Producers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

California Wine country eludes Hennessy fire

Published: 20 August, 2020

California’s wine country has so far been spared the wrath of the latest wildfires, which broke out in the northern part of the state on Monday.

On ‘Clean’ wine – ambiguity among the vines

Published: 20 August, 2020

Wine is an odd consumable. It’s a drug, it isn’t legally required to list ingredients, and it’s often described with vague, ambiguous terms. In the wake of the natural wine movement and the age of ‘wellness’, it was just a matter of time until a brand tried to hoodwink us. Quickest to the mark were Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power with ‘clean wine’, Avaline.

Relief as gin spared from US tariff hikes, but battle for Scotch continues

Published: 13 August, 2020

The US has backed down on its threat to expand a 16-year old trade fight with the European Union to impose tariffs on gin – a move which would have been “hugely detrimental” for the British alcohol industry.

Mud House pushes outdoors lifestyles in new global campaign

Published: 11 August, 2020

Leading NZ wine brand Mud House has launched a new global campaign titled ‘Taste the Adventure’.

Apothic adds first single-varietal to range

Published: 10 August, 2020

Premium Californian wine brand Apothic is to add its first single-varietal wine to its portfolio next month.

Julio Sáenz, winemaker, La Rioja Alta

Published: 04 August, 2020

As La Rioja Alta celebrates its 130th anniversary, and with the release of its second ever Viña Arana Gran Reserva (2014) in August, Andrew Catchpole catches up with Julio Sáenz for taste and talk over his most recent trio of Gran Reserva wines.

IXSIR partners with monks for southern Lebanon expansion

Published: 29 July, 2020

Lebanese winery IXSIR has added a new vineyard to its portfolio in the southern Quatine area of the country, planted in partnership with Maronite monks that own the land.

Champagne fails to agree 2020 yield amid “worst crisis since WW2”

Published: 24 July, 2020

The Champenois are in disarray as efforts to reach agreement on the level of yield for the 2020 harvest failed at a recent meeting of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) in Epernay.

Ramón Bilbao targets organic certification for vineyards

Published: 23 July, 2020

Spanish producer Ramón Bilbao has begun the three-year process of converting its Rioja and Rueda vineyards to organic production methods.

Pernod Ricard issues more upbeat guidance for 2020

Published: 23 July, 2020

Pernod Ricard is predicting a softer impact on its business as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, according to its latest guidance for its 2020 results.

Three new wines from Offbeat

Published: 22 July, 2020

New Wiltshire-based sustainable winery Offbeat wines has released three wines, following the sell-out success of its first issue.

Premium rosé trend gathers pace

Published: 14 July, 2020

World-wide consumption of rosé has long seen a steady increase, growing 40% between 2002 and 2018, with three countries – France, United States and Germany - accounting for 60% of all volume consumed in 2018. But the category’s value proposition seems to be changing, with consumers increasingly seeking a sense of provenance, expression of terroir and varietal character (all data from Observatoire Mondial du Rosé).

GB sustainability initiative given the “green” light

Published: 10 July, 2020

The environmental sustainability scheme for the UK wine industry is now underway, around a year after plans were first announced in order to put GB winemaking on a par with green rivals in New Zealand and Champagne.

Loire Valley sparklers herald UK uplift

Published: 02 July, 2020

Loire Valley fizz has enjoyed a surge in exports to the UK, with Crémant de Loire having jumped just shy of 50%.

Affordable tiers of English still wines ‘crucial’, says Oz Clarke

Published: 29 June, 2020

Affordable tiers of still whites and red blends will be essential in supporting the rise of English sparkling wines both at home and on export markets.

English Wine Week set to fizz

Published: 19 June, 2020

Picnics, quizzes, virtual tours, tastings and winemaker webinars are among the myriad events set to fly the flag during English Wine Week on 20-28 June.

Hattingley marks anniversary with TV wine first

Published: 18 June, 2020

Hattingley Valley has become the first English wine producer to launch a TV advertising campaign, to kick off just head of English Wine Week (20-28 June).

“Smallest vintage in living memory” delights Oz winemakers, if not accountants

Published: 16 June, 2020

Off the back of a “rollercoaster ride”, variously involving frosts, drought, heatwaves, horrendous bush fires and finally the disruption of Covid-19, Australia’s 2020 vintage is expected to produce some “sensational wines” from a very low yielding crush.

Grupo Rioja calls for more support as ‘Basque Wine’ shored up

Published: 10 June, 2020

Rioja wine producers have lashed out at the ‘insufficient measures’ adopted by the Spanish government yesterday to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on Spain’s wine sector.

Oregon commits to ‘anti-racism and equity’

Published: 10 June, 2020

As the fallout from the death of African-American George Floyd continues to reverberate around the western world, Oregon Wine Board has responded with a commitment to embed “more fully” an inclusive and racially equal approach across the state’s wine industry.