Last chance to enter Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship

UK-based Sommeliers have until 28 May to send in their application for the Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship – the annual travel bursary created in honour of the late Gerard Basset OBE, MS, MW, MSc (OIV). 

Wine Guild launches free hospitality courses

The Wine Guild Education (WGEd), the skills development arm of the Wine Guild of the United Kingdom, has launched a new suite of free hospitality service training courses. 

LWF: 'Fear of getting it wrong' is holding industry back on diversity

Trepidation around tokenism and not taking the right tack on issues of diversity and inclusion is stopping greater strides being taken in workplaces, it was said at this morning’s London Wine Fair (LWF) session on equal opportunities in the wine trade.

IWC announces 2021 winners

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) has announced the winners of its 2021 competition, with a haul of 6,800 medals being claimed across over 40 countries.

LWF: Beale describes path forward post UK 2020 ‘trade nadir’

The UK market remains an “attractive and diverse market place, but it is a very different one to the market it was 12 months ago”, according to Miles Beale, CEO of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Sud de France Top 100 unveiled

The winners of the Sud de France Top 100 competition, run in media partnership with Harpers, have been unveiled.

Hallgarten adds eight French producers

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has expanded its French portfolio with 29 new wines from 12 producers – eight of which are new to Hallgarten – from across eight wine-producing regions. 

A third of licensed premises reopened in April

After only a third of licensed premises traded in GB's first phase of reopening, today (17 May) marks the opportunity for many more to finally reopen, with most of the two-thirds (67.1%) of operators that have not yet traded having the option to do so as the on-trade is allowed to reopen indoors.

Pandemic boosts Argentinian and rosé wine sales

Argentinian wine and rosé were two of the alcoholic beverages which saw a “remarkable uplift” in retail sales during lockdowns and restrictions in 2020, according to the latest WSTA Market Report. 

Drinks suppliers ‘pulling out all stops’ as on-trade orders surge

UK on-trade drinks suppliers are cautiously optimistic that the surge in demand at venues able to offer outdoor service will continue as indoor trading returns.

April delivers ‘solid’ outdoor trading for on-trade groups able to open

Managed pub and restaurant groups able to deliver outdoor service managed to deliver 74% of normal sales in April compared with the same period in 2019, but overall sales were 60% down with a majority still closed.

Inverarity Morton enters retail with Bonnie & Wild bottle shop

Leading Scottish independent drink distributor Inverarity Morton has announced it will launch its first retail venture as part of the ambitious new Bonnie & Wild Food Hall due to open in Edinburgh next month.

Digital strategies and synergies continue to rise in importance as businesses physically reopen

Online services continue to grow in importance, key sources have highlighted this week, as online retail sales continue to strengthen despite physical stores reopening, and as digital strategies and e-booking becomes more important than ever for bars and restaurants re-launching to demob-happy crowds.

The life aquatic for English wine

Bordeaux’s Château La Fleur de Boüard joins Mentzendorff

Mentzendorff and Hubert de Boüard de Laforest have announced that Château La Fleur de Boüard will join the Mentzendorff portfolio with the first stocks of mature vintages being available from June 2021.

Freixenet Copestick becomes Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s UK distributor

Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Freixenet Copestick have entered into an exclusive partnership agreement which will see the latter become the UK importer and distributor for Bordeaux’s Mouton Cadet wine brand.

Last call for 50 Best Indies 2021 nominations

The chance to nominate your choices for the best in the business of indie drinks retailing remains open until midnight on Friday 14 May.

Wine Society membership and sales soar

The Wine Society has reported a surge in both memberships and sales.

Govt ditches on-trade BWS calorie labelling plans

The government has dropped plans to force hospitality businesses to list calorie content on alcoholic drinks, applying to both draught and pre-packaged offerings.

Gran Vino de Rueda sets bar high for Verdejo

The launch of new quality tier Gran Vino de Rueda in Spain’s leading white DO aims to elevate visibility of the top wines from the region.