Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

End of the casual dining bubble?

Published: 04 July, 2018

Jo Gilbert explores the biggest challenges to the high street as we know it

Rathfinny appoints Hong Kong distributor

Published: 04 July, 2018

Rathfinny Wine Estates has appointed Jebsen Fine Wines as its exclusive distributor in Hong Kong.

Australian Vintage re-structures UK sales team to boosts impulse presence

Published: 03 July, 2018

Australian Vintage Limited (AVL) has re-structured and expanded its sales team to support the company's growth in the UK market and strengthen its presence within the impulse channel.

TWE reveals spirits, Champagne and Napa Valley launches for Penfolds

Published: 03 July, 2018

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has announced key future launches for its premium Penfolds portfolio including a spirits range, Champagne and wine from the Napa Valley 2018 vintage.

Casillero del Diablo renews sponsorship of Sky Cinema and movies

Published: 02 July, 2018

Casillero del Diablo has renewed its sponsorship of Sky Cinema and movies across Sky’s partner channels.

“Short-sighted” Bordeaux En Primeur strategies leave little to no value for the trade

Published: 29 June, 2018

A “lack of wines priced attractively” has been blamed for a less than successful 2017 Bordeaux campaign.

Beaujolais moves towards becoming part of a united Great Burgundy

Published: 28 June, 2018

Times are a changing for Beaujolais as it moves towards becoming part of the united wine region of Grande Bourgogne - Great Burgundy

Chapel Down’s brewery arm enters the on-trade with new brew

Published: 28 June, 2018

Curious Brewery, owned by English winemaker Chapel Down, has added a second edition to its Curiouser & Curiouser portfolio – the first of its brews that will be available in the on-trade.

Soave gears up for tighter production regulations as it elects new board

Published: 28 June, 2018

A new president and governing board has been elected for the Consorzio of Soave at a time of “major change” for the denomination.

Two restaurants closing a week, but UK dining scene shows reverse North-South divide

Published: 28 June, 2018

The number of licenced restaurant in the UK has fallen by -1.3% in the twelve months to March 2018, with the total number dining outlets also falling by 0.4%, according to the recent Market Growth Monitor report from CGA.

Women of the Vine & Spirits partners with Wine Intelligence to launch ‘gender and wine’ report

Published: 28 June, 2018

Women of the Vine & Spirits - a US organisation at the forefront of promoting gender parity in the industry, has joined forces with Wine Intelligence to produce a 'gender and global wine consumption' report.

Bibendum opens doors on new wine academy scheme

Published: 27 June, 2018

Drinks merchant Bibendum has kicked off a new academy scheme to give newcomers to the industry the chance to gain hands on experience in the wine trade.

Brexit pushed Californian wine price up by a fifth

Published: 27 June, 2018

The average price of Californian wine imported to the European Union surged by nearly a fifth in the year of the Brexit vote, analysis by Harpers reveals.

The urbane spread of urban wineries

Published: 26 June, 2018

London’s growing number of urban wineries is cleverly capitalising on the hyper-local trend by bringing winemaking and wine tourism to consumers’ doorsteps.

Jerry Lockspieser: Selling equity in your business - great for growth or dancing with the devil?

Published: 26 June, 2018

Much is being written these days about consumers wanting authenticity, honesty and transparency in the products they buy, and the companies they buy them from. The news from across the drinks aisle that craft brewer Beavertown has sold an undisclosed minority stake to corporate giant Heineken for £40m raises interesting questions in this arena.

Bancroft turns to Delicato for latest Cali partnership

Published: 25 June, 2018

Bancroft Wines is ramping up its distribution of Californian wines via a new partnership with Delicato Family Vineyards' – the seventh largest exporter of wines from the Golden State.

Kiwi winegrowers predict ‘modest’ export growth in spite of good harvest

Published: 25 June, 2018

New Zealand winegrowers are predicting only modest export growth for the coming year in spite of a 6% surge in grape production.

Italian innovation

Published: 25 June, 2018

Harpers approached leading producers and consorzios to discover where investment is taking place and what new varieties, styles and initiatives are being driven forward

Harpers Industry Briefing: The Future of the Agency Model

Published: 21 June, 2018

Harpers editor Andrew Catchpole gathered a cross-trade panel at the London Wine Fair to examine the evolving role of the agent in a fast-changing world, sparking a lively debate among those present. This event took in the implications for all those in the supply chain, asking what added service and value both producers and accounts now expect from agents, along with the issues, challenges and opportunities presented by a highly competitive marketplace. Here are some of the key points from the session