Beam set to blaze a trail

By Christian Davis
Beam Global Spirits & Wine is aiming to become a top-three global spirits and super-premium wine company, which will mean growth rates of 20% over the next 10 years.

A new era for Cyprus by Caroline Gilby MW

The Cyprus wine industry has reached a turning point. On the
one hand, EU membership has seen the loss of substantial subsidies for wine exports. This brought to an end the shipments of vast quantities of low-quality bulk wine that had been destined for Sherry-type fortified wines, gluhwein' and other mass markets in the EU. On the other hand, in 2005, Italian archaeologists found evidence that winemaking on the island dates back to 3,500 bc, possibly the longest winemaking history in Europe. Cyprus also claims one of the oldest images of wine drinkers in the 3rd century ad mosaics at Paphos. And Cypriots are proud of their sweet, fortified wine Commandaria, which is the oldest named' wine in the world, dating back to the 12th century and still made in the traditional manner from sun-dried grapes.

The best-selling take home drinks, according to AC Nielsen

The leading alcoholic drinks brands may have retained their positions in the market but this AC Nielsen results show that the UK take-home drinks trade is currently going through some subtle, but surprising changes.

Sainsbury's triumphs at Quality Drinks Awards

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

New Sainsbury's BWS boss joins from Tesco

Sainsbury's beer, wines and spirits department has a new boss, Xavier Vidal, who has been poached from Tesco.
Frenchman Vidal comes in as business unit director, replacing Lawrence Clube, and will be responsible for the 6 billion impulse sector, which includes confectionery, soft drinks, snacks, tobacco and petrol, as well as BWS.

Australia: state of play

As an objective framework to a paper that necessarily has a large degree of subjective arguments and judgements, I decided I would start with an analysis of the trophy results for the last six Sydney Royal Wine Shows (from 2000 to 2005 inclusive). I looked at the varietal mix, the regional mix and the winemaker mix - the first two simple enough; the last requiring some preliminary explanation. So I will start with the winemakers. The primary division was between large, medium and small. I could give you a winery-by-winery classification,
but - while some of you might disagree - the majority wouldn't.

Musgrave brings together Budgens and Londis

The Musgrave Group, Ireland's largest grocery distributor,
is close to completing the complete integration of the
beer, wines and spirits operations of its Budgens and Londis
retail outlets.

Langton's Classification set at 101

The Langton's Classification of Australian Wine, which has recently been published in its fourth edition, has grown to be three times longer than the original 1991 version but will
be fixed at its present total of 101 wines, Langton's auctioneer Andrew Caillard MW has told Harpers.

Tesco flexes muscles

With most of the multiple retailer's wine-buying teams shrinking if not yet completely disbanding (see Harpers,
16 September), Tesco's wine-buying team appears to have returned to full strength after a difficult period.

Cockburn's looks to education to drive sales

Consumer education, not heavy discounting, is the key to increasing Port sales in the UK, according to the brand manager for Cockburn's Port.

Nichols named head buyer at Oddbins

Emma Nichols has replaced Lynne Coyle as head of buying at Oddbins.

ON-TRADE WINE SALES FALL 6%

After years of uninterrupted growth, the on-trade wine sector has slipped into decline. The latest figures from AC Nielsen (December/January bi-months) show that the volume of wine drunk in the UK's pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants has fallen by 6% in the past year (MAT to the end of January).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

When Harpers first made its own headlines, in August 1878, Benjamin Disraeli was Prime Minister, Edison had begun experimenting with the light bulb and the battle of Rorke's Drift was five months away. Joanne Simon looks back at the evolution of the magazine and the wine trade during Harpers' first 125 years.

THE CHANGING FACE OF WINE

The Fifth International Symposium of the Institute of Masters of Wine was held in Vienna between 11-13 July. Neil Beckett presents the first in a two-part report on an event which saw prominent critics and producers debate the nature and desirability of changes sweeping through the world of wine

THE RUM CONUNDRUM

Distributors are seeking to give rum an edge in the spirits market through innovative promotions and a greater range of flavours, but are supermarkets ready to vary their options? James Aufenast reports on the campaign to reposition rum

Last Orders

No-one has a post-prandial drink any more. Oh really? asks James Aufenast

IWSC SPEAKERS' FORUM AT THE LIWSF

INDUSTRY SPLIT OVER BUDGET

PASSITO BOOST

By Nicolas Belfrage MW & Franco Ziliani

SECOND FWD BLUEPRINT