What to Expect When Winery Tasting Rooms Reopen

As I write this in late April we don't yet know when tasting rooms will be allowed to reopen or exactly what the rules will be for wine tasting. So some of this is guesswork. What you can expect is for things to be different.

Comparison: Buying Wine and Buying a Car

A car is your second greatest expense after mortgage/rent. Wine can be expensive, but doesn't require a loan (I hope). What the automakers call an entry-level luxury car costs $40k. More of a standard lux vehicle is in the $55k range. The wine industry says premium wine starts at $20 and it becomes a luxury good at $50 a bottle.

So how are the purchases similar?

Drink Up Your California Cellared Wines

  Styles have changed. Most California reds began changing in the late '90s from the drier Old World style (high acid, tannins, no residual sugar, relatively low alcohol  levels) to wines the opposite of those that just don't age well. These wines are soft and very drinkable when young when you compare them to the Old World style, but they have no where to go but down. 

Wine Sales When the Country Opens Up

Like most of the retail economy wineries are hurting now. What happens when the country opens up in phases? Following is some speculation by the various sales channels.

Winery Virtual Tastings

Wineries offering online get-togethers via social media.This is where the owner or winemaker uses Facebook Live, Zoom or similar app to host a presentation and maybe take questions from viewers. It's been a great way to stay in touch during the current lockdown. It's a way for the winery to say, "Hey, remember us when you're able to come visit again and maybe buy some wine online from us now."

2020 Outlook for the Wineries

Of course wine tasting rooms are closed and it remains to be seen for how long. Most retail business is suffering the same fate. Once wineries reopen for tasting they will still need tourists. That might be a problem. Even when things open up again will people be anxious to go on vacation or will we be cautious? Regardless, the sales lost now will never be recouped as I don't see people getting out of their house and buying cases and cases of wine. We'll see.

Wine Sales are Flat -- This Might be Why

Reasons wine sales have been flat for a long time (unrelated to the pandemic). 

Wines sales have more or less been flat for a long time. Sure, sales have gone up as the economy picked up after the Great Recession of a few years ago. That only happened because sales fell at the start of the recession.

The wine industry may be its own worst enemy.
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Wine Movies

You've got lots of time, right? Instead of watching Pandemic and freaking yourself out go for something fun that will take your mind off the fact that you're down to your last roll of toilet paper.

Why the Proliferation of Appellations?

Definition

Wine grape-growing areas or appellations or American Viticultural Areas or AVAs (whew) are common in the premium wine market. It can be helpful to know where the grapes were grown.