Wine retailers across the UK are warning consumers that they will be “powerless to protect” their customers from the inevitable price rises set to hit the industry in February next year when the new duty banding it due to roll out. It comes as part of a new WSTA consumer campaign to put pressure on the government to make the current temporary...

Despite conditions in the fine wine market being perhaps the most difficult in a generation, winemaker Paul Hobbs has insisted there are opportunities, particularly for small and boutique fine wine producers, even if the market does need “corrective steps” in order to recover. It’s easy to see that the global fine wine market is in...

A tasting of Cristal Rosé back to the heatwave harvest of 1976 highlighted why it’s time to rethink the concept of freshness in Champagne. Or at least that was my feeling after sampling a couple of fully-mature Champagnes from some of the region’s hottest years, including '76 but also '89, while listening to the thoughts of Louis Roederer’s...

Guala Closures and Smurfit Westrock were among winners at the inaugural Encirc Partnership Awards in London, designed to celebrate collaboration and innovation in the drinks industry. The awards, held on Encirc’s Partnership Day, recognised outstanding contributions from suppliers, retailers, and strategic partners, who are shaping the future of...

It's been around for a few years now, but can blockchain and NFTs still revolutionise the wine industry? db investigates. Almost five years ago, db's Arabella Mileham reported about the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution', as referenced by Lord Holmes of Richmond, the co-chair of Parliamentary Groups on Assistive Technology, Fintech, Blockchain...

Robust demand for Constellation's beer brands has brought some welcome good news for one of the drinks giants, Ron Emler reports. After missing Wall Street’s revenue estimates three times in the past two years, Constellation Brands surprised the market with its figures for the three months to the end of August, itself normally a strong sales...