Barrels & Bottles Wine Blog
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Last Wednesday our celebrity Sporting Chefs cooked up some fantastic food for 60 guests at our Charity dinner on behalf of Children in Need. A spectacular performance from all 8 celebrity chefs ensured all courses were served on time and to the highest standards. If we don't see some of them competing on Celebrity Master Chef we will be amazed - they all should terrific flair and attention to detail.
The guests voted for their favourite dish of the evening which went to Brian Deane and Simon Tracey for their platter of seared fish. Brian Deane shown above receiving his prize as donated by Rangemaster.
At the end of a very eventful and lively auction hosted by John Beresford and David Hirst saw an impressive £7000 raised. Pledges are still coming in so the total should rise. Well done to everyone involved for their generosity in raising so much for this worthy charity.
[Pictured above l-r : David Hirst, Scott Sellars, Brian Deane, Jamie Baulch, John Beresford & Simon Tracey]
The guests voted for their favourite dish of the evening which went to Brian Deane and Simon Tracey for their platter of seared fish. Brian Deane shown above receiving his prize as donated by Rangemaster.
At the end of a very eventful and lively auction hosted by John Beresford and David Hirst saw an impressive £7000 raised. Pledges are still coming in so the total should rise. Well done to everyone involved for their generosity in raising so much for this worthy charity.
[Pictured above l-r : David Hirst, Scott Sellars, Brian Deane, Jamie Baulch, John Beresford & Simon Tracey]
A word of praise for the technical guys at UPS, our delivery couriers. Their new system is now fully linked to our order software enabling us to :
* process order much more quickly
* automatically email customers with tracking numbers
* allow better in-house traceability of orders
Not only are their little brown delivery vans cool so are their engineers. Top people.
We should be able to shave a day off delivery times at the busy Christmas period thanks to this new integration - so you get to enjoy your wines sooner!
* process order much more quickly
* automatically email customers with tracking numbers
* allow better in-house traceability of orders
Not only are their little brown delivery vans cool so are their engineers. Top people.
We should be able to shave a day off delivery times at the busy Christmas period thanks to this new integration - so you get to enjoy your wines sooner!
Labels: news
Listen out for news regarding our Sporting Chefs charity cooking event for BBC's Children in Need on Terry Wogan's Radio 2 show tomorrow (Tuesday 23rd September).
Last year we raised £17,000 for Children in Need through our bottles of wines signed by Premiership football managers. Hopefully this year we can raise even more money for this very worthy charity.
Last year we raised £17,000 for Children in Need through our bottles of wines signed by Premiership football managers. Hopefully this year we can raise even more money for this very worthy charity.
Rangemaster Don Their Football Boots and Cook Off For Charity
Published 12 September 2008 by Barrels & Bottles.
On Thursday 2nd October 2008, Rangemaster will be hosting a star-studded charity cooking evening to raise money for Children In Need and the Rangemaster Coghlans Foundation in Chesterfield.
The night will see football legends swap their shin-pads for aprons and get behind the stoves to create a luxury 3-course meal for a line-up of lucky guests. The soccer chefs include:
Chris Waddle (former Sheffield Wednesday and Spurs player)
Brian Deane (former Sheffield United & England Striker)
Simon Tracey (former Sheffield United Goal Keeper)
David Hurst (former Sheffield Wednesday striker)
John Beresford (former Newcastle and England player)
John Duncan (Manager of Chesterfield FC)
As part of the stellar dinner hosted at the Coghlans Cook School in Chesterfield, one lucky diner will be able to take home their own piece of the action. Rangemaster will be auctioning off a glamorous 90cm duel fuel range cooker, which will appeal to any aspiring Gordon Ramsay.
The Rangemaster Coghlan Foundation, which offers cookery courses in Sheffield and Chesterfield, will invest the money raised on the night to run courses for parents of children at schools in the local area giving them ideas of how to cook healthy, tasty and low-cost meals during the week. This scheme runs in conjunction with "Let's Get Cooking", a lottery funded organisation headed up by cooking guru, Pru Leith.
For match-side tickets, please contact Janet Coghlan 01246 453131 or book online. Tickets cost £75 and proceeds go towards Children In Need and the Rangemaster Coghlans Foundation.
The night will see football legends swap their shin-pads for aprons and get behind the stoves to create a luxury 3-course meal for a line-up of lucky guests. The soccer chefs include:
Chris Waddle (former Sheffield Wednesday and Spurs player)
Brian Deane (former Sheffield United & England Striker)
Simon Tracey (former Sheffield United Goal Keeper)
David Hurst (former Sheffield Wednesday striker)
John Beresford (former Newcastle and England player)
John Duncan (Manager of Chesterfield FC)
As part of the stellar dinner hosted at the Coghlans Cook School in Chesterfield, one lucky diner will be able to take home their own piece of the action. Rangemaster will be auctioning off a glamorous 90cm duel fuel range cooker, which will appeal to any aspiring Gordon Ramsay.
The Rangemaster Coghlan Foundation, which offers cookery courses in Sheffield and Chesterfield, will invest the money raised on the night to run courses for parents of children at schools in the local area giving them ideas of how to cook healthy, tasty and low-cost meals during the week. This scheme runs in conjunction with "Let's Get Cooking", a lottery funded organisation headed up by cooking guru, Pru Leith.
For match-side tickets, please contact Janet Coghlan 01246 453131 or book online. Tickets cost £75 and proceeds go towards Children In Need and the Rangemaster Coghlans Foundation.
Forget polystyrene and plain brown card when sending wines through the post... you can now send 6 bottles of wine through the post complete with a wine rack!
Costing the same as standard transit boxes but with the added benefit of an instant wine rack already assembled. Simply lift out of the outer box and you have an instant wine rack complete with any 6 bottles of wine or Champagne.
Made from recycled card, the RackPac is stackable and can be replenished many times over. We have undertaken test deliveries with delivery couriers with 100% success. The wines and RackPac arriving undamaged.
Bespoke printing and colours are available on short-run quantities making the RackPac also suitable for corporate branding, counter top displays in off licenses and for the gift market for winery promotions.
Full details due very soon.
Costing the same as standard transit boxes but with the added benefit of an instant wine rack already assembled. Simply lift out of the outer box and you have an instant wine rack complete with any 6 bottles of wine or Champagne.
Made from recycled card, the RackPac is stackable and can be replenished many times over. We have undertaken test deliveries with delivery couriers with 100% success. The wines and RackPac arriving undamaged.
Bespoke printing and colours are available on short-run quantities making the RackPac also suitable for corporate branding, counter top displays in off licenses and for the gift market for winery promotions.
Full details due very soon.
Highfield Winery are pleased to announce that after an international search they have appointed Pete Coldwell to the role of Sales and Marketing Manager. This new role will be based in Marlborough and Pete will be responsible for managing all aspects of our sales and marketing strategy.
Pete moved to New Zealand from the UK with his Kiwi wife and children 16 months ago, since then he's been the Export Director for C J Pask wines in Hawkes Bay. His background in the UK was in the hospitality sector, including marketing, sales and operations roles. He has had his own consultancy company for the last few years and carried out a number of wine reviews for large UK bar operators.
Pete moved to New Zealand from the UK with his Kiwi wife and children 16 months ago, since then he's been the Export Director for C J Pask wines in Hawkes Bay. His background in the UK was in the hospitality sector, including marketing, sales and operations roles. He has had his own consultancy company for the last few years and carried out a number of wine reviews for large UK bar operators.
Labels: highfield, new zealand, news
With great trepidation I have hit 30 years old this weekend, on the 30th of August. I will be trying to put a brave face on and celebrate in fine style but this may be difficult as I feel over the hill.
I have been constantly checking my hair line for any signs that it may be retreating faster than the British coast line. There isn't much I can do about hitting the big 30 so I will be out and about having a few drinks this weekend with friends and work mates on the plus side now I am a mature middle aged man this could be a great excuse to drink red wine, and perhaps I may smoke a pipe while wearing slippers. I might even come dressed for work in a tweed suite with brief case.
This may be some kind of mid life crisis but I have noticed I keep putting pens in my shirt pocket like my old school teachers. I'm off to do something sensible.
by Matt Thompson
I have been constantly checking my hair line for any signs that it may be retreating faster than the British coast line. There isn't much I can do about hitting the big 30 so I will be out and about having a few drinks this weekend with friends and work mates on the plus side now I am a mature middle aged man this could be a great excuse to drink red wine, and perhaps I may smoke a pipe while wearing slippers. I might even come dressed for work in a tweed suite with brief case.
This may be some kind of mid life crisis but I have noticed I keep putting pens in my shirt pocket like my old school teachers. I'm off to do something sensible.
by Matt Thompson
Labels: news
Trentham Estate has had some rave reviews in Australia and New Zealand about the 2005 Heathcote Shiraz.
"The Heathcote region's fame as a source of superb Shiraz rests with wines like this. Concentrated, almost syrupy dark fruits are interwoven with earthy interest and toasty oak influence in excellent balance. A powerful red that needs time to realise its potential." Ralph Kyte-Powell. Cuisine July 2008.
"... part of our carefully selected Victorian vineyard range that aims to epitomise the best these regions have to offer" Anthony Murphy, winemaker at Trentham.
Heathcote Shiraz also won Gold Medal in the 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards
"The Heathcote region's fame as a source of superb Shiraz rests with wines like this. Concentrated, almost syrupy dark fruits are interwoven with earthy interest and toasty oak influence in excellent balance. A powerful red that needs time to realise its potential." Ralph Kyte-Powell. Cuisine July 2008.
"... part of our carefully selected Victorian vineyard range that aims to epitomise the best these regions have to offer" Anthony Murphy, winemaker at Trentham.
Heathcote Shiraz also won Gold Medal in the 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards
I am about to go on my Summer holiday on the 12th July and cannot wait, camping in Cornwall with my girlfriend Annie. One week in St Ives and one week in Tintagel, which is on the north coast not far from Boscastle, which shares a link with South Yorkshire after both had terrible floods.
This will be my first 2 week holiday ever taken while at Barrels & Bottles so will seem quite strange to be away from work for so long, but I am tempted to take a bottle of the Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with me to present at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant at Watergate Bay, just north of Cornwall were Annie is kindly treating us to a lunch for my 30th birthday on the 18th July.
Mark Price is National Accounts Manager at Barrels & Bottles
This will be my first 2 week holiday ever taken while at Barrels & Bottles so will seem quite strange to be away from work for so long, but I am tempted to take a bottle of the Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with me to present at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant at Watergate Bay, just north of Cornwall were Annie is kindly treating us to a lunch for my 30th birthday on the 18th July.
Mark Price is National Accounts Manager at Barrels & Bottles
Our Regional Sales Manager Matt Thompson successfully made it down the aisle.. in his own words:
"On 25th of June (bank holiday Sunday) I married my girl friend of 5 years. After a month of stress and anxiousness the day went without a hitch, even my speech when down well, it was fantastic to see all my work mates there cheering me on and buying me plenty of drinks. The weather could have been a little better but I guess that's when you get for getting married in Chesterfield.
Two days later I swapped the drab Chesterfield climate for a more exotic one as I whisked my wife off to the Island of Karumba in the Maldives. Situated on the equator in the heart of the Indian ocean it was about as far removed as you can get from Chesterfield. After 16 hours of travelling I was swimming with reef sharks and sting rays and lounging about on the kind of beach you normally only see in magazines.
After three weeks off work it was back down to reality with a bump as I landed in Manchester. The sky was grey and it was raining. I'm now back at work in Chesterfield as a married man (sorry Ladies). I have some great memories of both the wedding and the honeymoon as I now look forwards to seeing my work mate John Higgins get married on Saturday the 5th July. I wonder if he will be as nervous as I was?"
After what seems like an eternity awaiting changes in the Budget, delivery costs and new winery listings Barrels & Bottles trade wine list is finally back from the printers. Existing customers will receive a copy automatically. If you have not yet received or would like to receive our trade list please contact Matt Thompson on 01246 453399
We are proud to announce the winning medals for wines by Ackerman Remy Pannier:
International Wine & Spirit Challenge
Saumur Brut 1811 : Argent
Crémant de Loire Cuvée Privée : Bronze
Chardonnay brut Reminger : Bronze
VM Rosé Dry Reminger : Bronze
VMQ Chardonnay Tastemet : Bronze
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chenin VDL DDV : Bronze
Decanter Magazine
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chardonnay VDL DDV : Bronze
Chinon Magpie : Bronze
International Wine & Spirit Challenge
Saumur Brut 1811 : Argent
Crémant de Loire Cuvée Privée : Bronze
Chardonnay brut Reminger : Bronze
VM Rosé Dry Reminger : Bronze
VMQ Chardonnay Tastemet : Bronze
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chenin VDL DDV : Bronze
Decanter Magazine
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chardonnay VDL DDV : Bronze
Chinon Magpie : Bronze
The first 10 names from the hat of this years coin toss at the Nissan International Horse Trials are:
Richard Askham, Sheffield
Matthew Cooke, Rotherham
Kate Hardwick, Derby
Alex Collings, Sheffield
Jules Warren, Warwick
David Andrews, Manchester
Mary Winster, Leeds
Richard Calderwood, Stockport
T. Williams, Sheffield
Lena Chandler, Lincoln
Congratulations to all the winners, the magnums of Canard-Duchene are on their way.
The money from the coin toss was donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Richard Askham, Sheffield
Matthew Cooke, Rotherham
Kate Hardwick, Derby
Alex Collings, Sheffield
Jules Warren, Warwick
David Andrews, Manchester
Mary Winster, Leeds
Richard Calderwood, Stockport
T. Williams, Sheffield
Lena Chandler, Lincoln
Congratulations to all the winners, the magnums of Canard-Duchene are on their way.
The money from the coin toss was donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Labels: chatsworth, news
For a long time we have upported Sheffield Children's Hospital with their annual "Daffodil Ball" and have just received the following letter from coordinator David Fyfe:
"I am writing to let you know that the final total raised at this year's Ball was an incredible £162,000!"
"This was so much more than we could ever have hoped for and has enabled us to support Sheffield Children's Hospital to a much greater degree"
"We're so grateful for all your help over the years"
"I am writing to let you know that the final total raised at this year's Ball was an incredible £162,000!"
"This was so much more than we could ever have hoped for and has enabled us to support Sheffield Children's Hospital to a much greater degree"
"We're so grateful for all your help over the years"
Sincere apologies to Sue Moore for missing her off our "Meet the Staff" section of our website... she now has pride of place on our website.
Labels: news
Barrels and Bottles are once again the Official Drinks sponsor of the 2008 Chatsworth International Horse trials.
We will be promoting fine Champagnes and wines from our open-topped Vintage 1949 Champagne bus, liveried as a London Transport vehicle
The great and the good of both Derbyshire and the horse world will be enjoying a Champagne reception in Chatsworth's Painted Hall and during the trials, Champagne will be on tap, with a great view of the main arena, as the open topped bus will be sited adjacent to the show jumping area for the first time.
There will be Champagne cork popping competitions and the ever popular throw a pound coin in the spitoon to wine Jeroboams of Champagne for the lucky winners. The sponsored charity this year will be Marie Curie.
The event takes place on the 10th and 11 th of May and tickets are available from the Chatsworth Horse Trials office.
We will be promoting fine Champagnes and wines from our open-topped Vintage 1949 Champagne bus, liveried as a London Transport vehicle
The great and the good of both Derbyshire and the horse world will be enjoying a Champagne reception in Chatsworth's Painted Hall and during the trials, Champagne will be on tap, with a great view of the main arena, as the open topped bus will be sited adjacent to the show jumping area for the first time.
There will be Champagne cork popping competitions and the ever popular throw a pound coin in the spitoon to wine Jeroboams of Champagne for the lucky winners. The sponsored charity this year will be Marie Curie.
The event takes place on the 10th and 11 th of May and tickets are available from the Chatsworth Horse Trials office.
... our man Mark Price was at the Drinks Retailing Awards on behalf of Barrels & Bottles who were nominated in the Innovation Award category. He has sobered up and has sent in this report from the winning night at the Dorchester Hotel :
"Mark Price and Matthew Thompson from the team at Barrels & Bottles were delighted to accept the opportunity to represent the company at such a prestigious Industry awards dinner on Tuesday 5th February 2008
Andrew and Janet kindly put us up in their friend Andrew Bennett's Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, just around the corner from the Dorchester, so knowing a short walk back after the event should have been easy!
We walked through the luxurious reception rooms of the Dorchester (a bit different to the Hillsborough Social Club at the end of my road) in our tuxedo's to find the ballroom. On entry we were greeted with five different types of drink suppliers to drown you with, Champagne / Wine / Spirits / Beer and the locally based Global Brands (VK) from Clay Cross showing their alcopops and liqueur drinks warmly presented by five Moulin Rouge style ladies. (We hear rumours of pictures! Ed)
From there we were led into the main room for an introduction by the Advertisement Manager of Off-License News and interim talking from the voice of the National Lottery.
Impressive and efficient service provided us with a three course meal of steamed halibut for starter, roast saddle of lamb and a apple and ricotta cheesecake which even Andrew would have been impressed by! Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon from Concha Y Toro, Chile, were the accompanying wines which were very approachable as well as the numerous glasses of water we had with them.
Then on to the comedian Will Smith (not the Hollywood Star), but some chap from Oxford. The awards were then underway and to our surprise our category of Innovation was up first when we were expecting it be last. To our amazement we won!
It took a while to let everyone know and ended up having to go outside to get a signal on my mobile to tell them the fabulous news. An amazing achievement and credit to everyone at Sheepbridge especially in the face of the giant of Tesco scooping 5 awards.
1pm finish and we staggered back to finish a few more drinks and 2 hours later finally succumbed to our beds! What a night....!"
Mark Price
"Mark Price and Matthew Thompson from the team at Barrels & Bottles were delighted to accept the opportunity to represent the company at such a prestigious Industry awards dinner on Tuesday 5th February 2008
Andrew and Janet kindly put us up in their friend Andrew Bennett's Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, just around the corner from the Dorchester, so knowing a short walk back after the event should have been easy!
We walked through the luxurious reception rooms of the Dorchester (a bit different to the Hillsborough Social Club at the end of my road) in our tuxedo's to find the ballroom. On entry we were greeted with five different types of drink suppliers to drown you with, Champagne / Wine / Spirits / Beer and the locally based Global Brands (VK) from Clay Cross showing their alcopops and liqueur drinks warmly presented by five Moulin Rouge style ladies. (We hear rumours of pictures! Ed)
From there we were led into the main room for an introduction by the Advertisement Manager of Off-License News and interim talking from the voice of the National Lottery.
Impressive and efficient service provided us with a three course meal of steamed halibut for starter, roast saddle of lamb and a apple and ricotta cheesecake which even Andrew would have been impressed by! Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon from Concha Y Toro, Chile, were the accompanying wines which were very approachable as well as the numerous glasses of water we had with them.
Then on to the comedian Will Smith (not the Hollywood Star), but some chap from Oxford. The awards were then underway and to our surprise our category of Innovation was up first when we were expecting it be last. To our amazement we won!
It took a while to let everyone know and ended up having to go outside to get a signal on my mobile to tell them the fabulous news. An amazing achievement and credit to everyone at Sheepbridge especially in the face of the giant of Tesco scooping 5 awards.
1pm finish and we staggered back to finish a few more drinks and 2 hours later finally succumbed to our beds! What a night....!"
Mark Price
"With constant pressure on the off-trade to sell responsibly, retailers are racking their brains about how to do more to match food and wine within the limits of a shop - a Chesterfield's Barrels & Bottles has found a truly innovative way of doing that.
The wine merchant has incorporated a School of Food, Wine and Dining into its premises. Coghlans Cookery School runs course taught by a qualified Master Chef, which educate pupils about which wines to match their food with, as well as encouraging them to use better wines in the cooking itself.
Thanks to the in-house kitchen, Barrels & Bottles has been able to hold more wine events, with representatives from Louis Roederer, Gosset, New Zealand's Highfield and Germany's Wg von Schleinitz hosting dinners, and vertical tastings of Chateau de Pez and Haut-Beausejour, among others.
The kitchens are also used to produce hand-made chocolates for Barrels & Bottles Champagne and truffles gift boxes.
The retailer hosts tailored private wine tastings for 16-40 people, which can now be accompanied by anything from nibbles to lobster and salmon platters.
Barrels & Bottles also use the kitchen as a demonstration theatre, where up to 35 guests can watch a meal being coked, usually followed by a supper in the store's tasting room, with recipes and hints to take away.
Judges were impressed by a concept that seemed really unique"
Drinks Retailer Awards 2008
The wine merchant has incorporated a School of Food, Wine and Dining into its premises. Coghlans Cookery School runs course taught by a qualified Master Chef, which educate pupils about which wines to match their food with, as well as encouraging them to use better wines in the cooking itself.
Thanks to the in-house kitchen, Barrels & Bottles has been able to hold more wine events, with representatives from Louis Roederer, Gosset, New Zealand's Highfield and Germany's Wg von Schleinitz hosting dinners, and vertical tastings of Chateau de Pez and Haut-Beausejour, among others.
The kitchens are also used to produce hand-made chocolates for Barrels & Bottles Champagne and truffles gift boxes.
The retailer hosts tailored private wine tastings for 16-40 people, which can now be accompanied by anything from nibbles to lobster and salmon platters.
Barrels & Bottles also use the kitchen as a demonstration theatre, where up to 35 guests can watch a meal being coked, usually followed by a supper in the store's tasting room, with recipes and hints to take away.
Judges were impressed by a concept that seemed really unique"
Drinks Retailer Awards 2008
Late last night we received a very excited phone call from Mark Price to let us know we won the Off License News Innovation Award. The 2008 Drinks Retailing Awards took place at London's Dorchester Hotel last night with Mark Price and Matt Thompson representing Barrels & Bottles.
Also nominated were Threshers and Adnams in the Innovation category.
Mark and Matt are on their way back to Chesterfield so details are a little scant at the moment (Mark has a mile wide smile) ... full details of the event will follow.
A party is in order ......
Also nominated were Threshers and Adnams in the Innovation category.
Mark and Matt are on their way back to Chesterfield so details are a little scant at the moment (Mark has a mile wide smile) ... full details of the event will follow.
A party is in order ......
As we finally get 2008 on the move after the sluggish January that always seems to follow Christmas, there appears to be a squeeze on the horizon for wine prices from our beloved leader "Mr G Broon".
My forecast from 2006 was that when the government have finished penalizing the smokers, they would start on the drinkers. I have often wondered over the past couple of years whether there is an ulterior motive in the supermarkets attitude to pricing of alcohol. My theory is that as they get people out of the habit of drinking out in pubs and restaurants, by offering ludicrously cheap cases of beer and wine, mostly below the cost at which they are buying them, they lull them into a false sense of security and then wham, the prices go right back up after the habits have been formed of drinking at home.
Some may say this is an admirable attempt by the big 4 to reduce drinking and driving. No-body would argue with that benefit and any initiative to reduce deaths on our road by drinking and driving should be applauded, but I am suspicious of this being the real reason behind the campaign. The government have also tried to support the drinks industry via their claims that Malt Whisky duty should not be increased and in fairness the duty has not been increased dramatically over the last few years. Wine duty currently sits at £1.36 per bottle of still wine plus vat.
What will happen in 2008 is as follows:
* The government will increase duty on still wine by 25 to 30p per bottle making the duty costs around £2.00 per bottle including vat.
* The government will increase duty on Malt Whisky and other spirits by maybe 3%
* They will probably increase the duty on beer by around 5p per pint.
* There will be some hot air about how this will stop binge drinking and under age drinking.
* The Euro will continue to strengthen against the pound making European wines relatively more expensive, by as much as 10%
If we are to target binge drinking we need to tackle the Alco pops industry, a product that we have refused in 30 years to stock despite it being a massive sector of the market. We also need to target high strength large format ciders and cheap vodka. By holding the price of spirit duty we have actually encouraged the proliferation of cheap vodkas and other spirits.
The reality is that the majority of malt whisky sales are actually for export and therefore are not valid for duty payments, so we can in no way say that this policy has worked. We still allow supermarkets to sell promotionally with alcohol, eg 3 cases of beer for £20, when the real cost should be almost double that and we still allow off licenses to sell 2 liters of cider in plastic bottles (pet) directly targeting the youth and alcohol abusers market.
By increasing the duty on wine we are targeting centrally the middle market, the casual wine drinker, the side of the market where people have been proven to be the most informed about the choices they are making on their alcohol consumption.
Is this the nanny state in overdrive or are we simply a sitting duck target for the coffers of the treasury. None of us will know the answer for sure. It could be that by increasing the price of duty, the UK will have many less alcohol related diseases. It could also be that the informed drinkers who make their choices are just being targeted as a money bank.
If we could target the needy areas such as underage drinking, leading to lack of teenage control and violence, I would be 100% for it. Unfortunately I cannot believe that the policy of driving wine duty prices upwards, the strength of the Euro against the pound and the determination of central government to keep the tills ringing with tax, will improve the UK's health in the slightest. We will see price rises of 15 to 18% on most European wines and around 9 to 12% on non European wines this year.
Perhaps this is the year for stocking you wine cellar properly, but do it early, preferably before the end of March because the Chancellor is going to hit you this year and he is going to hit you hard, right where it hurts!
Andrew Coghlan
My forecast from 2006 was that when the government have finished penalizing the smokers, they would start on the drinkers. I have often wondered over the past couple of years whether there is an ulterior motive in the supermarkets attitude to pricing of alcohol. My theory is that as they get people out of the habit of drinking out in pubs and restaurants, by offering ludicrously cheap cases of beer and wine, mostly below the cost at which they are buying them, they lull them into a false sense of security and then wham, the prices go right back up after the habits have been formed of drinking at home.
Some may say this is an admirable attempt by the big 4 to reduce drinking and driving. No-body would argue with that benefit and any initiative to reduce deaths on our road by drinking and driving should be applauded, but I am suspicious of this being the real reason behind the campaign. The government have also tried to support the drinks industry via their claims that Malt Whisky duty should not be increased and in fairness the duty has not been increased dramatically over the last few years. Wine duty currently sits at £1.36 per bottle of still wine plus vat.
What will happen in 2008 is as follows:
* The government will increase duty on still wine by 25 to 30p per bottle making the duty costs around £2.00 per bottle including vat.
* The government will increase duty on Malt Whisky and other spirits by maybe 3%
* They will probably increase the duty on beer by around 5p per pint.
* There will be some hot air about how this will stop binge drinking and under age drinking.
* The Euro will continue to strengthen against the pound making European wines relatively more expensive, by as much as 10%
If we are to target binge drinking we need to tackle the Alco pops industry, a product that we have refused in 30 years to stock despite it being a massive sector of the market. We also need to target high strength large format ciders and cheap vodka. By holding the price of spirit duty we have actually encouraged the proliferation of cheap vodkas and other spirits.
The reality is that the majority of malt whisky sales are actually for export and therefore are not valid for duty payments, so we can in no way say that this policy has worked. We still allow supermarkets to sell promotionally with alcohol, eg 3 cases of beer for £20, when the real cost should be almost double that and we still allow off licenses to sell 2 liters of cider in plastic bottles (pet) directly targeting the youth and alcohol abusers market.
By increasing the duty on wine we are targeting centrally the middle market, the casual wine drinker, the side of the market where people have been proven to be the most informed about the choices they are making on their alcohol consumption.
Is this the nanny state in overdrive or are we simply a sitting duck target for the coffers of the treasury. None of us will know the answer for sure. It could be that by increasing the price of duty, the UK will have many less alcohol related diseases. It could also be that the informed drinkers who make their choices are just being targeted as a money bank.
If we could target the needy areas such as underage drinking, leading to lack of teenage control and violence, I would be 100% for it. Unfortunately I cannot believe that the policy of driving wine duty prices upwards, the strength of the Euro against the pound and the determination of central government to keep the tills ringing with tax, will improve the UK's health in the slightest. We will see price rises of 15 to 18% on most European wines and around 9 to 12% on non European wines this year.
Perhaps this is the year for stocking you wine cellar properly, but do it early, preferably before the end of March because the Chancellor is going to hit you this year and he is going to hit you hard, right where it hurts!
Andrew Coghlan
Barrels & Bottles have been shortlisted as a finalist in this year's Drinks Retailing Awards in the Innovation of the Year category.
The competition is run by the drinks industries Off License News and covers all aspects of the drinks trade from manufacturing through to retail sales. The awards are being announced on 5th February at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
The competition is run by the drinks industries Off License News and covers all aspects of the drinks trade from manufacturing through to retail sales. The awards are being announced on 5th February at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Labels: news
By Mike Edmonds:
A brewery executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport. Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said. He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml liquid rule applying to carry-on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said 'this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here'.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
Story from news.com.au 31st December 2007
A brewery executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport. Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said. He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml liquid rule applying to carry-on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said 'this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here'.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
Story from news.com.au 31st December 2007
Open hours over the festive period are:
Sunday 23rd December : CLOSED
Monday 24th December : CLOSED
Tuesday 25th December : CLOSED
Wednesday 26th December : CLOSED
Saturday 29th December : 9.00am - 12.30pm
Sunday 30th December : CLOSED
Monday 31st December : CLOSED
Tuesday 1st January : ClOSED
We hope to re-enable the website for deliveries in the New Year on Thursday 27th December 2007.
Sunday 23rd December : CLOSED
Monday 24th December : CLOSED
Tuesday 25th December : CLOSED
Wednesday 26th December : CLOSED
Saturday 29th December : 9.00am - 12.30pm
Sunday 30th December : CLOSED
Monday 31st December : CLOSED
Tuesday 1st January : ClOSED
We hope to re-enable the website for deliveries in the New Year on Thursday 27th December 2007.
Labels: news
Over the past season we have been collecting bottles of wines signed by all the managers of the Premiership Football clubs.. we also managed to obtain Pele's after his recent visit to Sheffield United.
The collection was donated to Children in Need and formed part of a lot as featured on the Terry Wogan's BBC Radio Show this morning. We are very pleased to announce the lot fetched an amazing £16,000 for this very worthy charity.
The collection was donated to Children in Need and formed part of a lot as featured on the Terry Wogan's BBC Radio Show this morning. We are very pleased to announce the lot fetched an amazing £16,000 for this very worthy charity.
Labels: news
Barrels & Bottles were pleased to help with the breast cancer charity Think Pink at Bramall Lane, the home of Sheffield United Football Club.
The event on 20th October 2007 in association with Champagne Canard Duchene managed to raise over £25,000 for the charity.
Dave Wyatt (Barrels & Bottles) and son Harry were particularly keen to attend the event being life-long Blades supporters, seen here with the club mascot.
The event on 20th October 2007 in association with Champagne Canard Duchene managed to raise over £25,000 for the charity.
Dave Wyatt (Barrels & Bottles) and son Harry were particularly keen to attend the event being life-long Blades supporters, seen here with the club mascot.
Labels: news
Extracts from an article by by Charles Metcalfe and Joel B. Payne
According to a report issued by the private consulting company, Wine Intelligence, one third of all women and a quarter of all men believe that lower alcohol wines are becoming more fashionable. Although 59% of all wine drinkers in Great Britain claim to read the alcohol content of a bottle of wine before purchasing, only about half of those said that it was important when deciding what to buy.
More important factors for choosing a given wine were grape varietal, promotional offer, that is price, brand, country of origin, recommendation by friend or family and region of production. Interesting, though, consumers link higher alcohol levels with better quality and better value for money.
Other findings from the report included:
- White wine is still more popular than red wine
- The growth in rosé sales is driven by regular rosé drinker consuming more, rather than growth in the number consumers.
- Although Chardonnay is still the favoured white wine varietal, Pinot Grigio is challenging Sauvignon Blanc for second place.
- Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon lead the red varietals, ahead of Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
- Although the lead is narrowing, consumers choose Australia over French as their favoured country of origin.
Read the full article....
According to a report issued by the private consulting company, Wine Intelligence, one third of all women and a quarter of all men believe that lower alcohol wines are becoming more fashionable. Although 59% of all wine drinkers in Great Britain claim to read the alcohol content of a bottle of wine before purchasing, only about half of those said that it was important when deciding what to buy.
More important factors for choosing a given wine were grape varietal, promotional offer, that is price, brand, country of origin, recommendation by friend or family and region of production. Interesting, though, consumers link higher alcohol levels with better quality and better value for money.
Other findings from the report included:
- White wine is still more popular than red wine
- The growth in rosé sales is driven by regular rosé drinker consuming more, rather than growth in the number consumers.
- Although Chardonnay is still the favoured white wine varietal, Pinot Grigio is challenging Sauvignon Blanc for second place.
- Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon lead the red varietals, ahead of Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
- Although the lead is narrowing, consumers choose Australia over French as their favoured country of origin.
Read the full article....
John Higgins
Barrels and Bottles
Unit 5b Broom Business Park, Bridge Way, Sheepbridge
Chesterfield
,
Derbyshire
,
S41 9QG
England
01246 453399
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