In the Wine Light is one year with COVID. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Stay at home orders soon followed including ours here in North Carolina on March 17, 2020. Life changed drastically overnight.
From March 18 – May 22, 2020, tasting rooms in North Carolina were closed to onsite consumption. Curbside pickup and online sales were still allowed, but visiting a tasting room or having wine on a patio at a vineyard or winery was not. Finally, a new executive order came and on May 23, 2020, onsite consumption was allowed once again but with new guidelines.
Under this new world, businesses adapted. The wine industry in North Carolina did too, and for the most part, it thrived. Some did struggle, but all in and all things weren’t as bad as they could have been.
It’s been a trying year for all of us, but there have been a few positives. We want to highlight a few things we hope will continue in the wine world after things get back to normal:
- Continued online sales and shipping. A number of wineries didn’t have this option before COVID, but many pivoted quickly. It’s a wonderful option for getting North Carolina Wine directly for your front door!
- More outdoor options. Many wineries and vineyards expanded their outdoor options in the last year. There’s more room and more places to enjoy wine outdoors.
- Reservations for tastings or just a table. We hate waiting, so we find this option to be super fantastic. Having a dedicated time to enjoy wine makes for a more pleasurable experience.
- Virtual tastings. We have loved participating in these. It’s a safe and fun way to enjoy wine and still connect with others!
And there are a few things we won’t miss when things return to normal. These include:
- Disposable drinkware. Not only do they not show wine well, they’re also not great for the environment.
- Masked faces. We’ve missed seeing those smiles behind the tasting room bar!
Practice the 3 Ws!
Let’s all continue to do our part to help beat this virus. Practice your three Ws. Wear. Wash. Wait. And when it’s your turn, get your shot! You can find more information at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ website.
Stay safe!
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