Analysis & Insights - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Insights: Taxing times ahead

Published: 13 December, 2024

With the aim of providing clarity for the trade, James Bayley once again highlights what’s coming down the line.

Georgia’s wines have certainly been turning heads, though with such a multifaceted offer it’s difficult to pin down one clear identity. Ideal, says Andrew Catchpole, for an increasingly wine-adventurous world.

Silver linings in the UK wine market

Published: 09 December, 2024

Ahead of the new year, Jerry Lockspeiser seeks out the positive trends amid the challenges facing the UK wine market.

Elevating baijiu with Melody Wong

Published: 04 December, 2024

Andrew Catchpole speaks to The Peninsula’s director of wine Melody Wong about her high-flying role and the mission to elevate baijiu in the UK.

Liberty report: Indies steal a march on supermarkets

Published: 04 December, 2024

Liberty Wines’ first ever Independent Off-Trade Wine Report paints a cautiously optimistic picture for the future. Jo Gilbert reports

Sustainability Report: Corp for the Wine Trade

Published: 03 December, 2024

Harpers partnered with North South Wines to invite drinks trade business leaders to explain what it takes to become a B Corp certified company and the benefits delivered. Jaq Bayles reports.

Sustainability Report: Social responsibility at the cellar door

Published: 29 November, 2024

Andrew Catchpole shares highlights from Harpers’ recent Bibendum-partnered webinar on the human side of sustainability.

Sustainability Report: The climate lottery

Published: 27 November, 2024

Viticulture, and thus winemaking, stands as a barometer for climate change. But, as James Lawrence reports, not all impacts are equal.

Sustainability Report: Bottling it on glass

Published: 25 November, 2024

James Lawrence peers into the growing debate surrounding glass bottle usage in an environmentally challenged age.

From Port wine to table wine

Published: 22 November, 2024

Jo Gilbert embarks on a deep dive into Douro producers’ dual strategies for both table and fortified wines as a way of adapting to market demands and preserving the region’s winemaking heritage.

Cape's stylistic breadth shines

Published: 20 November, 2024

South African wine is reaching new heights as quality and affordability combine to deliver premium sales. Andrew Catchpole reports.

Headline Heroes: Vermouth holds it all together

Published: 18 November, 2024

David Kermode looks at the origins of vermouth and discovers a diverse cocktail ingredient as well as a strong standalone player.

From its origins as a medicinal tincture for bilious conditions to bartender favourite, vermouth has come a long way. Aromatic, beguilingly bittersweet and fascinating in its complexity, it is delicious on its own, poured over ice, but it is more widely celebrated for a form of liquid alchemy, bringing together the different components of a cocktail to ensure the completed serve is greater than the sum of its parts.

Skirting a possible Scotch loch

Published: 15 November, 2024

With demand for higher-end whisky flat or declining in mature markets, producers should be looking to foster new demand. Tom Bruce-Gardyne reports.

Headline Heroes: Champagne’s sustainability revolution

Published: 13 November, 2024

Maison Perrier-Jouët is among key Champagne houses committed to introducing practices that will help meet climate objectives. James Lawrence reports.

Tech: Clarify and collaborate

Published: 11 November, 2024

Sustainability has without a doubt become a cornerstone of the modern wine industry. In just a few short years, this unifying topic has seen disparate parts of the supply chain seemingly reach a consensus that the upward march of change must occur in all parts of the sector – and fast. How to achieve this, however, is less clear.

Multiples: Staying ahead of the curve

Published: 07 November, 2024

James Bayley takes a look through Waitrose’s ambitious autumn drinks portfolio and finds sustainability front of mind.

Analysis: Making history with old vines

Published: 06 November, 2024

Jo Gilbert reports from the latest gathering of old vine aficionados in Italy.

Analysis: Trade expresses disappointment over Budget

Published: 04 November, 2024

Failure to tackle some of their most pressing concerns have left trade bodies and operators frustrated. James Bayley rounds up their thoughts.

On-trade: All points east for natural wines

Published: 01 November, 2024

James Bayley investigates the natural wine bars of east London to find they embrace informality and welcome all.

Indies: Venturing into the unknown

Published: 30 October, 2024

Jo Gilbert catches up with some of the UK’s most innovative indie merchants to identify the best up-and-coming regions – and the potential hurdles along the road.