Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Bourgogne less impacted by Covid-19 than feared

Published: 19 June, 2020

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) has recorded an overall dip in exports of 1.8% by volume for the first four months of 2020.

Ehrmanns pours Beefsteak into cans

Published: 19 June, 2020

Ehrmanns Wines has launched its Beefsteak Club Mendoza Malbec in 250ml can format (rrp: £2.99).

‘Distancing’ most important to on-trade guests post-lockdown

Published: 19 June, 2020

Having social distancing measures in place has been revealed to be the key concern for consumers when they return to the on-trade post-lockdown, according to new research released by Hallgarten & Novum Wines today.

Waitrose expands English portfolio in a nod to English Wine Week

Published: 18 June, 2020

Waitrose is celebrating English Wine Week (20- 28 June) by launching five new and exclusive homegrown wines.

Matthew Clark pitches on-trade with account-free ‘guest checkout’ on ecommerce platform

Published: 17 June, 2020

Matthew Clark has opened out its ecommerce platform to enable new on-trade customers to order up to £1,500 without opening an account or requiring a minimum order.

NZW calls on UK to come with “fresh attitude” as trade negotiations begin

Published: 17 June, 2020

New Zealand’s wine sector has “warmly welcomed” the announcement that it is to begin trade negotiations with the UK, calling on Britain to come with a “fresh attitude”.

Volume uplift in US off-trade offsets on-trade sales drop

Published: 16 June, 2020

US wine volume sales look set to be flat in 2020 with the Covid-19 led surge in off-trade sales balancing out the drop in on-trade sales, according to new Wine Intelligence research.

“Smallest vintage in living memory” delights Oz winemakers, if not accountants

Published: 16 June, 2020

Off the back of a “rollercoaster ride”, variously involving frosts, drought, heatwaves, horrendous bush fires and finally the disruption of Covid-19, Australia’s 2020 vintage is expected to produce some “sensational wines” from a very low yielding crush.

Majestic appoints performance marketing agency to drive revenue

Published: 16 June, 2020

Majestic Wine has appointed a performance marketing agency to help drive revenue across its website and network of 192 stores.

EeBriaTrade adds English wines

Published: 16 June, 2020

Drinks distributor and online marketplace EeBriaTrade has added a raft of English wine producers to its portfolio, marking the first time the online business has featured wine.

Flint adds Aubert Wines

Published: 15 June, 2020

Flint Wines has been appointed as the first official UK agent for California’s Aubert Wines.

CapeWine 2021 postponed

Published: 15 June, 2020

Wines of South Africa (WoSA) has announced that CapeWine has been moved from its planned slot in September 2021 to October 2022.

In spitting distance of Covid-19

Published: 15 June, 2020

At the onset of the ongoing global pandemic, traditional on-trade channels saw sales fall to zero overnight. But what about the wider drinks trade and the interactions within it? Jo Gilbert asks if it's time to reassess tried – and maybe tired – formulas?

Hard Graft for charity during English Wine Week

Published: 15 June, 2020

Graft Wine Company co-founder Nik Darlington is set to run 100km between English vineyards during English Wine Week (20 to 28 June), launching an initiative to raise money for the Drinks Trust.

WSTA hits out at government for failing to count true cost of VI-1 certification

Published: 15 June, 2020

The WSTA has hit out at government for misleading the public over claims that EU wine importation costs would, according to Defra, be “nil or negligible”.

M&S encourages consumers to trade up with ‘Classics’ range

Published: 11 June, 2020

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched a new ‘Classics’ wine range comprising key wine styles from around the world.

Friday Read: George Sandbach of the Oxford wine dynasty talks shop during shutdown

Published: 11 June, 2020

George Sandbach of Sandy’s Piano Bar talks to Andrew Catchpole about adapting to lockdown, selling quality booze out the back door, the thorny problem of rent and launching an accessible podcast series.

European neighbours offer UK trade signs of post-lockdown optimism

Published: 11 June, 2020

Wine consumption in some of the UK’s nearest neighbouring markets looks to be steady, with consumers maintaining overall wine consumption as lockdowns ease.

Grupo Rioja calls for more support as ‘Basque Wine’ shored up

Published: 10 June, 2020

Rioja wine producers have lashed out at the ‘insufficient measures’ adopted by the Spanish government yesterday to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on Spain’s wine sector.

Oregon commits to ‘anti-racism and equity’

Published: 10 June, 2020

As the fallout from the death of African-American George Floyd continues to reverberate around the western world, Oregon Wine Board has responded with a commitment to embed “more fully” an inclusive and racially equal approach across the state’s wine industry.