Hallgarten announces new commercial director

Hallgarten & Novum Wines has announced the appointment of Will Oatley to the role of commercial director.

Bibendum becomes exclusive distributor for Quinta da Pedra Alta

Leading Douro producer Quinta da Pedra Alta will now be distributed in the UK and Ireland via Bibendum. A portfolio of red and white table wines as well as a selection of Ports will be available to the on-trade under the Bibendum banner and to independent merchants via Walker & Wodehouse.

Wines from Spain Annual Tasting breaks new ground in London and Manchester

Leading Spanish importers are gearing up to descend on the Science Museum’s new Illuminate venue in London as well heading to Manchester for the first time this April, where 20 wineries seeking distribution will present their new offerings for the UK market.

Cambridge’s Wilson derides ‘government incompetence’ over duty changes

Not only will the forthcoming end of ‘duty easement’ present a huge additional burden on UK wine businesses, but the current claim form for clawing back overpaid excise duty against stated abv is not yet ready, with the excise duty invoice system also not fit for the new regime in one week’s time.

Wines Unearthed announces 46-strong producer event for Wine Paris

Wines Unearthed has announced its second showing at Wine Paris, where it will be presenting wines from 16 countries. The organisation seeks to support small and medium-sized producers without representation in various markets and give them greater exposure at events such as this Paris-based trade show.

Berkmann announces Australian portfolio expansion

Berkmann Wine Cellars has announced the additions of Kooyong from the Mornington Peninsula and South Australia’s Rieslingfreak.

Maltby&Greek tasting – a window on Greece

Has Greece reached a tipping point in the UK? Certainly, the many producers at Maltby&Greek’s annual showcase tasting in London were hopeful that this is the case, with the hard graft and shoe leather that both they and their importer have put in over the last decade now seemingly paying off.

Accolade Wines becomes signatory of Bottle Weight Accord

The Australian wine giant is among three new signatories to the scheme, as well as South African winery Botanica Wines and Albert Heijin, the Netherland’s largest supermarket group.

Craggy Range among Hallgarten NZ portfolio additions

The specialist importer has continued its portfolio expansion drive with the addition of Kiwi stalwarts Craggy Range of Hawke’s Bay, North Canterbury’s Pyramid Valley, SPOKE Winery hailing from Marlborough and Nelson’s Neudorf.

South African wine exports hold steady in turbulent times

South Africa’s wine exports have weathered a steadily contracting global wine market to reflect modest value growth in 2024, Wines of South Africa (WoSA) CEO Siobhan Thompson has said.

The Wine Barn marks 25th anniversary with ‘full house’ at upcoming London tasting

Specialist German importer The Wine Barn is marking its quarter century at its annual tasting on 3 February with a full house showing of all 15 winemakers.

Sparkling and sustainability pave the way at annual Liberty tasting

Sparkling wines and sustainability are at the forefront of Liberty Wines push into the challenging 2025 market in the UK, with Spain also an expected driver of sales.

Festive pub performance drives December growth for hospitality groups

New figures from CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker shows year-on-year growth of 3.2% for December 2024, reflecting a month of boosted sales for hospitality.

Bar Rioja-owner opens two new London venues

Camino, the Spanish tapas bar and restaurant whose portfolio includes Bar Rioja, a bar dedicated solely to wines from the region, is opening two new venues in Farringdon and Kings Cross.

Mentzendorff adds Napa Valley icon to portfolio

Hospitality sector warns of ‘devastating impact’ of national insurance increase

The changes to employer national insurance contributions (NICs) will see more than 774,000 workers newly eligible for the contributions. This figure represents almost 63% of workers who were previously ineligible. UKHospitality predicts this could cost the hospitality sector up to £1bn.

Jansz Tasmania announces new winemaker

Teresa Heuzenroeder, a winemaker with a vast array experience both side of the Bass Strait, has been appointed to the role of senior sparkling winemaker by the Tasmanian winery.

Yearly Champagne shipments fall once again

Le Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVIC) has announced the wine’s total shipments for 2024 accounted for 271.4m bottles, down 9.2% on the previous year.

France makes good on its large tasting ‘gamble’

France’s increasing regional complexity has made its tasting format something of an intermittent affair in recent times, with the country’s myriad interprofessional bodies usually heading up smaller regional tastings throughout the year.

Scottish Budget: thousands of venues miss out on rates relief

The introduction of 40% business rates relief for hospitality venues in Scotland with a rateable value of up to £51,000 will be a welcome introduction for many but could see more than 2,500 businesses ineligible for the scheme.