“Good times are comin’
I hear it everywhere I go”
Neil Young’s cautiously optomistic lyrics from his edgy ‘On the Beach’ album sum up the current state of our industry. There are signs of economic recovery, and it seems that there are more people in the restaurants and wineries than in the last two years.
But there are also forces working against small wineries that bring knowledgable consumers the hand-crafted, terroir-driven wines they seek.
Cash-strapped states like California see all alcoholic beverages through the same puritanical glasses and mistakenly think that raising the ‘sin tax’ on a bottle of wine by 1200% will result in increased revenues. In fact, it will result only in more wineries going bankrupt.
Large distributors that focus on high-volume supermarket brands are directing a campaign to restrict interstate shipping, often under the guise of protecting ‘states rights’ or minors. In fact, they are after market share and if not opposed, wine connossieurs had better develop a taste for plonk.
I have noted the cyclical nature of this industry for over three decades, and this has been the longest dip ever. Many wineries have not survived, and it exacerbates the problem when their product is liquidated and shows up on the shelves for a fraction of its value.
My advice to wine lovers: Support your favorite brands! Sure, you can wait until it shows up heavily discounted, but when you raise your glass to celebrate the bargain you got, also reflect on the fact that it may be the last vintage produced.
Good times are comin’
But they sure comin’ slow
