Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Freixenet hits £100m milestone

Published: 25 May, 2021

Freixenet has hit £100m in RSV (retail sales value), doubling its brand value in a couple of years.

Langham claims first with English Col Fondo

Published: 05 May, 2021

Langham Wine Estate has announced it will release kegs of a Col Fondo wine later this month, a move the winery claims to be a first for a UK producer.

Prosecco announces sustained production and sales

Published: 08 March, 2021

Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG has announced sustained production and sales in 2020 in spite of the challenges brought on by Covid-19.

Rosé Prosecco launch boosts overall Prosecco growth

Published: 19 January, 2021

The Prosecco DOC Consortium has reported 2.8% volume growth for 2020 compared to the certified volumes recorded the previous year.

Prosecco gets go ahead for rosé exports

Published: 03 November, 2020

Prosecco DOC has been given the green light by the EU to export rosé.

Aldi claims supermarket first with Prosecco rosé launch

Published: 29 October, 2020

Aldi is gearing up to launch a Prosecco rosé, a move the retailer claims will make it the first supermarket to sell the pink bubbles.

I Heart Prosecco rosé launches

Published: 19 October, 2020

Freixenet Copestick has expanded the sparkling side of its I Heart portfolio with a Prosecco rosé and a limited edition festive Prosecco.

Prosecco in the pink

Published: 17 August, 2020

Following a decade of consistent growth, Pink Prosecco is set to give a shot in the arm to a finally flatlining category, as Jo Gilbert reports.

North South Wines expands no/low portfolio with La Gioiosa bubbles

Published: 17 August, 2020

North South Wines has expanded its no/low alcohol portfolio with a new sparkling drink from La Gioiosa.

Covid-19 takes the fizz out of the UK sparkling market

Published: 12 August, 2020

The loss of celebratory drinking occasions has put the breaks on an already slowing thirst for sparkling wine in the UK, new research has revealed.

Prosecco in the pink with parallel rosé trends

Published: 17 July, 2020

A sizeable uplift in rosé wine sales is forecasting a rosey outlook for ‘Pink Prosecco’ which is due to land on British shelves and in ice buckets as of January 2021.

Producers of Prosecco Superiore vote to reduce production

Published: 14 July, 2020

Consorzio of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG this week approved a decision by its members to reduce the yields for the 2020 harvest to avoid over-supply.

All systems go for pink Prosecco

Published: 22 May, 2020

Prosecco DOC Rosé has now been enshrined in Italian law, meaning the trade can expect to see the first official ‘pink Proseccos’ hitting shelves in 2021.

UK demand for premium Prosecco doubles

Published: 05 May, 2020

Export volumes from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG to the UK doubled in 2019, according to the latest data from its Consorzio.

Friday Read: Covid-19 set to devastate Champagne's recovery?

Published: 17 April, 2020

Like a staunch liberal and a UKIP voter forced by coronavirus to cohabit under one roof, Champagne has enjoyed a troubled – and complex - relationship with the UK of late. Both Nielsen and CGA Strategy have tracked falling demand for Champagne over the past few years in the UK; in the 12 months to December 2019, the total volume and value of Champagne sales fell by 5.8% and 4.9% respectively in the on-trade. Meanwhile, Nielsen figures indicate that Champagne sales in the Christmas period 2019 fell well short of expectations. It's hard to rally against statistical evidence - the figures do not lie.

WSTA in pan UK-EU talks to ensure GIs protected post Brexit

Published: 13 March, 2020

By January 2021, when Brexit comes into force, WSTA, the UK’s drinks lobby group, will no longer be a member of the pan-European wine trade body, CEEV. But ahead of further UK-EU trade talks, the two bodies are uniting once more to lobby for the continued smooth trade of wine across the English Channel.

Aldi strips out Prosecco duplicates for Cava

Published: 13 March, 2020

Aldi is aiming to bring more variety to its customers via rationalisation of its latest seasonal range which will see greater inclusion of more experimental styles and varietals.

Selling Italy in the off-trade

Published: 09 December, 2019

Justin Keay digs deep into Italy in the off-trade, taking his microscope to the supermarkets’ Italian ranges and discovering what indie customers are demanding from their local merchants.

Prosecco and Asti spearhead new EU-backed promotion of GI-designated quality produce

Published: 22 November, 2019

The heartland DOCGs of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, Asti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano have joined with producers from Provolone Valdpadana PDO, Mozzarella TSG and Olio Extravergine d’Oliva Toscana PGI for the launch of Enjoy European Quality Foods (EEQF).