One of the ongoing hot topics for the world of wine is shortages related to supply chain issues. But this is not the empty shelves and none-to-befound situation of hand sanitizer or toilet paper in April 2020. Consumers can have faith that their local restaurants and retailers will have wines, but they might not have a specific wine.
And how is that really different from the previous norm? When buying a certain producer, wine, or vintage, you probably have to search. There's no guarantee that the first (or even second or third) wine shop you contact will carry the wine in question. That's a reality any serious wine lover accepted long ago.
In 2021, about 50% of the 12,000 wines Wine Spectator reviewed were available in the U.S. in quantities of 500 cases or less. (This figure is based on some conservative estimating on my part for some foreign wines vis-àvis the percentage of wines imported versus their total production figures.) These quantities do not go very far when you consider distribution to restaurants and retail stores across 50 states.
This story is from the May 31, 2022 edition of Wine Spectator.
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This story is from the May 31, 2022 edition of Wine Spectator.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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