Having a new reporter on the team who is keen to learn all there is to know about the drinks industry has given me a renewed sense of curiosity. Or in not-so-polite terms, a bit of a kick up the arse. After 19 years in the trade and with numerous brewery, winery and distillery visits under my belt, as well as my wine…

By Jeff Evans, chair of the International Beer Challenge GREENE KING OLD MIDNIGHT HEN, 4.2% The latest Old Speckled Hen brand extension sees Greene King turn to the dark side. It seems an odd time of year to launch a stout perhaps, but a clue to the reasoning can be found in the words “enjoy chilled” on the bottle. Those of us…

Standing in front of an ancient oak tree, a historic building or a Greek statue, it’s instinctive to feel a sense of wonder at its permanence. The same is true with old vines, which have become important to understanding sustainability in wine. Sustainability begins at the start of the supply chain and for wine that’s in the vineyard.At a recent Old Vine Conference tasting,…

The trouble for consumers who want to make sustainable choices is that they can very quickly become overwhelmed. They have sustainability messages thrust at them from brands across every form of media, from the TV shows they watch and radio they listen to, to the news, social media and conflicting points of view from the government of the day and opposition parties.Sustainability is…

There’s a rumour going around that Gen Z don’t like to drink. We stay home, we avoid alcohol, and we haven’t much interest in the pub. Yet, according to Tom Khan-Lavin, who spoke on Drinks Retailing’s Imbibe Live panel at the start of this month, that isn’t true.   Instead, the CEO of YesMore drinks marketing agency put forward the…

The recent launch of the world’s first vintage alcohol-free sparkling wine, at 67 Pall Mall in London, may turn out to be one of the most important releases of the year. While Bordeaux’s 2023 en-primeur campaign sank like a stone, French Bloom’s effervescent La Cuvée 2022, retailing at £109, was a sign of the ambition and rising confidence within the alcohol-free category.

When the first desperate, thirsty humans discovered fermented grape juice, a god was born. He was a dangerous god: Dionysus to the Greeks, Bacchus to the Romans. As well as wine and the vine, he represented festivity, fertility, frenzy and insanity. Standing in front of the orderly shelves of a modern wine retailer, one can feel very far from Dionysus and much…