Smart packaging: wine gets clever

With so much attention to detail going into what’s inside the bottle, marketing and packaging innovation can sometimes be seen as an afterthought in the wine industry. But as new and more inventive technologies appear on the horizon, companies are now showing that smart packaging can be a vital tool in the ongoing battle of engaging consumers and decoding shopping habits. 

Harpers regulars Atkin and Woodward go ‘mano a mano’ for International Wine Columnist Award

With only two weeks to go until the 4 September final of the prestigious Louis Roederer International Wine Awards, Harpers columnists Tim Atkin MW and Guy Woodward are among the hopeful writers awaiting the final judging decisions.

Waitrose at forefront of organic wine boom

Waitrose has revealed that organic wine sales are up 57% year-on-year as customers look for more sustainable wines.

Madeira: Bringing it all back home with Archie McDiarmid

Barbeito Madeira through their UK importer, Raymond Reynolds, run the hugely successful #MadeiraDay competition in December each year, bringing together independent retailers from all over the UK in celebration of this outstanding fortified wine. Luvians won the 2017 edition and after being presented with our certificate at the Big Fortified Tasting earlier this year, I got the chance to fly out to the island (this Portuguese colony lies some 280 miles off the coast of Africa) to get a personal perspective on how this bewitching wine is made.

Experience economy increasing consumer confidence in wine

Consumer confidence in the wine category is increasing, driven by the ‘experience economy’ and the growing engagement with the drinks category, research analyst Wine Intelligence has claimed.

Looking ahead: Richard Cochrane, Félix Solís UK

Hallgarten appoints Francois Lincoln as business development director

Hallgarten has recruited a second business development director as part of its ongoing drive to grow the business.

Red Squirrel hits the road for portfolio tasting

Red Squirrel is heading out of London for its annual tasting for the first time, with plans to bring its focus on small artisanal producers to Bristol and Manchester.

Friarwood adds wines from Carlos Moro’s La Rioja project

Friarwood Fine Wines has announced it is expanding its Spanish portfolio with an exclusive selection from winemaker Carlos Moro.

Looking ahead: Mark Roberts, Lanchester Wines

As the first half of 2018 draws to a close, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, on-going trends and opportunities

Lure of the East

Countries such as Greece, Turkey, Hungary and Romania are no longer considered off-piste when it comes  to winemaking. Justin Keay looks at what’s on offer

Abbi Moreno plans new hybrid wine business after parting ways with family firm

Abbi Moreno, third generation scion of family wine merchant Moreno Wines, has parted company with her old firm after 21 years, announcing her intention to open a hybrid wine shop-come-wine bar business in early 2019.

WineTraining gears up for Malaga launch as demand for education soars

WineTraining is gearing up for its Malaga launch as demand for Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses across the world soars.

Accolade turns spotlight on Kumala with biggest investment in 10 years

Accolade Wines has turned the spotlight on its South African Kumala wine brand with a £1 million campaign.

Vagabond set sights on expansion as it secures £3.5m investment

Vagabond has secured a £3.5 million investment from UK leisure and hospitality investor Imbiba.

Jascots adds four new green producers

Jascots is poised to add four new environmentally friendly producers to its portfolio as part of its strategy to focus on sustainability

Looking ahead: Martin Williams, M Restaurants

As the first half of 2018 draws to a close, Harpers asked key trade figures to highlight the current challenges, on-going trends and opportunities

Universities join forces to fuel Chinese wine industry

The University of Adelaide and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University have joined forces to launch a dual masters degree in winemaking and viticulture to help fuel China’s wine industry.

Guy Woodward: Fake wine "good for consumers". Are you kidding?

The Times, in its increasingly sensationalist manner, splashed another of those fatuous wine stories on page three the other day. “Cloned Frankenwines fool even experts”, was the loaded, somewhat clumsy headline.

Wine set to help global alcohol consumption to reach £830bn by 2022

A relatively sunny outlook is being forecast for the global alcohol industry over the next five years, with the wine set to see the largest portion of growth.