Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

China fuels Aussie wine export growth

Published: 30 October, 2019

Australia’s wine exports grew 7% by value in the 12 months to 30 September 2019 to AU$2.89bn, Wine Australia has revealed.

Tariffs will slash US whisky exports by 20%, SWA warns

Published: 18 October, 2019

The 25% tariff on the import of Scottish single-malt whisky to the US, which came into force last night, will lose the industry 20% of its US exports in the first year, the Scotch Whisky Association has estimated.

GinKing wins US distribution with help from DIT

Published: 19 September, 2019

Surrey-based drinks producer GinKing has won a £90k export order from a US wine merchant.

Working in harmony

Published: 10 September, 2019

English and Welsh vineyards are joining forces to promote their wines and are on track to meet an export value of £350m in 20 years’ time. Lisa Riley reports

US sales drive Cognac to fifth year of export growth

Published: 19 August, 2019

Cognac has reported export growth for the fifth year in a row. Shipments were up 6.9% in value and 2.5% in volume for the year ending 31 July 2019, the region’s governing body has revealed.

FDF reports biggest first quarter on record for UK food and drink exports

Published: 05 June, 2019

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has reported a 10.7% year on year increase in the exports of UK food and drink to £5.8bn for the first quarter of 2019, boosted by strong performances from whisky, gin and wine.

Beaujolais on the up

Published: 20 May, 2019

Exports of Beaujolais to the UK rose 35% in volume and 9% in value year on year from February 2019, according to InterBeaujolais.

Price rises ‘essential’ if South Africa industry to survive, warns leading producer

Published: 17 May, 2019

A leading figure in South African wine has issued a stark warning about the industry's future.

Local heroes abroad: GB wine exports rise

Published: 08 May, 2019

English and Welsh wines are on a real roll, and not just at home. Exports are expected to rise significantly over the next few years, reports Lisa Riley

Food and drink exports growth slows to crawl but gin and whisky fly the flag

Published: 25 March, 2019

Overall UK food and drinks exports slowed to a crawl in 2018, but gin and whisky continued to fly the flag – each growing in both value and volume.

Sales of English and Welsh wine double in 2018

Published: 06 March, 2019

The English and Welsh wine industry produced a record-breaking amount of wine last year thanks to a frost-free spring and a long, mostly dry summer.

WineGB celebrates ‘turning point’ on back of record 2018 vintage

Published: 01 February, 2019

The gathering momentum of the English and Welsh wine industry was much in evidence on Thursday night at a packed gala dinner at London’s Vintners’ Hall.

HMRC now issuing two new distilling licences a week as gin continues to soar

Published: 18 January, 2019

Those expecting to see gin fall from its pedestal will have to wait a little longer.

Cognac reports record export growth

Published: 15 January, 2019

The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) has reported record export growth for Cognac across both value and volume.

WSTA returns to Tokyo to promote homegrown wine and gin

Published: 28 November, 2018

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) this week travelled to Tokyo to showcase the quality of English wine and British gin in a bid to boost exports.

Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective launch lays down gauntlet to UK and US buyers

Published: 13 September, 2018

Be prepared to pay more or risk losing top Stellenbosch Cabernets to the Asian market was one of the messages to UK and US buyers at the launch of the Stellenbosch Cabernet Collective at Cape Wine 2018.

Repositioning South Africa

Published: 28 August, 2018

Celebrated by critics but crippled by drought and low returns, South Africa rarely has an easy ride.

Few in the trade could have missed the ongoing challenges facing South Africa’s wine producers as the worst drought in 100 years continues to afflict the Cape. With the 2018 crop predicted to be down by 15% after two years of water shortage that almost saw Cape Town meet “day zero” and turn off its domestic supply, the harvest has been described by Bibendum’s South Africa buyer, Paul Meihuizen, as “the most challenging I have ever known”.