Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Origin switches sourcing of Camden Park to Argentina

Published: 09 September, 2008

Origin Wines is switching the supply of one of its premium brands from Austrailia to Argentina in a bid to make the brand more profitable.

UK wine importers hit by Argentinean strikes

Published: 06 August, 2008

Strikes and road blockades that crippled much of Argentina have impacted UK wine importers, with one major buyer waiting more than four months for a delivery.
TextStrikes and road blockades that crippled much of Argentina have impacted UK wine importers, with one major buyer waiting more than four months for a delivery.

All Bar One offers "limited edition" rosés of the world

Published: 04 August, 2008

All Bar One, the bar chain owned by Mitchells & Butlers, has started offering a "Limited Edition wines list" to customers, starting this week with a selection of rosé wines.

Finca Las Moras adds new premium wine range

Published: 31 July, 2008

Finca Las Moras has launched a new premium wine, the Las Moras Gran Shiraz 3 Valleys.

The Sunday Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

Gordon Brown's upcoming budget will bid a stern farewell to 2.99 a bottle wine, Jane MacQuitty laments. "Getting used to paying more for the bottles you'd crack open mid-week without ceremony will be hard," so she suggests stockpiling such bottles ahead of next month's announcement. Tesco's 2007 Argento Shiraz at 2.99 is good for its "fat, supple, spicy" flavours while the 2006 Muscadet La Rgate (Sainsbury's, 2.99) proves to be "delicious, light and lemony".

The Daily Mail

Published: 23 July, 2008

MATTHEW JUKES travels to Argentina and Chile, and recommends some of the best [wines] on the planet'. Of the whites, 2006 Argento Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina (5.99; Co-op, Majestic, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose) is floral, honeyed and classy'. This week's WoW is 2003 Kuyen, Alvaro Espinoza, Maipo, Chile (8.99; Adnams).

The Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

JANE MacQUITTY is also loving Argentina and asks why 'British drinkers still treat its wines with suspicion'. Malbec is Argentina's 'strongest suit', and this becomes all the more apparent to her after the recent Wines of Argentina tasting - 'Gone are the rustic Malbecs of a decade ago, and in their place are gorgeous, chunky, rich reds.' Her top-end choice is 2003 Lurton Brothers Chacayes (34.95; Robersons), moving down the price range to 2005 Catena Argento Malbec (4.99; Sainsbury's).

Financial Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

Has the 'Brett police' gone too far? ANDREW JEFFORD suggests it may have. He points to a controlled blind tasting of Syrahs from around the world, conducted by consultant Sam Harrop MW for his MW thesis, as evidence that Brettanomyces-infected wines need not necessarily be, as Tom Carson of Yering Station and many other Australian winemakers believe, 'undrinkable'. Only one of the 25 wines in the tasting was free of Brettanomyces, but Harrop's conclusion was that 'while excessive levels of volatile phenols can have a negative impact on wine quality, lower levels can enhance wine complexity and quality'. The benevolent effects of Brett, of one strain or another, can also be seen in the beer world, with makers of Belgian lambic and gueze beers, and traditional British stock ales, actively seeking out strains of the yeast. Jefford is concerned that the obsession with 'cleanliness' in today's winemaking, and the eradication of Brett and other 'faults' such as volatile acidity and dimethyl sulphur ('a principal aroma key for Carling' lager), will lead to 'acute boredom' for wine drinkers. As he says: 'The wine regarded as a hot contender for the greatest of the 20th century, 1947 Cheval Blanc, has levels of volatile acidity that would see it banned from sale were it produced today.'

Financial Times

Published: 23 July, 2008

JANCIS ROBINSON MW reports back from Bordeaux, and believes that the best reds will make the wine lovers of the world fall in love with tannin again'. The great thing about the tannins in the most successful 2004 red Bordeaux is that they are not bitter or rasping but refreshing. They are not the dry, obtrusive sort that characterised so many wines made in the drought year of 2003, nor the green, underripe ones that plague the least successful 2002s.' Robinson already rates the 2004 offerings from Chteaux Latour and Margaux as excellent', with honourable mentions to Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Mouton and Palmer. She adds: Many winemakers the world over, and particularly in the Americas, seem scared of tannins. Perhaps the superb quality of the best Bordeaux 2004 tannins may encourage some of these producers to return to picking the grapes when a little less ripe so that the tannins are perceptible, possibly refreshing, and alcohol levels are less embarrassingly high.'

Tesco sees Argentine wine sales jump

Published: 23 July, 2008

Tesco has registered the highest selling Argentine wine in a new UK survey of most bought brands.

Lafite Rothschild most popular Liv-ex brand

Published: 23 July, 2008

Lafite Rothschild was the number one fine wine brand traded on Liv-ex over the last 12 months.

London hosts Argentine wine tasting day

Published: 23 July, 2008

Some 700 visitors are expected at today's Wines of Argentina annual trade testing, held at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

The Interview: Katie O'Brien, General manager, Juniper, Altrincham

Published: 23 July, 2008

Katie grew up on the east coast of Scotland. Her father ran hotels in Elgin and Fochabers, near Inverness, and insisted she do anything but catering. So Katie failed her Highers and went to work at the Golf View hotel in Nairn, which she describes as one long drinking party'. She worked in the bar, and in the kitchen on her days off because she wanted to learn and learn quickly'. She moved to Nunsmere Hall, near Chester, where she met Paul Kitching, then left for Hambleton Hall in 1992, working there for three years and driving up to see Paul on her days off. She helped set up Juniper with Kitching in 1995, before leaving to work for Nico Central in Manchester, returning to head the front-of-house and manage Juniper in 2001.

Height of fame

Published: 23 July, 2008

Grapes grown at altitude taste different. As you go higher, temperatures drop and the fruit is exposed to more ultraviolet (UV) light. Higher UV leads to higher levels of anthocyanins (and therefore darker-coloured wines) as well as enhanced production of protective compounds - most notably the phytoalexin resveratrol.

Argento engages the commuter

Published: 23 July, 2008

Argento has appointed The Drinks Sampling Company (DSC) to take on the sampling campaign of its Malbec and Chardonnay wines over the next six months.

My sweet love

Published: 23 July, 2008

The most baffling thing about Sauternes is how its producers survive. It's not just the unpredictability of Botrytis cinerea; in 2004 the yield at Chteau Climens was less than four hectolitres per hectare (4hl/ha). At Chteau Suduiraut in the same year they left three-quarters of the grapes behind. The opening price of the wine, what there was of it, was 32 at Climens, 22-26 at Suduiraut. Both prices were less than the cost of production.

Co-op lists first Fairtrade wines from Argentina

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Co-op has just added four own-label Fairtrade wines from Argentina to its list, the first UK retailer to do so.

Argentina hosts major wine event

Published: 23 July, 2008

Mendoza, Argentina, will be the host of the Annual General Membership meeting of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network for the first time in November this year.

Argento relaunches key varietals at higher price

Published: 23 July, 2008

The Argento Wine Company is relaunching its key Argento brand at a higher price point, starting with its two main varietal wines - Chardonnay and Malbec.

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.