Page 58 - Grapevine May-June 2020

International News

Wine in the Time of COVID-19

By: Briana Tomkinson
T asting rooms, restaurants and bars across At Priest Creek Winery (https://priestcreekwinery.

com/) in Kelowna, British Columbia, founder Jane
Canada were abruptly shut down in March
in an unprecedented move to slow the
Sawin was all set to finally open the tasting room
spread of COVID-19 and avoid overwhelming health to the public on March 20. Instead, she got an ugly
care services. Boutique wineries from coast-to- surprise when the province suddenly announced
coast immediately pivoted to focus on online sales that bars, pubs and liquor-only tasting rooms had
to try and soften the blow. to suspend operations until health authorities
determine the pandemic is under control.
For established brands, this meant re-jiggering the
marketing plan and reallocating resources to push “The day we would have opened the tasting room
local delivery or contactless pickup orders instead was the day the Canadian health authorities shut
of targeting wine country tourists. For two fledgling everything down. The tasting room is ready, beau-
wineries on opposite ends of the country, wine in tiful, clean and ready to go,” Sawin said. “It’s a little
the time of COVID-19 meant embracing a crash- sad.”
course in online marketing.

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