News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Have we made an (April) fool out of you?

Published: 01 April, 2014

Just in case you have not realised, but we thought it was only fair to own up and admit a couple of the stories on today's news feed are not quite what they seem.

Les Dauphins becomes a million bottle brand in the UK and around the world

Published: 01 April, 2014

Les Dauphins, the Rhone brand from Cellier des Dauphins, is now selling over a million bottles in the UK and a million bottles around the world as it continues to expand in to new countries.

Bees could help speed up the ageing of wine finds new research

Published: 01 April, 2014

Two of England's high profile Masters of Wine have announced a radical new method of accelerating the ageing of wine - with the help of a hive of bees.

MW students to be voted either "in" or "out" by final BBC Voice-style judging panel

Published: 01 April, 2014

Final year Masters of Wine students will have to face the wine trade's equivalent of the BBC's The Voice in order to stand a chance of being accepted in to the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Bordeaux university brutally honest over poor 2013 vintage

Published: 01 April, 2014

Bordeaux's 2013 vintage fails to meet any of the requirements for a fine red wine vintage, said Bordeaux University's Vine and Wine Science Institute in a brutally honest press release.

En primeur: will winemakers have 'pulled rabbit from hat'?

Published: 01 April, 2014

En primeur week is underway, with critics and buyers heading to Bordeaux to work out whether winemakers have managed to make "good wine in a difficult year".

?Chivas whisky's education programme drives growth

Published: 01 April, 2014

Scotch whisky brand Chivas Regal has seen strong growth over the past year thanks to an education programme on blended whiskies

Heston Blumenthal to take Fat Duck and Dinner to Melbourne

Published: 31 March, 2014

Heston Blumenthal is to close his three Michelin star restaurant, the Fat Duck, and re-open it in Melbourne, Australia as part of a six-month deal with the Crown Melbourne Resort. When it returns to the UK it will be replaced by his other UK Michelin restaurant, Dinner.

Over 200 restaurants, bars and merchants back natural wine in April for Real Wine Fair

Published: 31 March, 2014

Natural and biodynamic wines are being included on over 200 wine lists and shelves of independent merchants throughout April as part of a nationwide promotion to bring attention to the Real Wine Fair that takes place in London on April 13-14.

Matua introduces new Legends range to its New Zealand wine portfolio

Published: 31 March, 2014

New Zealand winery, Matua, is introducing a new premium range of wines in to its key UK and European markets called Matua Lands & Legends.

Echo Falls revamps design to support higher prices

Published: 31 March, 2014

Echo Falls has changed its bottles and label design to demarcate its range into a two tier offering and support a higher price point.

ProWine China 2014 to add 50% more space

Published: 31 March, 2014

ProWine China is adding 50% more space to its November 2014 exhibition as demand from exhibitors grows.

French bulk wine prices jump by up to 65%

Published: 31 March, 2014

French bulk wine prices have jumped by up to 65% in the past three years, with white wines the most affected.

Bargain Booze expands in south of England

Published: 31 March, 2014

Bargain Booze has opened its first Kent store as part of parent company Conviviality Retail's expansion strategy.

Wines of Brazil hopes official World Cup wine will help boost its wines sales in the UK

Published: 28 March, 2014

Wines of Brazil hopes the release of a new limited edition official licensed wine for the FIFA World Cup will bring added attention to all the country's wines in the UK and all its key export markets around the world.

Drinkaware's Derek Lewis to head up Community Alcohol Partnerships scheme

Published: 28 March, 2014

Derek Lewis, the former head of Drinkaware, has been appointed chair of the Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP)scheme as it hopes to ramp up its impact in troubled drinking areas of the UK.

The week that was: top news, Q&As and opinion on Harpers.co.uk

Published: 28 March, 2014

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

Jancis Robinson and Justin Howard-Sneyd part of speaker line-up at UK's first cool climate event

Published: 28 March, 2014

Leading UK wine trade figures, Jancis Robinson MW and Justin Howard-Sneyd, are two of the speakers that have been announced for the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium which takes place in the UK for the first time between May 26 and May 28, 2016.

Wines of Argentina's Cambalache event sells 600 tickets in three and half hours

Published: 28 March, 2014

Wines of Argentina's Cambalache Nights event, which went on sale through "London's underground events" website The Nudge yesterday, sold 600 tickets in just three and half hours.

?Ardbeg to release limited edition 'Auriverdes' as its tribute to the Brazilian World Cup

Published: 28 March, 2014

Auriverdes is a 2014 limited edition Scotch whisky produced by Islay's Ardbeg Distillery that plays tribute to the World Cup taking place in Brazil this summer. It is being released to coincide with Ardbeg Day on May 31.