Fine wine news

Independent wine merchants have reported that sales were strong through the December festive period.

It comes after Oddbins and Berry Bros & Rudd also said sales have been strong, if a bit late, proving wrong any thoughts about consumer spend tightening.

Retailer Corks Out, which has five stores in Cheshire, has seen sales increase by 15 per cent in the last month of the year.

Owner Ruth Yates told Harpers Wine & Spirit that much of this was down to corporate business and noted that "customers weren’t spending excessively, but were sticking within their means".

Some merchants are also starting to make a move online, as Oddbins have recently shown. Ms Yates told the news provider that its online store has seen sales increase by 138 per cent over 2011.

Meanwhile, December sales were 35 per cent higher than those in 2010 for Hanging Ditch in Manchester, while Sampler's South Kensington shop was up by 40 per cent.

Posted by Paula Henderson