Dec 22, 2020
The point of identifying trends is to help hedge one’s future risk. If we can predict what will come we are more likely to flourish where there is a real risk of being overrun by events. As I have for many years, here I look ahead a year to two out and attempt to articulate how current trends will impact the wine industry. In some respects, this year’s foray into predicting the future is easier than in past years. For…
Nov 17, 2020
Thinking about my 16th anniversary at the helm of FERMENTATION, it is the uniqueness of the current moment rather than the longevity of my efforts that strikes me today. I don’t think I am alone among those that write about wine and the wine industry in noticing that the wine writing space has been enveloped by a filter colored by COVID’s impact and the adjacent influences particular to the moment. The analytical effort of describing and commenting on this industry…
Oct 11, 2020
I watched a committee hearing last week that heard testimony concerning the proposal in New Jersey to lift the production cap that currently prohibits large, out-of-state wineries from shipping wine to New Jersey consumers. It isn’t likely to pass this year, but it eventually will. In the course of the hearing, various folks giving testimony assured members of the committee that, “no!”, this bill would not allow out-of-state retailers to ship wine into New Jersey. That soothed the concerns of…
Sep 7, 2020
We all know that during this pandemic, as wineries, bars and restaurants were shuttered, we saw a significant increase in online sales of wine, delivery of wine and direct shipment of wine. However, the question that has been nagging at me has been, once this pandemic is over what percentage of those who have increased their online purchases of wine and delivery/shipment of wine will stick with their increased devotion to purchasing wine in this manner? Will folks put down…
Aug 16, 2020
KMOV Chicago reports that cannabis sales are WAY up during the pandemic. It also reports this anecdotal explanation from Katie Johnston-Smith, an Illinoisan who is helping boost the sale of Cannabis by using cannabis a couple times a week rather than a couple times per month to overcome anxiety: “It was pretty nice because it did help me mellow out. I was like, ‘Oh, this is way better than mellowing out with a glass of wine.‘” The wine industry shouldn’t…