Country Reports - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

A very Spanish hero

Published: 02 December, 2020

Rueda is the Spanish white with the most global appeal, but it’s more complex, higher-end wines deserve to be better known. Andrew Catchpole reports

Spain: Leading the eco charge

Published: 30 November, 2020

Spain deserves better recognition as a leader in organic and sustainable viticulture and its time may well have come, writes Andrew Catchpole.

Spain’s silver linings

Published: 26 November, 2020

While most areas of the trade experience decline, Spain still has the odd reason to be cheerful in buoyant UK exports and ever-robust Rioja. James Lawrence reports

South Africa looks to higher ground

Published: 22 October, 2020

Hard hit by the pandemic, South Africa’s winemakers are proving their resilience and fighting back with an eye on higher quality and pricing. By Andrew Catchpole

Headline Heroes: Languedoc

Published: 09 October, 2020

As the world’s biggest wine-producing region, the Languedoc offers the diversity typical of a whole country, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Argentina: Buying into blends

Published: 06 August, 2020

Looking beyond Malbec and to the myriad blends on offer from Argentina is key to unlocking the country’s rich array of grape varieties, writes Chris Wilson.

New Zealand: Working with nature

Published: 03 July, 2020

New Zealand is one of the best-placed wine-producing countries to get the sustainability message across to consumers. Andrew Catchpole reports on how this paragon of environmental friendliness is furthering its green credentials

Chile rising high

Published: 03 June, 2020

Consumers have come to expect value from Chilean wine, says James Lawrence, so how can they be encouraged to trade up?

A Taste of New York: Indie opportunities from the Empire State

Published: 26 May, 2020

With small production and a cool climate, New York State’s leading wine producers are looking to punch above their collective weight on the world stage, with the UK singled out as the ‘shop window’ to showcase its wares.

Hail the mighty Maipo

Published: 11 May, 2020

Andrew Catchpole shines the spotlight on Chile’s most famous region for quality reds

New Zealand report: Blanc page

Published: 27 March, 2020

Enduringly popular and commanding a premium, NZ Sauvignon Blanc is nonetheless evolving with an eye on the future. Andrew Catchpole reports

Argentina report: The beauty of buying in bulk

Published: 26 March, 2020

Argentina is upping its game to become a major player in boutique bulk, as Chris Wilson reports.

Argentina report: The many faces of Malbec

Published: 24 March, 2020

A growing appreciation for Argentina’s GI system is helping Malbec slide towards the premium end of lists here in the UK. Chris Wilson asks where to next?

Argentina report: Country on the rise

Published: 18 March, 2020

In the first of our series on Argentina, James Lawrence reports (pre-coronavirus) on how the 2016 election has helped introduce the country to a new era of wine exports and global trade.

Central Otago: Pinot spotlight

Published: 06 March, 2020

Central Otago is reaching a new maturity, as Andrew Catchpole discovers at its annual Pinot Noir Celebration.

Portugal: step into a world of difference

Published: 05 March, 2020

An ever-closer relationship between the UK and Portugal is having a positive knock-on effect on sales of this European underdog. Charles Metcalfe asks if Brexit will put a stop to progress?

Austria: The view beyond Grüner growth

Published: 02 March, 2020

Austrian producers are looking to reds and rare varieties to emulate the ‘golden period’ built on the success of its flagship grape, as Lisa Riley discovers.

Australia: Reinvention in the New World

Published: 10 February, 2020

Australian winemakers are forging a new identity with a holistic approach to production that’s more in keeping with modern consumer tastes than the country’s original offerings, as Chris Losh reports.

Greece is the word

Published: 11 December, 2019

From Santorini to Naoussa and Nemea, and the thriving shop window that is Athens’ bar scene, Greece’s standout regions are ripe for exploration. Norman Miller delves deep into this fast-rising country of interest

Selling Italy in the off-trade

Published: 09 December, 2019

Justin Keay digs deep into Italy in the off-trade, taking his microscope to the supermarkets’ Italian ranges and discovering what indie customers are demanding from their local merchants.