Restaurant Wine Post-Pandemic

  So whenever things lighten up and it's safer to go out and socialize how many people will actually partake? It's looking a little iffy for restaurants and therefore restaurant wine sales.

  For restaurants, the tough restrictions could last a long time. Some estimates are putting the vaccine available to all about next summer. Even then that won't be a miracle cure as some won't get inoculated and even if you are that doesn't mean you're immune. The seasonal flu shot reduces your risk, but it's not 100%. So at what point are restaurants safe to open up indoors? At what capacity? How many will feel safe going out to eat or anywhere else that's crowded (amusement parks, airplanes, etc)?

  About 40% of wine dollars are spent at restaurants, or were spent, I should say. Wine in restaurants is higher priced so this is the amount spent, not the amount of wine bought. Some wineries are very dependent on restaurant sales -- I'm thinking of Jordan and Sonoma-Cutrer, for instance.

  In a poll by Wine Intelligence U.S. wine consumers were split into four categories about what they think they'll do after the pandemic. Less than 20% said they will crank up the socializing even more than before. The other three categories were each over 25% saying they'd do about the same, do somewhat less, or do very little in the way of social activities like dining out. So 56% said less or much less outside of the house activities around other people. That doesn't look good for the future of restaurants and restaurant wine sales, but once optimism returns who knows?