News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

English wine flourishes

Published: 17 June, 2009

English wine production is thriving with a 45% increase in vine planting over a four-year period, according to the latest figures.

£3.65m marketing drive for Smirnoff flavours

Published: 17 June, 2009

Diageo GB has announced it plans to drive sales of its new Smirnoff flavoured vodkas with a £3.65m marketing campaign.

London's under-age drinking is on the rise

Published: 17 June, 2009

London's 11-15 year olds are causing serious concern after a new report reveals they are drinking the equivalent of 180,000 bottles of lager every week.

Fresh crackdown on binge-drinking teens

Published: 17 June, 2009

UK towns and cities blighted by summer teenage binge drinking are to share in a £1.4m government cash pot to clamp down on the problem.

Burgundy in UK 'catastrophe'

Published: 17 June, 2009

Burgundy is facing a "catastrophe" in the UK market, according to BIVB president Pierre-Henry Gagey.

Glenrothes reveals two premium vintages

Published: 16 June, 2009

The Glenrothes 1988 Vintage and The Glenrothes 1998 Vintage are both being released simultaneously by Bros & Rudd Spirits Ltd to cater for increased consumer demand for super premium whiskies, particularly from the Far East.

Fine wine market continues to boom

Published: 16 June, 2009

The latest Christie's fine wine auction in London achieved sales of more than £1.3 million, as the market continues to perform well despite the recession.

Taboo breaks out nails promotion

Published: 16 June, 2009

First Drinks' Taboo spirits brand is linking up with nail care company Nails Inc in a bid to target female drinkers in the on-trade this summer.

Stirrings thickens up Diageo portfolio

Published: 16 June, 2009

Diageo has bought out the US cocktail mixer producer Stirrings. The UK company acquired a 20% stake in Stirrings two years ago.

Zamaretto sponsors Southern League

Published: 15 June, 2009

Football's Southern League is to be renamed the Zamaretto League following a deal with the amaretto's owner InterContinental Brands.

Wine recovery in 2011 says research firm

Published: 15 June, 2009

The recovery in UK wines sales could take until 2011 according to a new report form market research company Mintel.

Majestic sees profits slide

Published: 15 June, 2009

Majestic Wine has been hit by a downturn in trade at its French business, Wine & Beer World, as a result of the pound's slide against the euro.

Young sommelier of the year announced

Published: 15 June, 2009

Yohann Jousselin, head sommelier at the Hotel du Vin, Winchester has become the UK's young sommelier of the year.

Wines in the press - June 12 - 14

Published: 15 June, 2009

Guardian

Inver House Distillers opens new £1 million bottling plant

Published: 12 June, 2009

Inver House Distillers, has opened a £1 million new bottling plant at the company's headquarters in Airdrie.

Calabrese joins the Cognac elite

Published: 12 June, 2009

Gerry Calabrese of the Hoxton Pony is among the new members of Courvoisier's elite online professional network site The Future 500.

Gonzalez Byass to be world wine supplier

Published: 12 June, 2009

Gonzalez Byass hopes to transform itself into a worldwide supplier of wines with agencies from all the major wine producing countries, according to its director general Jorge Grosse.

SWA refused appeal in Canadian whisky row

Published: 12 June, 2009

The Scotch Whisky Association has lost a long-running court battle to prevent a Canadian distiller using the word "Glen" in the name of one if its brands.