Diageo names Charles Joly World's Best Bartender

Diageo's sixth annual global world's best bartender competition came to a close last week with Charles Joly from the US beating 47 other mixologists in a week long series of challenges held across London.

Circle 360 plans to expand its shopping centre Champagne bar concept to up to 20 UK sites

Champagne and cocktail bar concept Circle 360 is planning to have 15 to 20 UK sites by the end of 2015, with its first international outlets also in the pipeline.

New Zealand's Mission estate eyes UK growth

New Zealand's Mission Estate is targeting UK growth in the independent and on-trade sectors with the appointment of its first UK business development manager.

Tesco invites consumers to come up with wine descriptions

Tesco is inviting its consumers to join in a wine tasting to help come up with more customer friendly and impartial wine descriptors.

Italy's Franciacorta wines double sales to UK

Sales of Italy's Franciacorta wines in the UK have doubled in the first six months of 2014 thanks to growing market awareness.

Panos Sarantopoulos takes charge of Rémy Cointreau's liqueurs and spirits division

Panos Sarantopoulos has been promoted to chief executive of Rémy Cointreau's liqueurs and spirits division after a successful time headling up Metaxa, the company's Greek spirit business.

Origin Wine's Stormhoek Stack launches in UK

Waitrose warns of lower profits but still shows growth

Waitrose is following its supermarket brethren Tesco and Morrisons with a lower profit warning, but the upmarket chain still is expecting profits to rise by 4.5%, albeit down on last year's stellar increase.

Bancroft Wines takes on South African winery Ataraxia

Private equity firm KKR ups bid for Treasury Wine Estates

Treasury Wine Estates has opened its books to private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts following its revised - 10% higher - offer of US$3.15 billion for the wine business.

Prosecco firm Frizzenti to open wine bar chain

Prosecco and sparkling wine supplier Frizzenti is to open a series of permanent and semi-permanent wine bars, with plans to open 10 within 12 months of an initial launch in October.

Put your football knowledge to the test in the new Benevolent Fantasy Football League

So do you think your football? Your Christmas Tree formation over your 4-4-2? Know what "running between the lines" actually means? Well why not put those skills to the test and take part in the new Benevolent Fantasy Football League - oh and raise some money for the drinks charity along the way.

Bob Rishworth semi retires from Halewood International

Bob Rishworth will be semi-retiring from his role as the board director at Halewood International in order to focus on his own consultancy business.

House of Lords calls for drinks industry's advice on next EU Alcohol Strategy

The drinks industry has been invited by the House of Lords to send in its suggestions for what the next European Union Alcohol Strategy should look like.

Scottish wine merchant offers online consumers opportunity to 'buy wine with us not from us'

Scottish independent wine merchant Peter Wood is shaking up his online sales by taking a Naked Wines approach and offering customers to "buy wine with us not from us".

The Week That Was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Authentic Caribbean Rum Marque expands to 18 members with three new recruits

Three new rums have been granted approval to carry the Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) Marque as the initiative widens its portfolio and presence in its key international markets including the UK.

London Cru forced to name its wines Thunderbirds-style as wines 1, 2 and 3

London Cru, the capital's first urban winery, may have succeeded in shipping grapes from Europe to make wine in the UK, but it has had more difficulty with the bureaucrats in what it can now call them.

Drinkaware links up with British racing to promote responsible drinking at racecourses

Drinkaware has linked up with the Racecourse Association (RCA) to promote responsible drinking at major horse racing events across the country in a bid to address the growing problem of over drinking at some racing venues.

Jim Beam looks to drive bourbon category with new Rye and Maple varieties

Jim Beam is looking to drive the growing American whiskey market in the UK with the launch of two new additions: Jim Beam Rye; and Jim Beam Maple.