Insight Archives | The Buyer

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By Richard Siddle on September 9, 2021

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Bordeaux Debate Part 2: Buyers on sustainability & single varietals

With a legacy of quality wine production in the region dating back centuries, it’s unsurprising the Bordelais like to take their time when it comes to making big strategic changes in the way their wines are made and brought to market. In the second part of The Buyer’s online debate between Bordeaux producers and key UK importers, buyers and independent wine merchants, in partnership with the CIVB, we continue our exploration of Bordeaux’s modern reds, where these fit into the region’s long-term strategy and why the panel are particularly excited to see the emergence of so many quality, commercially focused single varietal wines and where they might work best in the premium UK on and off-trade.

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Posted In: Bordeaux, bordeaux wine council, CIVB, the buyer, wine, wine buyers, wine merchants

By Richard Siddle on September 6, 2021

bordeaux debate panel good

Buyer Debate: What ‘Modern Bordeaux’ means for UK buyers

On the face of it Bordeaux has everything going for it. It is one of the most famous, respected and influential wine regions in the world. Yet when it comes to debates around modern winemaking, new viticultural techniques and what’s new in the world of wine, due to its classic reputation, it is often overlooked as a place you look for innovation. But that is not the real picture of what is actually happening in the region. Far from it. To help analyse the emerging trends in Bordeaux, The Buyer teamed up with the CIVB (Bordeaux Wine Council) to bring together key trade players, including UK buyers, importers and sommeliers, and Bordeaux producers to examine just what “Modern Bordeaux” is, how well understood it is and what aspects are best communicated to the wider trade and wine consumers at large.

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Posted In: Bordeaux, bordeaux wine council, sommeliers, uk wine buyers, wine, wine importers, wine region

By Richard Siddle on September 2, 2021

luberon victoria sharples screen

Buyers on why Luberon’s red & white wines are ideal for the UK

It is arguably in its white and red wines that the Luberon really starts to show its Rhône credentials with both wine styles made from a wide selection of varieties where the emphasis is very much on bringing out the freshness, acidity and balance in the wines. In part two of The Buyer debate, in partnership with Wines of Luberon, we ask wine buyers, sommeliers and importers to taste and assess a selection of white and red wines and give their overall impression of where they see the opportunities for Luberon in the UK.

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Posted In: Luberon, red wines, Rhône wines, sommeliers, white wines, wine, wine buyers, wine merchants

By Richard Siddle on August 31, 2021

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Buyers’ Debate: Opportunities for Luberon wines in the UK

Ask the average UK wine buyer to give their views on the Rhône and they could probably spend a couple of minutes talking about the region and why its various styles of wines taste the way they do. But could they do the same for the wines of Luberon, made in the south eastern extreme of the region? To help widen buyers’ knowledge of Luberon wines and what they could offer the UK, The Buyer teamed up with Wines of Luberon to bring together a panel of sommeliers, wine importers and merchants to taste and assess the opportunities for the region in the premium UK wine market. In part one of our two part report the buyer’s shared their first impressions of the region and then focused in on Luberon’s rosé wines and the opportunities for them in the UK. Part two will examine the region’s red and white wines.

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Posted In: french wine, Luberon, sommeliers, the buyer, wine buyers, wine merchants, wines, wines of luberon

By Richard Siddle on August 27, 2021

Tony Blair was the master of using the power of three to drill home a political message - like his famous "education, education, education" plege

Military mirroring & repetition: master them & increase sales

If you have watched any of the episodes from the SAS Who Dares Wins show on Channel 4 what makes it so gripping is not just seeing how average men and women tackle the SAS training course, but the techniques the former SAS officers use to get the candidates to open up about why they are really taking part in the programme. Mirroring is very much one of them, where you literally repeat back what someone has said. Here Harry Crowther explains why using simple mirroring techniques can have a dramatic direct impact on wine sales and the bonds you can instantly create with customers.

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Posted In: grain to grape, harry crowther, mirroring, wine, wine sales, wine trainiing

By David Kermode on August 3, 2021

terroir of Malbec

How Catena’s terroir of Malbec study ‘proves that terroir exists’

In February the Catena Institute published a report into the terroir of Malbec that offered scientific evidence to ‘irrefutably prove’ that terroir exists and is not just a concept dreamed up by the French. Discussing the findings, and broadening the discussion into related fields such as climatology, was a panel of experts that included Laura Catena, journalist Jane Anson and professors from Oregon, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Mendoza. Will historic terroir designations need to be altered in the future to reflect climate change? Should we talk about ecosystems rather than terroir? And will this type of research help to sustain consumer demand for high quality wines? All this and more was discussed while David Kermode took notes.

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Posted In: Catena Institute, David Kermode, laura catena, terroir of Malbec

By Richard Siddle on July 26, 2021

The shadow of Brexit has brought a prolonged and dangerous period of uncertainty over the drinks industry and its supply chain. C&C's ownership brings new security to both Matthew Clark and Bibendum

Cross-industry support sees government u-turn on VI-1 forms

Breaking industry news does not normally happen on a Sunday afternoon, but just as many in the trade might have been thinking about what bottle of wine to open for Sunday lunch, news broke that would have got many reaching for a bottle of fizz to celebrate the surprise government u-turn that it was to scrap completely its intention to introduce what the wine sector saw as expensive and dangerous VI-1 forms on future wine imports from the EU. The Buyer looks back on the efforts made by so many in the wine industry, driven by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, to stand up to Whitehall bureaucracy which showed how strong the sector can be when it has the support of all its influential leaders and a sympathetic ear in the financial and business press.

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Posted In: Daniel Lambert, fine wine, Liv-ex, miles beale, vi-1 forms, victoria prentis, wine, WSTA

By Richard Siddle on July 16, 2021

The Buyer Debate 2: What is the future for Centre-Loire red wines?

In part one of our report on The Buyer’s debate with key importers, sommeliers and retailers on the opportunities for Beaujolais white wine and Centre-Loire red wines, in partnership with Inter Beaujolais and Centre-Loire Wines, we analysed what the buyers thought specifically of Beaujolais’ less well known white wines. Here we turn the spotlight on the Centre-Loire and look at the styles, the producers, and the price points that our panel feel have the best opportunity to do well in the specialist retail and premium on-trade.

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Posted In: ABS Wine Agencies, Alpine Wines, centre-loire, Corney & Barrow, naked wines, Noble Rot, red wines, the buyer, wine, wine buyers

By Richard Siddle on July 12, 2021

buyers table main

Buyer Debate on Beaujolais whites & Centre-Loire reds

If you were looking to hold a buyers’ debate and tasting of Beaujolais and Centre-Loire wines your immediate assumption would be looking at red wines for Beaujolais and whites for the Centre-Loire. Not this time round. For both regions are also producing a diverse range of quality wines that you would not normally associate coming from those appellations. To help explore and assess just what sort of white wines are being made in Beaujolais and red wines in the Centre-Loire, The Buyer teamed up with Inter Beaujolais and Centre-Loire Wines to bring together a leading panel of buyers, wine importers, sommeliers and restaurateurs to taste a selection of wines and then analyse just how suited they might be for different channels of the UK market in our “The Secret Gems of Beaujolais & Centre-Loire debate’. In part one of our report we explore what the two regions can offer for reds and whites and then delve more deeply into diversity and quality of Beaujolais white wines. Part two of our analysis, later in the week, will focus on the red wines from the Centre-Loire.

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Posted In: ABS Wine Agencies, Alpine Wines, Beaujolais, Corney and Barrow, elliot Awin, joshua castle, loire, naked wines, Noble Rot, ray o connor, rebecca palmer, victoria sharples, wine, wine buyers

By Richard Siddle on July 7, 2021

One Step Beyond Webinar July 12: The post-pandemic consumer

We might have had our fill of 90 minute events come the end of the Euro 2020 football champions next month, but here’s news of an alternative way of spending 90 minutes with the second One Step Beyond webinar, co-hosted by The Buyer and Sophie Jump, to be held on July 12 that will once again share the insights and expertise of leading figures in consumer behaviour, technology and innovation, both in and outside the drinks, retail and hospitality sector. Here’s what to expect from those 90 minutes.

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Posted In: cion sumer, creature agency, innovation, kam media, michael page recruitment, one step beyond, technology, wine

By Richard Siddle on June 23, 2021

Pix’s Paul Mabray on entering the “Golden Age” of wine online

We are all now (finally) living in the ‘Golden Age’ of wine online, where the opportunities are enormous for those operators prepared to invest and put digital at the top of their agenda. That was the stand out message from Paul Mabray’s inspiring talk at the first One Step Beyond webinar for 2021 held in April where he also cautioned the wine, retail and hospitality sectors about how to make the most of the universal switch to digital during Covid-19 and that sales won in lockdown won’t necessarily be there long term without a real understanding of what you are doing online, reports Richard Siddle.

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Posted In: digital, digital wine, direct to consumer, DTC, paul mabray, pix wine, wine, wine online

By Richard Siddle on June 16, 2021

Wine remains the most popular alcoholic drink in the on-trade since the re-opening of the sector. Photo Joey Nicotra on Unsplash

CGA & The Buyer report: How the on-trade can overcome Covid-19

CGA’s new ‘Overcoming Covid-19’ is the fourth and final edition of the 2021 series of Wine Insights Reports produced in partnership with The Buyer. It is arguably the most comprehensive analysis of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the on-trade, consumer spending behaviour and the performance of the wine category in particular in relation to all drinks categories across the last 15 months. It looks at the impact the pandemic has had throughout the 2020 lockdown on the on-trade and then sets out the roadmap the sector is likely to follow in the months to come as it plots its way out of social distancing, the rule of six and gets back to full on trading.

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Posted In: cga, on-trade, spirits, the buyer, wine

By Richard Siddle on June 14, 2021

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LWF Debate: How technology can transform your business and staff

If the Covid-19 lockdowns have taught us one thing it is the importance of being able to adapt a business to new circumstances and consumer behaviour shifts. That implies efficiently run operations, logistics and supply chains. How you are able to do that as effectively as possible has also, finally, opened the door for business management providers and their specialised computer systems that are designed to improve wine companies’ operations, improve visibility and transparency of their own drinks’ supply chain and open up business development opportunities. Quite how they do that and what potential benefits they can bring to the wine industry was the theme of a far-ranging debate with key operators at last month’s digital London Wine Fair, reports Richard Siddle.

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Posted In: ABS Wine Agencies, bottlebooks, elliot Awin, james miles, jonathan harclerode, Liv-ex, management systems, nick martin, wine, wine businesses, wine companies, wine owners

By Richard Siddle on June 10, 2021

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How to attract ‘happy at home’ consumers back to the on-trade

Now the on-trade is back open again, albeit with the handbrake on held back by social distancing rules and rule of six, on-trade operators and their drinks suppliers can actually put hard plans in place to attract and keep customers in their outlets. Here we examine the latest findings from KAM Media and Zonal on what bars, pubs and restaurants are going to have to do to appeal to the switched on, digitally driven, happy at home consumer.

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Posted In: digital, hospitality, kam media, on-trade, restaurants, zonal

By Richard Siddle on May 20, 2021

provence table glasses

How Provence is taking success of its rosés to the next level

It’s hard to think of a wine region that has enjoyed better success than Provence in the last 10 years. The region has experienced consistent double digit growth year in year out as more of the world has woken up to the charm, elegance and quality of its rosé wines. In that time, major brands have emerged and have helped drive Provence’s unique message and image. Here, Richard Siddle talks to Jeany Cronk, founder of Mirabeau and board member at the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), and Caroline Benetti, communications manager at the CIVP about the Provence success story and how the generic body works with Provence’s winemakers to drive the region forward.

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Posted In: civp, jeany cronk, Mirabeau, provence, provence wines, Rosé, wine

By Richard Siddle on May 12, 2021

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How Wine Australia ‘Connects’ producers & buyers

Australia, along with neighbouring New Zealand, have arguably been the most successful countries in the world in being able to control, contain and keep its borders as safe as it can from Covid-19. But it also means its people are effectively grounded for the short to medium term at least. Which means no Australian winemakers roaming the world telling their stories for months to come. Which is why Wine Australia has set up Connect, a new platform to essentially take its producers, its stories and its wines around the globe through a new 12 month digital platform. It’s as ambitious as it sounds as Richard Siddle finds out from Stuart Barclay, general marketing manager.

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Posted In: wine, wine australia, wine australia connect, wine industry, wine producers, wine trade, winemakers

By Richard Siddle on May 11, 2021

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On-trade leaders on hopes & fears of re-opening

As the UK’s on-trade starts to put the final lick of paint on its preparations of finally re-opening bars, restaurants, pubs and hotels inside next week, industry leaders have shared both their excitement at the demand there is amongst customers to enjoy a night in hospitality from next Monday, but also their fears that for many it will only be putting some Polyfilla on cracks that are too big to fix overnight. Richard Siddle reports on the last month’s London Wine Fair on-trade debate.

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Posted In: bars, cga, Enotria&Coe, heath ball, lockdown, on-trade, pubs, restaurants, wine, Xavier Rousset

By Richard Siddle on May 4, 2021

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One Step Beyond Webinar: Key Covid consumer trends

We might not have physically gone very far in the last year, but as people and as consumers we are all very different in what we want and expect from our favourite brands and businesses than we did before March 2020. Just how far we have changed was at the heart of the first One Step Beyond webinar for 2021, organised by The Buyer and Sophie Jump, that attracted delegates from 24 countries around the world. In the first write up from the event Richard Siddle looks at the big changes in consumer behaviour that Alex Ririe, director of The Collaborators, the brand consultancy business, thinks we need to be on top off coming out of lockdown.

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Posted In: alex ririe, consumer, consumer behaviour, consumer trends, Covid, one step beyond, sophie jump, the buyer, the collaborators

By Harry Crowther on April 28, 2021

Natural wine bars have "exploded" in Amsterdam says Woolf

How to understand your customers & serve them better

To an untrained eye a bar full of people is exactly that. Everyone there for the same reason. To have a drink and a good time. But to an experienced sommelier, bar manager or waiting staff team every customer is different and needs to be handled with care and a clear strategy on how to serve them, what drinks to suggest and how much information to give them. Knowing how to read your customers is one aspect of Harry Crowther’s new Grain to Grape training series designed to motivate all levels of on-trade sales teams.

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Posted In: grain to grape, harry crowther, wine, wine training

By L.M. Archer on April 14, 2021

France’s wine regions count the cost of April’s frost damage

There’s nothing new about an April frost in France, but precocious ripening of vine buds earlier on in the growing cycle is becoming increasingly common due to global warming. Combined, the two have had a devastating effect on wine producers throughout France. From Bourgogne to the Sud de France, vine growers grapple with the catastrophic effects of this frost event which began on April 5 and lasted up to three days. LM Archer talks to winemakers through the country and gets a snapshot of how some of the major wine regions have been affected, as they count the cost.

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Posted In: french wine, frost, LM Archer

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