Pernod Ricard and Diageo report mixed figures for first quarter performance

First quarter results issued this week have revealed mixed fortunes for the sector's major drinks companies with Pernod Ricard posting an organic net sales loss of 1%, whilst Diageo returned an organic net sales growth of 3.1%.

Taylor's Port renews sponsorship deal with Jazz FM

Taylor's Port returned yesterday as the headline sponsor to Jazz FM's Dinner Jazz programme for 26 weeks after its successful run last year.

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck releases festive gift packs

Piper-Heidsieck has released a gift box range featuring three of its Champagnes, aimed at the Christmas market.

Origin Wine hires Phil Reedman MW to cover Australia

Leading UK wine trade figures head to London for first France Summit

Leading figures from across the UK wine trade will be attending tomorrow's inaugural Harpers France Summit that will look at how well the industry is sourcing, promoting and selling French wine across the on and off-trades.

EU and Canada trade agreement will benefit UK wine and spirits

Negotiations concluded last week for a Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada, which will help UK distillers and wine producers import and compete more easily in Canada.

Wines of Argentina launches Instagram campaign

Wines of Argentina has launched a new Instagram campaign, The Wine Caption, calling on consumers to post any images that capture the spirit of Argentina, with the winning photo becoming the centrepiece of a global ad campaign in 2014 and the photographer sent on a five-day all-expenses-paid trip to Argentina.

Level of wine duty fraud would make it biggest player in UK market, says Conviviality chief

According to Keith Webb, franchise director of Conviviality Retail, a loss of 11% of wine to duty fraud is a "huge proportion of the market" and would "make it the single biggest retailer of wine in the country".

Penfolds recorking clinic to return to London

Iconic Australian wine brand Penfolds will be hosting a recorking clinic, the first in five years, on October 22 at the Berkeley hotel in London, offering collectors and owners an opportunity to have their wines examined and recorked if necessary.

Late Champagne harvest should still bring good balanced vintage

Treasury Wine Estates sets the standard for Californian 2013 vintage

The 2013 Californian wine harvest is set to be "truly outstanding" if a review of some of the premium vineyards of Treasury Wine Estates by Harpers.co.uk is replicated across the state.

How Treasury Wine Estates is turning heads with its premium Californian wines

If David Dearie's shock sacking as Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) chief executive last month was indeed connected to the $160m writedown the company's US division suffered earlier this year, its stable of Californian wineries continues to produce premium wine that keep turning heads.

France Summit to reveal latest off-trade and promotional performance of French wine

Finest Fizz offers personalised Champagne for Christmas

Finest Fizz, an new import company that focuses on small independent producers of Champagne, will be offering consumers the opportunity to put their own label on the bottle, which could make for a great gift this Christmas.

Cornwall's Knightor winery releases its first sparkling wine

Cornish winery Knightor has announced the release of its first sparkling wine, Knightor Brut NV.

Early frost in Chile set to bump up wine export prices

Chilean wine export prices are likely to rise in the coming months after the country was hit by an early frost two weeks ago that kept temperatures below freezing for eight days.

Architect Zaha Hadid designs bottle for Austria's Icon Hill

Austrian wine producer Leo Hillinger has released the first edition of his Icon Hill project, a premium red blend with a bottle specially designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid. 

Asda's new online Wine Shop will bring more young winemakers to UK

Asda's new bespoke online Wine Shop will allow it to broaden the number of producers it works with and introduce new, younger winemakers to the UK, according to head buyer Philippa Carr MW.

Asda looks to ramp up its wine offer with new bespoke online Wine Shop

Asda is to launch its first bespoke online wine offer on October 28 which will give its customers the chance to select a mixed case of six wines from a range of 500.

Largest Croatian wine tasting in the UK to be held in London

On October 17 at the Westbury Hotel in London 150 Croatian wines will be showcased by 30 wine producers, making it the largest tasting of Croatian wines to be held in the UK.