The Week That Was: Top news, Q&As and analysis on Harpers.co.uk

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have done a review of the top online news, financial news for the drinks trade, Q&As, and opinion stories.

Insights: Logistics is a critical piece of the succes of online wine sales

With web-based sales of wines, spirits and beers growing fast, the delivery following that 'click' is all important.

Analysis: How premium casual dining outlets can get the most out of their wine offer

The growth in premium casual dining means that less is often more when it comes to wine.

Analysis: Brand equity is critical in an increasingly saturated gin market

In an increasingly saturated gin market building brands, like Sipsmith and Langley's Gin, with a long-term vision could not be more important.

Insights: What is next for Rioja?

Really, Rioja can do no wrong. For many consumers it is Spanish wine. But what lies ahead for Spain's most famous wine region?

Analysis: New wine regions continue to emerge

New wine regions and areas with renewed vigour continue to emerge on to the world stage. Has there ever been a better time to drink wine?

Insights: Indies with mutiple sites share critical lessons learned about expanding

Analysis: English fizz comes of age

English sparkling wine has come of age, with investment, passion and government backing all driving quality.

Gavin Quinney: The en primeur results and wrap-up

After a marathon tasting, our resident Bordeaux correspondent Gavin Quinney assesses 2015 quality and where to look for value

Insights: What lies ahead following En Primeur?

It has been nearly five years since the Bordeaux fine wine market, which had been riding an incredible high, came to a screeching halt and it has been on a downward spiral ever since - until now.

Analysis: Burgundy's best buys

With Burgundy prices edging ever upwards, supply short and demand on a high, Tim Atkin MW looks at canny buys.

Insights: Suppliers are focusing on value-added services to the service industry

Today suppliers have to offer an array of services to help their customers sell on their wines and they are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their repertoire.

ICCWS 2016: What to expect from climate change

In recent weeks, much emphasis has been placed on the short-term benefits of global warming.

From an MW inside Parliament: What the wine trade needs to do to combat duty hikes

Conal Gregory, the only Master of Wine to have been elected to Parliament, warns that there is no hope for duties to be reduced or even frozen if there is no effective campaign fighting that battle. He gives tactical tips on what the trade could do better to combat future hikes.

Analysis: Are wine and spirit companies making the most of marketing in today's tech savvy world?

The production of wines and spirits is based on centuries' old, traditional methods, but have producers failed to make the most of digital marketing to engage consumers?

Insights: Some chateaux urge Bordelais to be 'very prudent' with en primeur pricing

Bernard Magrez and his daughter Cecile Daquin, of Chateau Pape Clement, are urging other chateaux owners to be 'very prudent' this year when it comes to en primeur pricing.  "This could be the last chance for Bordeaux" to woo back buyers warns Daquin.

OIV reveals China behind Spain as country with second biggest vineyard surface area

A major new report has found that the size of the global area under vines rose to 7534 kha in 2015, with consumption and production also on the up.

Analysis: Are organic and biodynamic wines going mainstream?

Following the positive response over the past two days at the fifth annual Real Wine Fair, Doug Wregg, co-organiser of the event, confidently believes that natural and biodynamic wines are no longer niche products but are increasingly becoming more mainstream.

Prosecco sales grow by a third, with retailer own labels taking biggest share

Sales of Prosecco continue to outpace those of Champagne, according to new figures from retail insight leader IRI. 

Insights: 'We are at a crossroads' in the UK wine trade, says Fontannaz

Across the supply chain the UK wine trade has been under tremendous pressure, according to Bernard Fontannaz, founder of Origin Wine, and it has got to stop focusing so heavily on price and start communicating better with consumers.