Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Henkell Freixenet acquires majority stake in Irish importer Cassidy Wines

Published: 02 September, 2026

Sparkling wine giant Henkell Freixenet has purchased a 60% stake in Irish importer-distributor Cassidy Wines.

Raft of new portfolio additions unveiled by top importers

Published: 01 September, 2026

Leading wine importers Alliance Wine, Hallgarten & Novum Wines and Graft Wine have all unveiled new additions to their portfolios.

Jascots: Freixenet Copestick sells merchant to Italy’s CDGH

Published: 03 August, 2026

Henkell Freixenet’s UK subsidiary Freixenet Copestick has announced that it is has sold Jascots Wine Merchants to Italian food and beverage company Compagnia del Gusto Holding (CDGH).

Barossa boost: MMD adds Barr-Eden Estate to portfolio

Published: 30 July, 2026

Louis Roederer-owned distributor Maisons Marques et Domaines UK (MMD) has announced the addition of South Australia’s Barr-Eden Estate to its portfolio.

New Generation Wines acquires Bancroft

Published: 14 July, 2026

Importer-wholesaler New Generation Wines has announced that it has acquired Bancroft Wines.

Alliance Wine: Activequity secures majority shareholding, Tynan takes full executive control

Published: 08 July, 2026

Premium wine trade investment firm Activequity has become the majority shareholder of Scotland-based importer Alliance Wine. Management at Alliance retain a significant stake in the company.

Emma Rice joins English producer The Heretics as winemaker

Published: 10 June, 2026

English wine producer The Heretics has announced that Emma Rice is set to join as in-house winemaker.

Hatch MD Ben Knollys newest Drinks Trust board trustee

Published: 22 May, 2026

Importer Hatch Mansfield’s MD Ben Knollys (pictured at the London Wine Fair) is the newest member of The Drinks Trust’s board of trustees.

North South expands site following significant growth

Published: 20 May, 2026

Wine importer North South Wines has relocated to a new site within Bicester Motion, increasing its footprint by approximately 66%.

Amber Beverage UK onboard two new directors

Published: 06 May, 2026

Spirits distributor Amber Beverage UK has announced the appointment of Selene Cakmak-Rathee (pictured, left) as marketing director and Nick Duncan (pictured, right) as UK sales director.

Fells: Two new South African estates join portfolio

Published: 30 April, 2026

Importer Fells has announced the addition of two South African producers to its portfolio: Kaapzicht from Stellenbosch and Elgin’s Paul Clüver.

Jeroboams grows Aussie portfolio with Yarra Yering addition

Published: 21 April, 2026

Wine and spirits merchant Jeroboams has announced the addition of Australian estate Yarra Yering to its portfolio.

LWC becomes Harpers Sustainability Charter signatory

Published: 02 March, 2026

Independent drinks distributor LWC has become the latest signatory of the Harpers Sustainability Charter. The goal of the initiative is to build a network of sustainably-minded drinks businesses and act as a reference for companies looking to work with sustainable partners.

Friday Read: Indigo Wine’s authenticity ethos aligns with premium trends

Published: 27 February, 2026

At specialist importer Indigo Wine’s portfolio tasting, Harpers caught up with MD Regine Lee MW who believes the importer’s philosophy is aligning well with market trends in the premium on- and off-trade.

Bibendum: Sustainability focus as two sparkling producers added

Published: 06 February, 2026

Wine distributor Bibendum has unveiled two new sparkling producers on its portfolio. Grower champagne house Domaine Alexandre Bonnet joins alongside Prosecco estate Fidora.

Alliance reveals events calendar shake up for 2026

Published: 16 January, 2026

Leading independent wholesaler Alliance Wine has unveiled a new look events calendar for 2026. The “bold, refreshed events strategy”, as the importer puts it, aims to forge deeper connections with its customer base.

Champagnes & Chateaux tap Richard Nunn for new role

Published: 14 January, 2026

Premium wine distributor Champagnes & Chateaux has announced that Richard Nunn will be appointed to the new role of off-trade key account manager. The well-known industry figure joins the company following 35 years with Louis Latour.

Enotria unveils Phillip White as new CEO

Published: 12 January, 2026

Premium on-trade distributor Enotria has announced the appointment of a new CEO, with Phillip White taking the helm.

Hallgarten begins year with two Italian portfolio additions

Published: 07 January, 2026

Wine importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has bolstered its Italian portfolio by adding both Chianti Classico and Piedmont producers – Querciabella and Elio Grasso, respectively.