Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

The pros and cons of LWF

Published: 09 June, 2021

As a first, it was hard to predict how well last month’s London Wine Fair (LWF) Digital Edition would work for both visitors and exhibitors. Lisa Riley reports.

Chianti Classico Collection offers taster of ‘new normal’ for events to come

Published: 24 May, 2021

In many ways London’s first significant regional wine event of 2021 bore all the familiar, pre-pandemic hallmarks of a regular Spring tasting. Heading to the India Room at The Oval, transport ran predictably late and the weather was so awful that wind and rain stopped play between Middlesex and Surrey just as Harpers entered the glass-sided cricket viewing gallery-come-tasting room.

Hometipple launch promises fair deal for all

Published: 06 May, 2021

A new online marketplace for drinks has been launched with the promise of a “fair deal” for every producer on the list.

Long Read: Wave of Portonic RTDs to fortify Douro sales

Published: 06 May, 2021

The Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP) has given Port producers the green light for the commercialisation of Port & Tonic RTDs, dubbed as 'Portonic' by the trade.

Lambert and Beale take VI-1 fight onto Newsnight

Published: 18 March, 2021

Campaigning wine importer Daniel Lambert and the WSTA’s Miles Beale added further momentum to the wine trade’s calls to abolish the much-derided VI-1 forms during an appearance on the BBC’s flagship news programme on Wednesday eve.

Five minutes with Jaime Wynne-Griffiths

Published: 18 March, 2021

When Jamie Wynne-Griffiths, founder and MD, Propeller and Wild Ferment, sought to pivot lost business to connect the producers he represented with the indies, Propeller was born, facilitating direct supply in partnership with EWGA bond.

New Zealand just shy of organics target, but growth continues

Published: 11 February, 2021

New Zealand has just missed its self-imposed 2020 organics target, though a groundswell of producers switching up their practices means the country could be on track to reach the milestone within the next couple of years.

Jerry Lockspeiser: The wine and book markets are eerily similar

Published: 02 February, 2021

What can wine learn from other sectors of the economy? How do they add value to their products, communicate with consumers, achieve profitability?

Calls for UK trade to help crippled SA by freeing up tank space

Published: 25 January, 2021

Richard Bampfield MW has issued a call to the UK trade to support the beleaguered South African wine industry as producers continue to suffer crippling government restriction and oversupply issues.

Beaujolais Nouveau producers ‘forced’ to make hand sanitiser

Published: 23 November, 2020

Producers of Beaujolais Nouveau have been left with no choice but to turn part of their crop into pure alcohol, it has been reported, after exports of wine from the region fell during the first nine months of the year.

Wine GB launches industry hallmark for classic method wines

Published: 15 October, 2020

Wine GB has announced its first ever collective campaign for producers in England and Wales, including a hallmark to help to differentiate English and Welsh PDO sparkling wines made using the “time and craft-intensive classic method”.

Delibo expands list with three new agencies

Published: 06 October, 2020

Wine importer Delibo has added three new producers to its portfolio.

On ‘Clean’ wine – ambiguity among the vines

Published: 20 August, 2020

Wine is an odd consumable. It’s a drug, it isn’t legally required to list ingredients, and it’s often described with vague, ambiguous terms. In the wake of the natural wine movement and the age of ‘wellness’, it was just a matter of time until a brand tried to hoodwink us. Quickest to the mark were Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power with ‘clean wine’, Avaline.

Hilary Gibbs passes away

Published: 02 June, 2020

Hilary Gibbs, founder and owner of Domaine Direct, has died.

Porto Protocol’s online climate debate puts bottle weight in the crosshairs

Published: 11 May, 2020

Does glass have a place in the world of tomorrow as the main container of wine – and do consumers even want a glass bottle anyway?

Cape open for business with wine export go-ahead during SA lockdown

Published: 08 April, 2020

South Africa’s wine industry breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday as permission was granted for wine to be included in allowable fresh produce products for export.

Wine tourism website launches online wine shop to help during coronavirus

Published: 05 April, 2020

Wine Cellar Door, the website set up to help people find visitor-friendly vineyards in the UK, has launched an online wine shop.

Nekter picks up Matthiasson Family agency

Published: 03 March, 2020

Californian producer Matthiasson Family Vineyards has appointed Nekter Wine Importers as its UK agency.

Champagne Top 100 launched in London

Published: 03 March, 2020

London fine-wine club 67 Pall Mall is partnering with wine-event and education provider Scala Wine to launch The Champagne Top 100.

Soapbox: Nik Darlington on Brexit hubris

Published: 19 February, 2020

Our second entry in a series of topical viewpoints from the trade finds Graft Wines co-owner Nik Darlington cautioning British producers against talking up the alleged benefits of exiting the EU