Producers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Welsh vineyard set to pioneer country’s first Charmat method wine

Published: 26 October, 2026

Pembrokeshire-based Velfrey Vineyard is set to produce Wales’s first Charmat method sparkling wine made from Welsh-grown grapes.

Roussillon describes ‘renewed hope’ after 2026 harvest sees increased yields

Published: 26 October, 2026

Wines of Roussillon has described the 2026 growing season as bringing “renewed hope” to the region’s winemakers, after several vintages affected by severe drought.

Torres celebrates 50 years of Mas La Plana

Published: 22 October, 2026

Familia Torres has announced the release of Mas La Plana’s 2020 vintage, which celebrates 50 years of winemaking history – spanning the leadership of both the fourth and fifth generations of the Torres family.

Alentejo announces region-wide lightweight wine bottle

Published: 19 October, 2026

Wines of Alentejo (CVRA) has unveiled its 390g lightweight bottle as it enters its final testing phase, with market launch planned for the end of 2027.

Wine buyers join forces to push for regenerative viticulture

Published: 21 October, 2026

A group of leading wine buyers from the UK, EU and US have announced at this year’s Sustainability in Drinks (SID) conference that they are joining forces to help more growers move towards regenerative farming.

Languedoc details promising harvest despite challenging season

Published: 19 October, 2026

An exceptionally hot and dry summer in the Languedoc has nonetheless yielded wines of “freshness and balance", according to a vintage report by the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc (CIVL).

Champagne brands outclass still wines in latest brand ranking

Published: 19 October, 2026

Champagne brands are continuing to outperform still wines in the global marketplace, according to a new report by Brand Finance.

Argento returns to UK off-trade with revived listings

Published: 16 October, 2026

Argentine producer Bodega Argento is returning to the UK off-trade after a hiatus, launching a renewed range of organic and Fairtrade wines.

Napa Valley commits $2.5m to Red Blotch research

Published: 15 October, 2026

Winegrowers and wineries from the Napa Valley have committed $2.5 million to launch Phase One of the Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) Research Initiative, a public-private collaboration which is designed to push forward research into the disease.

Italian harvest: Intense heat, early picking, and acid management define year

Published: 15 October, 2026

Italy’s 2026 vintage was overall marked by intense heat and prolonged dry periods, with careful vineyard management proving crucial to preserving freshness and balance, according to initial reports from wineries across the country.

Centre-Loire announces ‘extraordinary’ harvest

Published: 13 October, 2026

The Centre-Loire has described 2026 as an “extraordinary vintage” as it releases its annual report, detailing a harvest which began in Reuilly on 12 August, and finished around 11 September.

Domaine Bousquet launches first ever orange wine

Published: 12 October, 2026

Leading Argentinian organic winery Domaine Bousquet has announced the launch of Native, a new range of natural wines which contains Bousquet’s first ever orange wine – a 100% Torrontes created with skin-contact maceration.

Whisky bodies detail concerns after appeal over English Whisky GI

Published: 09 October, 2026

The Irish Whiskey, Scotch Whisky and Welsh Whisky Associations have released a joint statement detailing concerns and “inconsistencies” surrounding the English Whisky GI.

Château Margaux appoints Aurélien Valance as MD

Published: 02 October, 2026

First-growth Bordeaux estate Château Margaux has announced that Aurélien Valance (pictured) – currently the deputy managing director, sales and operations – will be stepping up to the role of MD at the end of 2026.

Stamp of approval: Old Vine Registry launches seal for wine labelling

Published: 01 October, 2026

The Old Vine Registry (OVR) has today launched the OVR Seal, a programme which allows registered producers to indicate their old-vine status to consumers via wine labels and digital marketing materials.

Berkmann adds historic Argentine producer Rutini to its portfolio

Published: 30 September, 2026

Berkmann Wine Cellars has announced the addition of historic Argentine producer Rutini Wines to its portfolio.

Languedoc harvest: Wet winter allows for vineyard resilience following summer heat

Published: 28 September, 2026

Estates in France’s largest winegrowing region Languedoc have had a busy harvest this August and September. The region’s trade body CIVL detailed that producers are reporting quality white grapes, a good overall red harvest and resilient vineyards thanks to a wet winter.

Spain report: Cava fights for recognition

Published: 25 September, 2026

Cava producers get fidgety if you suggest the past was less than glorious, but facts are facts: this sparkling behemoth entered the export market as a producer of cheap and cheerful fizz that undercut champagne. Meanwhile, a succession of high-profile bodegas have left the DO since 2019, citing long-running grievances over territorial identity and quality positioning. As a case study in category rehabilitation, few appellations command as much fascination today. Not least because, at first glance, the odds are not stacked in cava’s favour.

Friday read: Ewelme Hills aims high with launch of still rosé

Published: 25 September, 2026

Ewelme Hills estate, in the Chiltern Hills above Ewelme village in South Oxfordshire, is a farm and vineyard founded in 2014 by Lubov Chernukhin, a leading British businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor. And it's first release, an on-trade focused still rosé, bodes well for what is planned to follow – namely a range grounded, to use Chernukhin words, in "quality" and "luxury".

Liberty strengthens Australian portfolio with four new producers

Published: 24 September, 2026

Importer and wholesaler Liberty Wines has strengthened its Australian portfolio, adding four premium cool-climate and single-site wine producers to its range.