How Russian entrpreneurs are driving London's jet set to destination wine stores and restaurants

If you literally have it all, where do you go and spend it? As Glynn Davis discovers, there is a new mini club of entrepreneurs with the pockets and contact books to attract the best wines and richest customers

Christmas Report: why premium spirits are key for festive sales

Premium spirits are a crucial selling feature of the festive season. Helen Arnold explains why:

France Summit Report: How France is performing globally and online

Tim Wilson of the Wilson Drinks Report, Anne Burchett of Sopexa and Jon Rebuck of Winesdirect offer their insights and views on the latest trends surrounding French wines in the on and off-trades at France Summit 2014.

Gerard Basset, Hal Wilson and Kathrine Larsen lead France Summit masterclasses

Hal Wilson co-owner of Cambridge Wine Merchants, Gerard Basset and UK Sommelier of the year 2014 Kathrine Larsen led masterclasses at last month's Harpers France Summit that looked at trends and what sort of wines were appropriate for the independent wine merchant and premium on-trade sectors. 

France Summit Report: Are French producers adapting to the UK consumer?

How well is the French wine industry adapting to suit the needs of the UK trade and consumer? That was the question posed to some of the UK's leading French importers, on-trade operators and producers themselves at Harpers' second annual France Summit.

Suppliers and indpendents unite for Best Practice debate

To help independents and suppliers work together more effectively Harpers hosted an open trade debate to see the difference the Best Practice Guidelines are having on day-to-day business.

Analysis: The new Bibendum PLB supergroup

Bibendum's acquisition of UK drinks rival PLB and the merger of both businesses has created a supergroup, complete with five divisions, catering to the on and off-trades, independents, specialist beer and spirits and events sectors.

TescoGate Special Report: how will retailers and suppliers work together in the future

Leading analysts and trade experts are divided over whether the Tesco accounting scandal will have ramifications for the wider trade. Some say there will be "no change whatsoever" in the retail landscape, while others say the change will be "seismic".

TescoGate analysis: What next for suppliers and grocery multiples

Wine suppliers call for clarity over where multiples are headed next, as the Tesco scandal claims its first wine executive.

Discounters are most "disruptive" force in retailing in 20 years say grocery and drinks chiefs

A poll of top-level food, drink and grocery executives at this week's IGD Convention reveals the rise of the discounters is the most "disruptive" influence on the grocery sector in the last 20 years.

Harpers Special Report: multiple and supplier relations uncovered

Tesco has taken a bit of a battering in recent months, with profits slipping and then the little matter of the £250 million profit overstatement.  But although Tesco is in the spotlight, there are issues for all of the major retailers right now, as the discounters go from strength to strength and the Big Four's choke hold on the market weakens. Harpers.co.uk spoke to some of the wine trade's key suppliers and ex-buyers to find out their views.

Christmas part 2: Key players weigh up the role of sparkling wines as the festive season approaches

The festive season is still the key trading period for sparkling wines. What do producers, brand owners, multiples and merchants expect from sparkling wines this year?

Analysis: how effective has the Crus Bourgeois classification been?

Last week the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois arrived in London for the fifth annual review of the wines deemed worthy to use the Cru Bourgeois seal of approval. Five years into the new incarnation of the classification Heather Dougherty reviews its successes and challenges - and looks at its prospects for the future.

Christmas Part 1: How bubbles are trending in the lead up to Christmas

A celebration is nothing without a bottle of bubbly and Christmas is no exception. In the UK Prosecco and Cava remain strong, as consumers favour other sparklers over costly Champagne.

Ports, sherries and fortifieds get ready for Christmas

The tapas craze helped boost sherry sales temporarily but the category is now in decline, and Port is still struggling to shake its fusty and festive image. Gemma McKenna and Erin Smith look at how fortified wines can carve a niche

Harpers Global Design Awards 2014: The Results

The competition to stand out not just on-shelf but also on-screen means there is intense pressure on wine producers, suppliers and, most of all, the creative and design agencies behind the labels to really up their game. Here are the results from the first worldwide Harpers Design Awards where we invited entries from around the world, attracting designs from the US, Australia and across Europe.

Harpers Global Design Awards 2014: what the judges said

This year saw Harpers' Design Awards go global, with entries featuring a range of products aimed at all levels of the market. From the budget to the luxury, we pick out the medal winners and showcase those products and their designers that stand out from the rest.

Lidl part 2: Best value at all costs

When it comes to driving best value at a lower cost there is a lot to learn from the Lidl buying philosophy, says Angela Mount

Lidl: what makes it so successful?

The new "Lidl Surprises" tagline is the latest UK brand-positioning success story from the hard discounter. Gemma McKenna looks at how its buying strategies are now expanding its wine offer

Global wine harvest predictions released by Ciatti

The overall European wine harvest for 2014 looks like being down on last year, according to the latest report from Ciatti, the global grape broking business, but France is set to return to its position as the biggest wine supplier in the world.