Country Reports - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Sustaining Spain

Published: 09 November, 2021

As world leaders in sustainable and organic practices, Spanish winemakers are also discovering the benefits in the bottle, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Time of change for Rioja

Published: 04 November, 2021

Ambitious producers are relying on forgotten grape varieties and modern techniques to add new dimensions to Spain’s best-known wine region, as Justin Keay reports.

Spain inches up

Published: 02 November, 2021

Spanish wines appear to be holding ground against the broader UK wine market, with signs of uplift at the mid-to-high end. Andrew Catchpole sizes up the stats.

Redefining Malbec

Published: 28 October, 2021

Argentina’s flagship grape continues to evolve, with renewed emphasis on vineyard sites and terroir. Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide, reports.

Harpers partnered with Wines of Germany for its Big G closing debate, which mulled over the topic ‘A wine for all reasons: why German wine is the smart choice’. These extended highlights give a flavour of that far-reaching discussion and what indie retailers and restaurateurs alike can do to boost their German category sales. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Australian wine exports: where do they go from here?

Published: 22 July, 2021

Tyson Stelzer looks at the ramifications of China’s extreme tariffs on Australian wine exports.

Sangiovese – Tuscan star

Published: 23 June, 2021

Michèle Shah charts the fortunes of grape variety reaching new heights, despite the challenge of climate change.

Brighter days ahead for Italy

Published: 22 June, 2021

Despite a challenging year for all involved across the trade, Italian wine is showing promising growth potential, as Jacopo Mazzeo reports

Canada’s Cool Climate Sensibility

Published: 03 June, 2021

Harpers’ recent Canadian-flavoured webinar looked at the emerging regions and styles from this exciting country as it emerges onto the global wine scene, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

Sizing up Spain

Published: 24 May, 2021

Despite the twin pressures of Covid and Brexit, Spain’s wines have managed to stay in relatively good shape thanks to an uplift in off-trade sales. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Italy’s big hitters up their game

Published: 21 April, 2021

David Kermode charts the rise of Italy’s collectable high end, as investment eclipses its Burgundy and Bordeaux cousins.

California: Challenging French supremacy

Published: 15 April, 2021

The smartly boxed and sleekly designed sample bottles distributed ahead of the recent California Wine Institute’s Essential California at Home series of tastings were eye-catching in other ways too.

Chile: Time to refocus

Published: 30 March, 2021

At Harpers’ recent Premium Chile webinar, voices from all corners of the trade gathered to have their say, as Lisa Riley reports.

Grüner goes global

Published: 01 March, 2021

Austria’s star player continues to advance its international appeal, as David Kermode discovers.

Portugal’s new wave

Published: 19 January, 2021

Ines Salpico reports on how the country’s winemakers are finally finding a balance between tradition and modernity

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