Wine in times of coronavirus

The wine world is beginning to feel the effects of the coronavirus scare, especially in regard to markets in East Asia. Even the ProWein fair has been postponed.

The news that ProWein was postponed came out this Saturday, and left us all stunned. True, we were wondering if it would make sense for us Italians to take part in a fair that would most likely see our pavilions go deserted, but we did not expect that the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Authority would have taken such a strong decision. Yet it is only confirmation that no one is taking the coronavirus lightly. There is no denying that everyone is worried about this virus, for the health of others as well as our own. There are also concerns over the economy, which is beginning to feel the effects in a serious way, and for the precautions Italy has been forced to take and that have placed limits on everyone’s lives. The situation is serious and should not be underestimated but nor should it be the cause of panic. I can say all this because I have been travelling a lot and have personally intensified my own precautions, which is the logical thing to do in such cases.

It is understandable that even our world of wine will in some way feel further consequences. After breathing a sigh of relief over being “spared” additional tariffs in the United States, now we are faced with this new problem almost that is equally as threatening. However, there are certain aspects that are worth looking at.

From Hong Kong, which was already seeing a bad year due to the prolonged pro-democracy demonstrations, there is some news that is both quite curious and interesting. Wine consumption is shifting from bars and restaurants to private homes. In other words, there has been a change in habits, imposed by the situation, which is changing the lifestyle of wine drinkers, those in the so-called upper class. This is, of course, a problem for restaurants but less so for wine sales and consumption. The risks will certainly be long term but there is hope that within the year there will be a vaccine for the Covid 19 virus which will bring the situation back to normal, or at least we hope so.

Even our small world of wine, which nevertheless and historically represents a kind of marker for the international economy, is beginning to feel the effects of the virus scare. In Italy, we have just finished a series of preview tastings in Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto and Umbria which took place without the presence of Chinese journalists and buyers. We are still processing the news of the postponement (to when?) of Prowein in Düsseldorf while the confirmation for Vinitaly in Verona has arrived (the dates, we remind you, are April 19-22), and the presence of Chinese experts and buyers remains an unknown. In East Asia, the trade fairs that have taken place did not do well, as was to be expected, and we sincerely hope that those in Europe will not only take place but also be a success, within the limits possible. Meanwhile, those at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London, where I am set to take part in the jury in May, have informed me that there will be no fellow jurors from China and we will receive further instructions and information on how things will proceed.

That’s what we know so far and, frankly, it seems enough for me.