Itseemed like the world, its wife and extended family had turned up at Prowein, the German wine fair early this month. Over 40,000 members of the global wine family had made the trek to Dusseldorf by plane, car and winnebago to take advantage of what is increasingly being seen as the most commercially important trade fair in the world.
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There are wine press trips and there are spirits press trips and both are very different affairs. But never in my experience do you get a wine and spirits trip all mixed up in one.
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David Cameron's warning last week that his government is looking to introduce much tighter drinks legislation, including potentially a minimum price for alcohol, resulted in the industry taking another beating from the national media.
Yet other than the obligatory responses from our much called upon drinks trade associations, where was the reply from our major drinks companies?
David Cameron's warning last week that his government is looking to introduce much tighter drinks legislation, including potentially a minimum price for alcohol, resulted in the industry taking another beating from the national media.
Yet other than the obligatory responses from our much called upon drinks trade associations, where was the reply from our major drinks companies?
It says something of how far the power of brands are now so embedded in our lives that the adverts during this week's Super Bowl had more of an impact than the game itself.
As the industry takes a collective intake of breath for us all to plan our respective budgets for the financial year ahead, who better to guide us in our efforts than the collective thoughts of the BWS chiefs at each of our major supermarkets. The Famous Five if you like.
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"It is just important to give the trade the opportunity to taste, to show how good and versatile these wines are," said Iris Ellmann, MD of German specialist merchant The Wine Barn at yesterday's Annual Trade Tasting.
If you did believe all you read in the papers then you would not get out of bed in the morning. If the economic predictions for the year ahead were not enough to get you reaching for a bottle of the strong stuff, we're now being told by a TV retail celebrity that if you did pop down to your local high street you would not be able to find a shop with a bottle to sell you.
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When's the last time you had a Chinese takeaway? Last week? A fortnight ago? If the pundits are right we'll soon be asking the same question about the last Chinese wine you had.
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The old idiom a problem shared is a problem halved certainly came to mind whilst listening to, and taking part in, three days of Wine Future Hong Kong 2011 event last month. Near on 1,000 wine professionals from 45 different countries made the effort to fly to what has now been dubbed the wine capital of the world to hopefully take a few pearls of wisdom back to their home markets.
Read more...Let me introduce you to a friend of mine. They've not had a pay rise in two years, they're worried about their job, they live on a tight budget and are forever searching the internet to find voucher discount codes and only eat out if they can get a family deal. But they are also really into their food and will shop around to buy local or authentic products. They give money to charity and are actively walking away from businesses with big profits that don't do anything for the environment.
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When temperatures nudge past 80 degrees we are normally in the midst of what the national media refer to as the silly season. The months of July and August when the politicians disappear off to Tuscany and there is nothing to fill the papers than stories of ducks being stuck down chimneys or similar tales of animal derring do.
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I'm not sure how the other participants felt turning up at last week's inaugural Harpers independents and suppliers meeting but I was apprehensive how it might go. Chairing a debate when you know you have strongly opposing views on either side might make for good viewing, but would it actually achieve anything?
"Hi darling, I'm just popping out to get a bottle of wine. Anything you fancy?" "Ooh yes, could you get one of those 5.9% strong wines. I've got a big meeting tomorrow and need a clear head."
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It is said there is no such thing as bad publicity, well try telling that to the South African wine industry this month sent reeling from allegations of human rights infringements of workers at some wineries.
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It may be very tentative, but certain parts of the trade are beginning to dust themselves down from the long hibernation, otherwise known as the recession, and prepare themselves for when the rest of the economy wakes up.
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The news agenda has been dominated over the last fortnight by people who have been accused of not taking responsibility for their actions. Yes, on the face of it the trials and tribulations of Rebekah Wade, Rupert Murdoch and News International may appear a million miles away from the concerns of the drinks trade. But think again.
Whisper it gently but low alcohol might wines just be about to have their moment in the sun. The prospect may send many in the trade rushing for the nearest highly concentrated 15% plus Australian Shiraz, but at the other end of the spectrum low alcohol wines are very much on buyers' if not necessarily consumers lips - at least not yet.
Read more...You know that feeling when you walk through passport control and in to the departures lounge of an airport and it is like stepping in to a parallel universe. A place where nothing seems normal and whatever you do or how much money you spend will have any bearing on life in the real world?
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