Former Bibendum buyer joins Berry Bros & Rudd

Matt Smith will be joining Berry Bros & Rudd where he will be taking over responsibility for the company’s Italian portfolio.

German, Brazilian, and English wine top Majestic’s list of tipples to watch in 2019

Wines from Germany, Brazil, and at home in the UK are being tipped as some of the breakthrough trends to open the door to success for the trade in 2019.

Looking ahead: Nik Darlington, Red Squirrel Wine

Once again we are catching up with the trade over the next few weeks to find out how businesses are making the most of the all-important Christmas trading period, while also looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2019 will bring.

Scotch Whisky Association takes action on alcohol misuse

Thirteen projects set up to tackle alcohol misuse in Scotland have been granted awards by the Scotch Whisky Action Fund.

Neil Ellis joins Gonzalez Byass UK

Red Squirrel expands team into Scotland

Red Squirrel has grown its team north of the border with the appointment of a Scottish based account manager.

Looking ahead: Ian Harris MBE, chief executive, WSET

Tumultuous political times are offering an interesting backdrop to our latest Looking Ahead series.

Nomacorc producer to launch “major” recycling partnership

Wine closures giant Vinventions is the latest to re-affirm its commitment to sustainability via several new initiatives aimed at reducing waste and reaching zero carbon emissions.

LWF signs up as WSET Corporate Patron

London Wine Fair (LWF) has signed up as a bronze Corporate Patron of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) as part of a new partnership to push education. 

Looking ahead: Christopher and Jon Carson, Carson Wines

Once again we are catching up with the trade over the next few weeks to find out how businesses are making the most of the all-important Christmas trading period, while also looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2019 will bring.

The week that was

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, here’s a review of the top online news, analysis, opinions and features

Looking ahead: Paul Jenkins, Caprice Holdings

Once again we’re catching up with the trade over the next few weeks to find out how businesses are making the most of the all-important Christmas trading period, while also looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities 2019 may bring.

MMD swells Burgundy ranks with Billaud-Simon

Maisons Marques et Domaines has been given exclusivity rights for Chablis producer Domaine Billaud-Simon.

Fine wine more stable than gold as Burgundy drives record high for investment market

Burgundy thrived, Bordeaux consolidated and wine investment proved more stable than gold, according to the Liv-ex annual summary of the 2018 market, described as “a record breaking year”.

Looking ahead: Andrew Johnson, Woodwinters

Tumultuous political times are offering an interesting backdrop to our latest Looking Ahead series.

Number of regular UK wine drinkers drops by one million in three years

Britain is steadily losing its core wine drinkers to other beverage categories, while those who remain loyal to the category are drinking less often.

Famille Helfrich gears up for first portfolio tasting

Famille Helfrich, the premium on-trade and independents arm of Les Grands Chais de France, will launch its first portfolio tasting in the UK next year.

Wines of Hungary brings Furmint February to the UK

Wines of Hungary has announced it will be bringing Furmint February to the UK in 2019.

Bulk matters

An increasingly sophisticated and sustainably focused bulk wine sector is in global ascendancy and it is increasingly shaping the world’s wine market, including the premium end.

Exclusive: Rioja Alavesa revives breakaway move

Rioja Alavesa wine producers have officially agreed to revive the breakaway Viñedos de Álava DO (Denominación de Origen) which they say is aimed at providing a sustainable economic model for wine producers.