The world is certainly a very different place to what it was back in the early days of 2020! Not only has the pandemic resulted in neighbours and communities being brought closer together, it has also changed the way we go about our daily lives. Restrictions on grocery shopping and the inability to book delivery slots with the major supermarket chains played a major part in opening our eyes to see just how vitally important our local independent businesses really are and in doing so, highlights the need to continue supporting them so that we do not lose them.
Many people were first introduced to their local independent wine retailer when the supermarkets struggled to keep up with demand, many more turned to their nearby vineyards to ensure they could get great wine and support local business at the same time. Now that the dust is beginning to clear and government leaders tentatively claim that we’re on the road back to some kind of “normal”, myself and many others are sticking with these independents for good. Instead of the faceless entities running the chains from boardrooms, many of us met real people running family businesses and struggling along with the rest of us.
It’s clear to most that drinking habits have changed since 2020 when the hospitality industry came to a complete standstill and more and more people began enjoying wine in their own homes. Opening a good bottle of wine became a welcome release from lockdown pressures of working from home and home schooling! Clearly capitalising on the home delivery surge and increased interest in subscription based models, Naked Wines reported a staggering total sales growth of 68% in FY2021. Many of us were introduced to the idea of home tastings via that lockdown favourite, Zoom and even the London Wine Fair’s revolutionary moved to an online format which was indeed a harsh contrast to the usual frenetic experience of endless tasting and conversing with hundreds of producers over several days at Olympia.
Despite the recent struggles, wine production in Britain is really hitting its stride. WINEGB reports that the UK increased 3,800ha of area under vine, an increase of 175% in a decade and a growth from 2020 of 1.4m vines. Thanks to nightmarish travel issues as well as the UK’s removal from European Union agricultural labour supply, British wineries have had to deal with the spiraling costs associated with obtaining a labour force. Many smaller vineyards are calling on volunteers to help with tasks like bud rubbing and harvesting.
British winemakers already have an exemplary reputation for producing quality sparkling wine, however the production split in 2020 actually saw more still wine produced – a style where the improvements and developments in the vineyard and winery are really coming to fruition in the glass. At a time where Pernod Ricard has revealed quantities of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are down a third compared to the 2020 harvest. This is surely the perfect reason look to your local vineyards ? They will most likely have a crisp white wine that echoes the zippy acidity the warm evenings call for and will be happy to provide you with tastings of their favourites.
So many businesses were left no choice but to change from brick and mortar stores to developing an online presence. This was by no means an easy task! Establishing delivery capabilities and even mastering the technical skills needed to remotely host the aforementioned Zoom tastings are all examples of the resilience we saw from these business owners when the world turned upside down. These businesses were there when we needed them the most and now it’s time for us to show our appreciation by continuing to shop with them. Sentiments are already in the right place; a survey by Barclay card found that 9 out of 10 consumers will continue to shop locally and the UK has seen a 63% rise in spending at specialist food and drink stores since the pandemic started.
It’s important to note that this piece isn’t just about local independents, though. Sadly, the shockwaves of the pandemic weren’t limited to one area of the world and plenty of others around the world shared similar problems. If you’re reading this in the first place it suggests that you’ve got a global mindset and realise that without community support the producers and independent business owners around the world would suffer and the wine lists in our own restaurants in Britain would be very short indeed.
Here at CuveeCard we are incredibly proud of the businesses we partner with. They have shown class and resilience throughout the pandemic by continuing to pour their passions into their products and deliver the vital personal touch to their work, they’re still going that extra step further and continuing to offer Cuvée Card members exclusive benefits in an array of different categories. What better time to check them out and show your appreciation!