News - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Sales up 5% at Spanish wine giant Bodegas Torres

Published: 16 February, 2015

Spanish wine giant Bodegas Torres, which also produces wines in Chile and California, has seen its sales grow 5% to €240 million in 2014.

Wine sales rocket 20% to €44m at Vente-Privee

Published: 16 February, 2015

Wine sales rocketed in 2014 at flash sales site Vente-Privée, which is celebrating a 20% increase in wine turnover to €44 million, as it ramps up its UK focus with the appointment of a new managing director.

Tim Atkin takes the Vinopolis stage for Skin Côntact Comic Relief gig

Published: 16 February, 2015

Anyone in the wine trade who has been on the receiving end of a review by wine critic and journalist Tim Atkin MW - good or bad - will get the chance to give him a critique back when he bravely takes the stage as one of the guest singers for the ever growing Skin Côntact band when it plays its one off gig on March 9 to raise money for Comic Relief.

UK wine industry backs calls for alcohol duty cut

Published: 16 February, 2015

The UK's growing wine industry has called for the Chancellor to cut the high rate of alcohol duty rate by 2% in the upcoming Budget.

Vinoteca's Kings Cross site to open in March

Published: 16 February, 2015

Vinoteca's fifth site, this time at the One Pancras Square development in Kings Cross, is getting ready to open its doors as head chef Kieren Steinborn joins the team.

Yealands relaunches Hawke's Bay Crossroads with Enotria

Published: 16 February, 2015

Yealands Wine Group is moving is its Hawke's Bay Crossroads wines to Enotria from Mentzendorff to streamline UK distribution.

March for Independents campaign keeps merchants on right side of the law

Published: 16 February, 2015

Today Harpers starts its third Action Week initiative as part of its March for the Independents campaign with a focus on helping merchants keep on top of the latest changes in business, employment and drinks legislation.

French wine exports to the UK fall 10% by value in 2014

Published: 13 February, 2015

France's wine exports to the UK have fallen 10% by value in 2014, although British consumers still take in 12.2% of their neighbour's wines, making it the second biggest export market for France.

Bibendum sets aggressive integration target, but postpones move

Published: 13 February, 2015

Bibendum PLB has been working towards an aggressive six month integration target, but has decided to postpone plans to move to a new London location at least for the short term.

Global sales of Rioja wine grow by 5m bottles in 2014

Published: 13 February, 2015

Global sales of Rioja wine grew by 5 million bottles in 2014, hitting a new record of 281 million litres of wine, driven by a thirst for barrel-aged Rioja wines and whites.

Armit Wines boosts Tuscan portfolio with Fattoria Le Pupille

Published: 13 February, 2015

Armit Wines, UK distributor for a host of Italy's icon wines, has added southern Tuscany's Fattoria Le Pupille to its portfolio.

Damien Wilson named faculty chair for Sonoma State University's wine business programme

Published: 13 February, 2015

Dr Damien Wilson has been named as the first head for the newly-created role of the Hamel family faculty chair for the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University and is expected to start in August 2015.

Joe Wadsack shares his musical likes as Skin Contact's Comic Relief gig is selling fast

Published: 13 February, 2015

We've met the band, the backing singers and plugged the concert enough to surely convince you to buy a ticket for wine band Skin Côntact's one-off concert on March 9 at London's Vinopolis to raise money for Comic Relief.

Calling on wine and spirits producers around the world to back Drop the Duty campaign

Published: 13 February, 2015

Today Harpers is calling on wine and spirits producers around the world concerned about the high alcohol duty levels in the UK to get involved in the Drop the Duty campaign and have their voice heard by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

Pernod Ricard celebrates strong UK half-year performance

Published: 12 February, 2015

Pernod Ricard's UK chief says the market is now in "full recovery" as its brands, in particular those at the top end of the scale, outperform the market.

Irish whiskey Tullamore DEW launches busking campaign

Published: 12 February, 2015

William Grant owned Irish whiskey Tullamore DEW is looking to build awareness of the brand through a campaign involving street buskers.

Wine shipments face delays as California port dispute escalates

Published: 12 February, 2015

Wine shipments in and out of California face further delays as the labour dispute between port workers and their employers steps up a gear with vessel operations suspended over the upcoming long weekend.

M&S signs deal to bottle New World wines at Kingsland

Published: 12 February, 2015

Marks & Spencer will use a UK firm for the first time for its New World bulk wine bottling, after striking a deal with Manchester's Kingsland.

H1 results for Pernod Ricard show stability as Alexandre Ricard steps up as CEO

Published: 12 February, 2015

Sales growth for the first half of the financial year for Pernod Ricard was minimal, but stable, ahead of the announcement of leadership changes at the drinks giant.

London's premium on-trade wine market growing 18% per year

Published: 12 February, 2015

The market for top wines is growing at a rate of 18.4% by value in London restaurants, against a backdrop of declining wine sales in the on-trade overall, down 9.3% by value for the year to July 2014.