After a long, dry summer, the Languedoc harvest has drawn to a close, with early reports pointing to healthy, expressive fruit.  Representatives from the wine region said abundant rainfall over the winter of 2025–26 replenished soil water reserves, helping vineyards withstand extreme summer heat, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C.  As in the rest of France, the summer drought demanded constant observation…

With many national and independent retailers reporting a busy festive season in 2025, Chris Boiling seeks predictions for 2026. How will the cost of living crisis reshape the UK’s festive wine market? Wine consumers will continue to trade up this Christmas, despite the current cost of living crisis. That is the view of several leading figures in the wine industry. But they also…

Liberty Wines has boosted its South African range with the addition of Savage Wines, the Salt River-based urban winery of Duncan Savage. Savage has developed a reputation for creating “elegant, pure and age-worthy wines from coastal and high-elevation single sites across the Western Cape”, according to Liberty. Daisy Gatt, Liberty’s senior buyer, said: “Duncan Savage’s wines are among the most sought-after in South…

Waitrose has officially launched Leckford Single Estate Gin and Leckford Single Estate Vodka, marking the first spirits crafted from crops grown entirely on a UK supermarket’s own farm. Both premium spirits are distilled from grain harvested from a single field at the Waitrose Farm at Leckford in Hampshire — the only working farm owned by a UK supermarket. Harvested on 10 July, the…

The autumn edition of the Specialist Importer Trade Tasting (SITT) events in London and Manchester took place at the end of September with halls in each of the city’s venues packed full of importers proudly displaying their global wine discoveries As part of the tasting event, Drinks Retailing editor Sonya Hook chaired an event entitled The Business of Wine: Trends, Threats and Opportunities.

Bodega Argento is renewing its focus on the UK off-trade with a series of organic, Fairtrade and sustainable wines under its Argento label.  The Mendoza-based producer said it would launch several new wines in multiple retailers across the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. The launches will be supported by UK distributor Freixenet Copestick, which secured distribution rights from Bibendum in 2024. …

Drinks Trust Patrons and wine personalities Helen McGinn and Olly Smith took to the stage at the charity’s annual Gala, helping to raise more than £92,000 for people across the drinks industry.Held at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, this key fixture in the drinks industry calendar brought together more than 360 influential guests to mark the charity’s 140th anniversary with an…