Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Paul Dolan takes the chair in California

Published: 23 July, 2008

California wine legend Paul Dolan has been elected as the new chairman of the California Wine Institute.

Sainsbury's triumphs at Quality Drinks Awards

Published: 23 July, 2008

Sainsbury's was the big winner at last week's Quality Drinks Awards 2006, scooping five trophies in all.

New Argentina boss aims to double market share

Published: 23 July, 2008

By Stuart Peskett
The new director of Wines of Argentina's inaugural UK office plans to double the country's market share in the UK.
James Forbes, senior buyer for Oddbins, will take up his new post at the end of July, and said he hopes that Argentina's UK market share will increase from 1.8% to 3.6% within three years.

The Interview: Kevin Griffin, Proprietor, Maison du Vin

Published: 23 July, 2008

What possessed you to buy a shop on a really busy A' road between the two parts of a Kent village?

6-7 category up 27%

Published: 23 July, 2008

The 6 to 7 price band is booming in the UK's multiple grocers - with sales by volume up 27% in the last year.

Which? barbecue wines

Published: 23 July, 2008

A Vergelegen Chardonnay from South Africa (9.49, Majestic) and a French Old Vines Grenache Noir from Marks & Spencer (5.49) are the top scorers and among the best buys in the Consumers' Association's Which? magazine On Test: Wines for Barbecues'.

Brown-Forman shake-up

Published: 23 July, 2008

The reorganisation of Brown-Forman's corporate structure announced last week - which has seen the wines and spirits divisions combined into one entity in the US and other selected markets - will not affect the UK, according to David Cox, managing director of Brown-Forman Wines Europe.

Raising the bar

Published: 23 July, 2008

It's easy to conclude that hiring an external wine list consultant is purely for the restauranteur with more money than sense. How hard can it be to write a wine list after all?

Valette joins Rita

Published: 23 July, 2008

Patrick Valette has joined Chilean winery Via Santa Rita as wine consultant.

Caliterra rebrands

Published: 23 July, 2008

Errazuriz is relaunching its Caliterra brand with a new global livery, screwcap closures for all white and varietal red wines, and a new premium tier.

Fetzer: no significant costs by going organic

Published: 23 July, 2008

Californian producer Fetzer has claimed that there is no significant increase in costs to convert to organic winemaking.

Paul BrownManaging director, Ivini

Published: 23 July, 2008

How did you start?
I was a management trainee at the Coconut Grove, then went on to manage the Hampton Court Brasserie, Sweeney Todd's in Northampton and The Golden Pheasant in Oxford. And then I managed a caravan park in the Lake District.

Never raining

Published: 23 July, 2008

Across many northern hemisphere countries, the 2005 vintage was exceptionally dry, while a few had the opposite problem. Harpers rounds up the most important harvest reports from an already much-hyped year

Blushing with pride

Published: 23 July, 2008

Those who feels that the relatively recent ros revolution' represents just a footnote in the history of UK wine consumption need do little more than glimpse at the latest release from publishers Weidenfeld & Nicholson to be convinced otherwise.

Mayfair Cellars sinks after 1.25 million internal fraud

Published: 23 July, 2008

Fine wine merchant Mayfair Cellars has gone into administration after a scam whereby top Bordeaux and Burgundy was allegedly sold to other London wine merchants.

The Interview: Steve Edwards, Group food & beverage service manager, ABode

Published: 23 July, 2008

How did you get into this business?

I was in the RAF for seven years, in a catering squadron, and when I left I planned to go home to Sydney. But I had a house in Torquay that I wanted to sell first. In the interim, I needed a job and I spotted an ad for a general assistant at Gidleigh Park Hotel. I had never heard of Gidleigh and had no idea about Relais & Chateaux or Michelin stars. I remember driving down this narrow, winding road and coming round the last corner to see this mock-Tudor mansion embedded in the hillside. Paul Henderson, the owner at the time, is a former US marine, so we spent most of the interview discussing my time in the service. He took me on and I ended up staying until 2002.

Majestic boosts Chilean range

Published: 23 July, 2008

Majestic unveiled 70 new listings at a recent tasting of its summer collection - a larger addition to the range than usual. The two sectors to be given the most attention were Chile and Italy, with the former showing growth and the latter receiving a partial overhaul.

Katy HulstoneManager, The Elephant

Published: 23 July, 2008

What made you set up shop in Torquay?
Simon, my husband and the head chef, went to school round here, and his family live in Paignton, the town next door, so we know the area. People have this image of Torquay, but it's not like Fawlty Towers any more.

Sleeping beauty

Published: 23 July, 2008

Last month, a press release arrived at Harpers Towers declaring that the recruitment process was under way to find a UK director for Wines of Argentina's London office. This will be a challenging appointment,' it said. They're not wrong.

France under one roof

Published: 23 July, 2008

France Under One Roof
Wednesday 22 March
The Nursery End Pavilion,
Lord's Cricket Ground, Wellington Road,
London NW8 (North Gate Entrance)
10am-5pm
For more details contact Jane Hunt MW on 01451 831682; janehuntmw@aol.com