Waitrose is doubling down on its strategy of offering ‘something for everyone’ at all price points, with a mixture of promotions and everyday low-price sales remaining key to the retailer’s approach this autumn in store and through Waitrose Cellar.
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With prices rising for wines from top Italian DOCs and other producers – thanks to high demand and prices coupled with the collapse in sterling – these are tough times for the UK wine trade, with the pressure on margins tougher than ever.
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On the eve of a reshuffle at Liberty Wines, Andrew Catchpole catches up with outgoing chair and serial restaurateur Neville Abraham for his views on the trade
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From Wachau to Neusiedlersee, David Kermode takes a trip through Austria’s must-know regions.
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Touted as the future of digital marketing, NFTs (non-fungible tokens) also raise huge questions around provenance, authentication and fraud, says Jo Gilbert, who takes a crypto dive.
With export markets yo-yoing in the wake of China’s trade tariffs, Australia is once again reassessing its place in the wine world. Andrew Catchpole reports.
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Richard Horwell of Brand Relations says full and compulsory ingredient labelling on alcoholic drinks is essential for the longevity and transparency of the sector
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With supply and delivery issues forcing indies to be nimble and imaginative for the Christmas rush, Andrew Catchpole asked a trio of merchants how they prepared for the festive sales spike in such an unpredictable year.
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Ambitious producers are relying on forgotten grape varieties and modern techniques to add new dimensions to Spain’s best-known wine region, as Justin Keay reports.
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Spanish wines appear to be holding ground against the broader UK wine market, with signs of uplift at the mid-to-high end. Andrew Catchpole sizes up the stats.
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The British tabloids have spoken: Christmas 2021 is unlikely to yield much festive cheer. Unfortunately, this isn’t simply press hyperbole – the UK’s food industry is under enormous pressure, while retail supply chains continue to be stymied by a lack of HGV drivers.
Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released a set of data in September which confirmed that the on-trade staffing crisis has not abated. “Sourcing staff has been one of our biggest challenges since we reopened,” says Avinash Shashidhara, head chef at Pali Hill restaurant in London.
Jacopo Mazzeo looks at what regions such as the Douro and Jerez are doing to survive in a market increasingly hostile to fortified wines and explores whether these efforts are effective. Port, for instance, is heading in two diametrically opposed directions: simplification and (extra) premiumisation, with new categories that span from youth-friendly RTDs to Tawny 50yo and White 50yo. Sherry meanwhile, has just changed a number of its regulations and now embraces unfortified wine.
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A new Wine Scholar Guild initiative aims to change the way consumers assess wine, as Lisa Riley reports.
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Lebanon’s latest winemaking challenge is a fuel crisis that has left wineries fighting for power, as Andrew Catchpole reports
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Pre-batched cocktails hit the spot when it comes to consistency, reducing waste and prep time, according to their advocates, as Lisa Riley reports.
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Ready-to-drink cocktails continue to grow in popularity despite the reopening of the on-trade. Lisa Riley reports.
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Following the successful lobbying of government to ditch the much-derided and unnecessary VI-1 forms for wine imports, trade voices are gearing up for another battle, this time concerning organic wines.
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The UK’s regions are enjoying a burst of attention with staycationers going in search of the British sun. It’s a shame venues can’t get the staff, says Jo Gilbert.
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Pandemic restrictions may have been lifted, but for hospitality businesses desperate to welcome punters back, a new challenge is thwarting their ambitions. Lisa Riley reports
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Having hosted the ‘Can wine be part of the circular economy?’ debate at the London Wine Fair, Jamie Goode reports back on the sustainability issues in wine packaging.
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