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The Drinks Business •

How the wine industry is addressing labour standards in vineyards

As scrutiny of vineyard labour practices intensifies, James Bayley explores how the Champagne region — led by Comité Champagne — is working with state authorities, growers and service providers to strengthen protections for seasonal workers and uphold the industry’s reputation.

While seasonal work is a long-established and essential part of viticulture, evolving expectations around social sustainability have prompted producers and institutions alike to reassess not only their responsibilities b...
The Drinks Business •

Lifting spirits: Aidy Smith on building an inclusive drinks industry for all

In a world where the drinks trade often clings to tradition with the same devotion it gives to terroir, Aidy Smith is inviting the industry to rethink what inclusivity really means. Speaking to the drinks business, the broadcaster, journalist and digital creator reflects on why so many people still feel unwelcome in wine and spirits — and what he’s doing to change that.
Best known for The Three Drinkers on Amazon Prime, Smith has become a familiar face in global drinks media — but it’s his work...
The Drinks Business •

‘Liberation Day’ or liquor lockdown? Trump’s tariffs rattle the wine & spirits world

As US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs send shockwaves through the global drinks trade, db offers exclusive insight and analysis from across the wine and spirits industry. 

The new tariffs, billed as a corrective to what Trump has called “unfair trade practices”, imposed a 20% duty on European Union wine and spirits and a 10% duty on United Kingdom exports, including Scotch whisky.
For a transatlantic drinks trade that has spent the last few years rebuilding itself after previo...
The Drinks Business •

Why the wine rarely vanishes – the truth about cooking with alcohol

It is a claim often whispered across chopping boards and tasting menus alike – don’t worry, the alcohol all cooks off. But as with so many culinary myths, this one dissolves under scrutiny.

While heat certainly causes alcohol to evaporate, the idea that it disappears entirely during cooking is far from accurate. Depending on how and how long you cook, a considerable proportion of the original alcohol may remain. For the home cook, the professional chef and indeed the thoughtful drinker, this is...
The Drinks Business •

Why Vatican City is the world’s top wine importer per capita

Tucked behind the colonnades of St Peter’s Basilica lies the world’s most surprising wine powerhouse. With sacred rites, papal palates and duty-free Prosecco all in the mix, James Bayley investigates how Vatican City became the globe’s top wine importer per capita – and why Italy’s grip on its cellar remains unshaken.

The Vatican City imports almost every drop of the wine it consumes. According to trade data from the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS), in 2019 Italy supplied an astonishing...
The Drinks Business •

Medieval Wine Tour of London: a Bacchic binge through time

London: a city of soaring ambition, blue-eyed boys in finance, and – in the 14th century – a place where one could be legally force-fed soured wine as a punishment for tampering with the nation’s most sacred import. 
Dr Matthew Green’s Medieval Wine Tour of London is an intoxicating romp through the city’s oenological past, a masterful blend of history, theatre and just the right amount of alcohol to make medieval hygiene standards seem tolerable.
While modern Londoners associate alcohol with mi...
The Drinks Business •

US whiskey rushes to EU before 50% tariffs hit – but will it be enough?

The European Union and the United States have once more locked horns, and this time it’s American whiskey that’s bracing for a bruising. With EU tariffs set to skyrocket to 50% on 1 April, distillers are scrambling to flood the European market before the axe falls.

The EU’s decision to reinstate hefty tariffs on American whiskey is the latest volley in an ongoing trade war that has little to do with spirits and everything to do with steel and aluminium. The European Commission, led by Ursula vo...
The Drinks Business •

Trump’s 200% tariff threat leaves wine world reeling

Donald Trump has revived his taste for tariffs, threatening a 200% levy on EU wines, Champagnes and spirits if Brussels doesn’t back down on its latest tax on American whiskey.

Posting on Truth Social —  the alt-tech social media platform owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) — the President slammed the EU’s “nasty” 50% tariff on whiskey and vowed swift retaliation if it isn’t rescinded:
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, C...
The Drinks Business •

Russia’s alcohol production plummets amid tax hikes and anti-drinking measures

Russia is experiencing a significant drop in alcoholic drinks production, which fell by 25.6% in February 2025 to 19.9 million decalitres (daL), compared to 26.8 million daL in the same period last year. This marks the lowest production level for the first two months of the year since 2017.

According to data from the Russian Federal Service for Alcohol and Tobacconist Control (RATC) and the Unified International Maritime and Substances Control Service, the production of alcoholic beverages with...
The Drinks Business •

Russian Standard on the rocks as Moscow tightens grip

Russia’s Ministry of Finance has taken decisive action in its ongoing efforts to consolidate control over key economic entities, with its latest move affecting Russian Standard Group, one of the country’s leading vodka producers.

As reported by Reuters, a Moscow court on Thursday (27 February) suspended the corporate rights of the foreign holding companies that own the group, in a ruling that will concern international business owners operating in Russia.
The ministry had only recently added Ru...
The Drinks Business •

Why raising taxes on wine won’t solve the UK’s drinking problem

If there’s one thing we Brits excel at, it’s a contradiction. We queue religiously yet love to complain about the waiting. We champion free speech yet deplore those with opposing views. And now, we drink less than ever, yet alcohol-related deaths have reached record levels.

For all the handwringing in Westminster about the perils of alcohol, the numbers tell an awkward story. In 2023, the UK registered 10,473 alcohol-specific deaths, yet alcohol consumption has been on a steady decline, especia...
The Drinks Business •

Shaken, stirred and still standing: James Bond’s six decades of drinking

As the world eagerly speculates about who will next don the tuxedo and holster the Walther PPK, another question looms: will the new James Bond have the requisite taste for the finer things in life? Because, according to two detailed studies into the drinking habits of the world’s most famous spy, 007’s appreciation of well-crafted drinks is truly something to admire.

An exhaustive content analysis of 24 James Bond films from 1962 to 2015 (Wilson et al., BMJ, 2018) presents a picture of a man w...
The Drinks Business •

The UK Government 'chose not to listen' to WSTA on duty hikes

From 1 February, wine businesses and consumers across the UK will be grappling with a tax hike exceeding £175 million as new excise duty rates kick in, coinciding with the end of the wine easement.

Compounding the burden, businesses will face increased administrative costs under the revamped duty system, inevitably driving prices higher.
“Make no mistake: this is both a tax hike for consumers and a new burden on businesses,” Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association...
The Drinks Business •

Vivino’s crowd reviews gain credibility in Cambridge study

In a study that bridges the worlds of professional wine critique and popular opinion, researchers from Cambridge University have provided a compelling analysis of Vivino, the world’s most downloaded wine app. 

Published in the Journal of Wine Economics, their findings affirm the validity of crowdsourced ratings as a useful tool for wine lovers and producers alike, while also offering insights into the impact of climate change on wine quality.
Wine, a quintessential “experience good”, often leav...
The Drinks Business •

Why you might be asked for ID to buy 0% alcohol drinks

The rise of alcohol alternatives—drinks with a maximum of 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV)—has transformed consumer habits, offering options for moderation without sacrificing the experience of drinking. Yet, as the popularity of these products soars, some shoppers are puzzled to find themselves asked for identification when buying a beverage labelled “alcohol-free.”

According to guidelines from The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group (RASG) and the Portman Group, the rationale is firmly rooted in en...
The Drinks Business •

Football’s most memorable alcohol shirt sponsors

The relationship between football and alcohol sponsorship has a storied history, evoking a heady mix of nostalgia and debate.
While gambling has largely replaced alcohol as the dominant presence on team shirts in recent years, beer partnerships remain woven into the fabric of football culture. From iconic kits to unforgettable campaigns, let’s revisit some of the most celebrated alcohol sponsors in football history.
Few partnerships are as synonymous with football as Carlsberg and Liverpool. Spa...
The Drinks Business •

Bolney Wine Estate’s James Davis MW on duty changes, English sparkling and future opportunities

James Davis MW, general manager of Bolney Wine Estate, shares exclusive insights into how the new alcohol duty structure, shifting consumer preferences and evolving climatic conditions are shaping the landscape for English winemakers.

The English sparkling wine category is gaining recognition both at home and abroad, but navigating complex market dynamics is crucial for its continued growth. 
The introduction of a revised alcohol duty framework has created waves in the wine industry. According...
The Drinks Business •

db exclusive: “duty will cost us £3.5 million next year,” says The Wine Society CEO Steve Finlan

CEO Steve Finlan has exclusively revealed the stark impact of new duty rates to db, which will add an estimated £3 to £3.5 million to the Society’s costs next year, alongside a slew of other financial pressures.
“Duty as a whole will cost us in the region of £3 to £3.5 million next year,” Finlan said. This increase follows a 20% duty rise in 2023, a burden The Wine Society absorbed without passing on the cost to its members. However, Finlan warned that holding the line indefinitely is unsustaina...
Harpers •

The Comfort of Another Round

The Comfort of Another Round

Thomas Vinterberg’s tale of midlife crisis, Another Round, begins with a booze-fuelled lakeside run that features beautiful teenagers sprinting and drinking in total abandonment.

Like it or not, alcohol brings people together – it is a facilitator for love and friendship. According to Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skårderud, it also unlocks man’s potential. He suggests that humans are born with a blood alcohol level that is 0.05% too low (the equivalent of 1-2 glasse

Industry “absolutely shocked” by proposed Scottish alcohol advertising ban - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Headed up by MSP Maree Todd, the proposals considered include a ban on billboard adverts and sports and music festival sponsorships. 
The consultation also suggests the possibility of in-store restrictions such as storing alcohol behind the counter, or in a cordoned-off area where products would not be visible up to a minimum height of 1.5 metres, as they do now in Ireland following a law change in 2020.
Of course, these restrictions are not without precedent. In 2020, the alcohol-specific dea...

Wet stones and other WSET befuddlements - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

I was hired, I think, because of my skills as a journalist rather than my knowledge of wine.
Since then, I have put my experience in news reporting to much use, and there has been no shortage of headlines in the world of wine, from the government’s VAT increase to New Zealand’s chronic Sauvignon Blanc shortage. 
When I heard I was going on a wine crash course to bring my knowledge up to speed, I was filled with the same dread my teenage self felt month after month arriving at the driving theor...
Harpers •

Government consumes 1,400 bottles of wines and spirits between 2020-22

Government consumes 1,400 bottles of wines and spirits between 2020-22

The cellar, which is stored in the basement of Lancaster House in central London, provides guests of the government, from home and overseas, with wines of, “appropriate quality at a reasonable cost”.

As expected, usage of the cellar fell significantly in 2020 to 2021 (by 96%) to 130 bottles of wine. This figure increased to 1,303 bottles of wines and spirits in 2021 to 2022, but still 60% less on pre-pandemic levels.

Accor

English Wine Week: Sparkling still on top - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

It was just one of several events to take place to celebrate English Wine Week, an initiative that has infiltrated mainstream media thanks to the likes of Chapel Down going incognito in Champagne, or Lyme Bay offering £2.67 vineyard tours via retail partner Aldi. 
The first English Wine Week was launched in 2006 when Laura Rhys MS was a sommelier struggling to convince consumers of the merits of English sparkling, “it was like I was a dentist”, she said, noting how far the English scene had com...
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