract by 20% or more and many businesses will fail as a result of coronavirus, two industry experts have said.

Emporda obtains White Carignan recognition

Published: 04 March, 2020

Spain has authorised DO (PDO) status for the White Carignan grape variety in the Empordà appellation of Catalonia.

Premiumisation arrives in Portugal

Published: 04 March, 2020

Portugal’s wine drinkers have upped their spending significantly over the last two years, according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

Indies: Food for thought

Published: 04 March, 2020

Thinking of offering a hybrid experience? Andrew Catchpole asks two quite different operators how they balance being both a wine merchant and a bar

Vinitaly latest to postpone

Published: 03 March, 2020

Vinitaly has become the latest trade fair to postpone its event, scheduled for April, due to coronavirus (Covid-19).

IWSR to launch coronavirus risk assessment tool

Published: 03 March, 2020

In light of coronavirus (Covid-19) continuing to cause chaos in the world of wine, drinks market analyst IWSR is gearing up to launch a risk assessment tool that will examine the impact of the novel virus on the alcohol market on a quarterly basis.

Nekter picks up Matthiasson Family agency

Published: 03 March, 2020

Californian producer Matthiasson Family Vineyards has appointed Nekter Wine Importers as its UK agency.

Champagne Top 100 launched in London

Published: 03 March, 2020

London fine-wine club 67 Pall Mall is partnering with wine-event and education provider Scala Wine to launch The Champagne Top 100.

Staffing crisis: Low skilled judgement

Published: 02 March, 2020

The government’s damaging immigration policy will further exacerbate the staffing crisis in an already beleagured on-trade. Chris Losh takes aim...

Austria: The view beyond Grüner growth

Published: 02 March, 2020

Austrian producers are looking to reds and rare varieties to emulate the ‘golden period’ built on the success of its flagship grape, as Lisa Riley discovers.

Wine Drinkers UK urges Chancellor not to discriminate against working class and women

Published: 02 March, 2020

Wine Drinkers UK has called on the new Chancellor not to discriminate against the working class and women ahead of the next Budget on 11 March.

Friday Read: Hidden in the Shadows

Published: 28 February, 2020

The realisation first occurred in Ho Chi Minh City, after a charming waitress at 'The Garlik' restaurant produced a concise wine list. The restaurant was full of middle-class Vietnamese – and a handful of tourists – most of whom were drinking wine. I observed a similar scenario one week later, at Riedel's bar-cum-restaurant in central Bangkok. The sommelier was proselytising the virtues of white Burgundy – one of the many bottles contained in a wall-mounted enomatic machine - to a young Thai couple. I left the restaurant convinced that due to the media's powerful China obsession, the potential of these cultures to love wine was being grossly underreported.