Corona Virus

[Morris]

1) How is everyone? Safe?
2) What is opinion of impact to the industry?

 

[GreginND]

Business has ground to a stop. This will have long lasting effects. There will be a glut of grapes and wine on the market. Prices are likely to drop. Especially hard hit are smaller wineries with small margins. We've lost 98% of our business in March and April because we rely on outside events to sell wine. And, as a seasonal winery tasting room, if we can't open for much of the summer, we will have no cash flow to continue to pay our expenses. Not sure what to do at this point. I hope it wanes quickly.

 

[sour_grapes]

Yikes! Sorry to hear, Greg.

 

[Morris]

Greg, IMO based on family in Italy, this will last a number of weeks.

 

[joeswine]

"and this to we shall overcome"

 

[BernardSmith]

I am sure that this too will pass but I have to think that it will be a long time passing. I am in NY (upstate, not the city) and we have shut just about everything except for "essential services" - I suspect that we will need to avoid unnecessary social contact for a few months. But to GregND, I wonder if there might be ways that you can market "online" - Certainly, in NYC, wine and beer stores appear to be selling many times their normal quantities , perhaps because bars are closed. (I read they are selling 300 % to 500% more than usual), so people still want their alcohol even if they are drinking alone.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

All I can say is it is nice to have a glass of wine while sitting, reading, and looking out the window. This said, a lot of people who would normally be working will be doing similar pursuits as it is hard to find a lot to occupy a lot of time at home. Chores get done and projects completed, and then it is the window, book, and chair (or similar pursuit). As Bernard said, alcohol intake will go up, so there will be increased demand. Do you have drive thru pickup for alcohol in ND? The drive thru fast food places are very busy here, as well as the drive thru alcohol places. It's about all one has to do to get out of the house, so if you can be creative and somehow get your product in a drive thru type of scenario, it may help you weather this storm. I'm afraid this will bring about a 'new normal' when the dust settles as folks will be hesitant to run out to large public places for a while. Another downside is that we may see suicide rates increase as well. Well, back to the window.

 

[GreginND]

Yes, people can pick up. The problem is we are not in town and most people are just hunkering down in their houses and don't want to drive 20 miles to pick up wine.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

Do yo have any agreements with local vendors? Getting wine from other areas (ie, CA) may be more difficult as this goes on. You could make deliveries to the local vendors. All I'm saying is now that the people can't come to you for the wine, see if you can find a way to get it to them. Maybe even door to door delivery? If you advertise your new method, maybe you can still move product. You'll have to find a way that fits your scenario.

 

[BernardSmith]

Another downside is that we may see suicide rates increase as well. Well, back to the window.

With economic downturns, history does suggest that suicide rates go up but the one counter to this is that when we can make people feel less isolated and so they have someone to turn to, suicide rates fall. Despite the (physical) social isolation we are being asked to maintain perhaps we can all do what we can to connect with neighbors and colleagues and certainly friends and family to make sure that they feel less isolated and that they can always turn to us for a shoulder to lean on just as we may also need their shoulders to lean on, too.

 

[GreginND]

Door to door delivery is illegal here. We can self distribute to liquor stores. But I think most people are staying home.

 

[ffemt128]

In Pennsylvainia we are permitted to stay open for to go sales only. We opened for 3 hours both Friday and Saturday just to try and get some income in. I know a lot of wineries and distilleries are offering delivery. Both my wife and I have full time jobs so that is not an option since we would only be able to deliver in the evenings.

 

[opus345]

Not the Waffle Houses: Waffle House closes 365 locations across the U.S.

 

[Denis whalen]

I am sure that this too will pass but I have to think that it will be a long time passing. I am in NY (upstate, not the city) and we have shut just about everything except for "essential services" - I suspect that we will need to avoid unnecessary social contact for a few months. But to GregND, I wonder if there might be ways that you can market "online" - Certainly, in NYC, wine and beer stores appear to be selling many times their normal quantities , perhaps because bars are closed. (I read they are selling 300 % to 500% more than usual), so people still want their alcohol even if they are drinking alone.

What part of upstate NY, i grew up in south glens falls a small town 40 minutes north of Albany, was just home visitng my family in Saratoga Springs 2 weeks ago.

 

[BernardSmith]

I am in Saratoga Springs... It's a very lovely small town. Not sure if it is technically a city or what defines a city in the US. I am originally from Scotland where a city is a town with a cathedral. No cathedral, then it's a town.

 

[Denis whalen]

I am in Saratoga Springs... It's a very lovely small town. Not sure if it is technically a city or what defines a city in the US. I am originally from Scotland where a city is a town with a cathedral. No cathedral, then it's a town.

I love it back east, gosh i couldnt believe how much saratoga area has grown and the shopping centers along route 50. When i was a child you only had the wilton mall untill you reached downtown Saratoga. I now live on the outskirts of Sacramento and truly enjoy being close to heart of California wine country, fingers crossed all the wineries will come out of this crises ok. Have a wonderful day.

 

[sour_grapes]

Saratoga Springs is chartered as a city, under the process dictated under the state constitution.

 

[BernardSmith]

You too. Be safe, stay well.

 

[BernardSmith]

Saratoga Springs is chartered as a city, under the process dictated under the state constitution.

I know we call it a city but I guess my question is what makes a city a city but a town a town... Is it simply how a community was "incorporated" ?

 

[sour_grapes]

In NY, it is under a charter from the Legislature: Administrative divisions of New York (state) - Wikipedia

And as we don't have an Established Religion, no cathedral is necessary!

Edited to add: Oh, I guess Scotland, unlike England, doesn't have an Established Religion, either... Not sure how the "cathedral => city" would work in that case.