Companies that import wine, beer, or spirits into the United States face all the challenges COVID-19 has unleashed on the global supply chain—tight capacity, congested ports, and the rest. And if that weren’t bad enough, wine companies also face extra supply woes apart from the pandemic.
“There have been tremendous shortages, predominantly due to weather events, both in Europe and in the United States,” says Alexi Cashen, co-founder and “chief executive optimist” (CEO) at Elenteny Imports, a New York-based provider of logistics solutions to the alcoholic beverage industry. Hot summers and wildfires have produced hard times for some recent vintages.