Sitting home staying safe inevitably gives wine drinkers more time to discover and taste new wines. We asked a few of our favorite wine bloggers what they have been drinking during their time in quarantine. Their responses were delightful! 

We posed a few questions:
- Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
- Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
- Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual? 

Casleah Herwaldt 
Insta: @bythestem
www.bythestem.co

Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
"Yes, I’ve noticed people are starting to move away from the expensive traditional wines and wanting to discover new ways of doing things. People want to discover new varieties and new winemaking techniques. Also I feel like there has been quite a push on sustainable and organic/biodynamic farming lately."

Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
"I have, I’ve learned a lot actually. Wine is an interesting thing. To me it has always seemed like an exclusive, invite only club that only the most elite and connected get to taste the world’s most high end wines. But I’m learning that those walls need to come down and we need to see more diversity in our community. I think recent events have really opened this up and we are starting to see change for the better. I’ve also learned to be much more conscious of the wines I purchase and promote, by focusing on  businesses that are small, local and promote diversity."

Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual? 
"I tend to drink a lot of Chardonnay, I’d say it’s my go to. I love how diverse it can be in style. A new discovery I’ve made recently is the sparkling wines from Limoux- extremely high quality wines for way more affordable prices then champagne."

Nicole Ervin
Insta: fitwineo
www.fitwineo.com

Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
"New wine trends: I've loved all the at home Zoom tastings I've gotten to do with wine makers.  I've participated in three and love how much we learned and all that we got to try during each tasting.  The wine was delivered overnight and was fresh and ready to drink!"

Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
"What I've learned: I actually completed WSET 2 over Zoom during shelter in place with Peter Neptune and passed with distinction! Since I haven't been driving as much for work it allowed me extra free time to study and enjoy this course."

Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual? 
"Go to or different type: thanks to the WSET course, I've tried many new varieties and regions I may not have before.  Otherwise, I've been sticking with my tried and true central coast wines and ordering from wineries whenever I can to help support them during these challenging times. We love big, bold reds!"

Nicole Dalton
Insta: @GrapeChic
www.grapechic.com

Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
"I’ve found consumers have really embraced the “buy now drink now” wines during the pandemic. Juicy wines with lower tannins and bright acidity. Wines that don’t have to be cellared like Beaujolais. I think the taboo of drinking alone has also dissolved, so we’re going to see the direct-to-consumer sales continue to rise."
 
Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
"The wine industry is resilient! I’ve never seen an industry be able to pivot as quickly as the wine industry did. Let’s be honest, social media marketing hasn’t always been at the forefront for most wineries (even today in a completely digital world). But I couldn’t be more impressed with the way the wine world has so quickly adapted to this “new normal” bringing us virtual wine tastings, happy hours, and a sense of connection in a very uncomfortable time."
 
Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual? 
"I wouldn’t say I have a new go-to variety, but I can say my sense of wine exploration has really vamped up. I’ve stepped outside of my usual wine regions and started diving into new ones like Jura, Switzerland and Chile (Cachapoal & Colchagua)."

Hannah DeYoung 
Insta: @hannahdeyoung
www.deyoungvine.com
 
Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
"Not so much new trends--I work for a wine shop so I'm lucky enough to be pretty exposed to up and coming wine styles on a daily basis--but I have gotten more into biodynamic, organic and vegan-friendly wines. The canned wine category also still has a way to go but I keep trying new small-production brands as I can find them because I think they have a lot of potential!"

Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
"If anything I feel like it's been a testament to the industry's resiliency. This situation has completely disrupted life for many, but wineries, retailers and distributors have found new ways to work together to get through this. 

One thing that I think was holding the wine industry back was it's slow adaptation to the digital world, and for better or worse this pandemic has forced many wineries to completely rethink the way they do digital. I think the explosion of virtual tastings is here to stay in some capacity, and love seeing more producers invest time into social media and interactive events like Instagram and Facebook Lives."

Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual?
"I always try to change it up, but I would say my three go-tos during quarantine have been Riesling, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. Can't get enough of them!"

Other Notes
"I think the whole "clean" wine debate has been really interesting. There's no legal definition for it, and while I think it's good consumers be more conscious about the wines they are choosing I think some brands use the term in a misleading way. If you dive into the wines you are drinking, reach out and speak to the producers directly you will find that many high-quality wines are technically "clean," farmed sustainably, low in residual sugar and use minimal sulphur in the winery. That being said, wine is an alcoholic beverage and no wine is "guilt-free" as some of the advertising may suggest. Instead of searching for "clean" wines, I would instead suggest keeping an eye out for the terms biodynamic and organic as those have more distinct parameters."

India Donisi
Insta: winespicegirl
www.winespicegirl.com

Have you discovered any new wine trends? 
"A trend that I have noticed during lockdown and even after is that people are drinking more local wines. To support their country and wine regions and also because of the delays in shipping. Personally I have also picked more wines for example from The Netherlands where I live while before the whole Covid situation I hadn’t focussed on it that much. Because travel is difficult I have visited wineries in The Netherlands and in Germany, while normally I would go further to France or Italy.

Another trend I am seeing is that people tend to spend a little more on their bottles, especially when in lockdown restaurants and bars were closed. I have done the same."

Have you learned anything new about the wine industry throughout this time? 
"Buying wine online, e-commerce has been booming. As well as the local wine shop."

Do you have a new go-to variety? OR do you find yourself drinking a different wine type than your usual? 
"There is interest for different and more unknown grape varieties. Think of the greek wines and for example Moldavia. 

Rosé is booming, not only in summer. I think it is becoming bigger and bigger. 

Sparkling wines are hot. Cava, prosecco and Champagne. Maybe it has got to do with a bit of yolo feeling caused by the crisis."

Have input? We would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or email corinne@bighammerwines.com if you have discovered any new wine trends during this time. 

Stay home and drink with us! 

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