Newsom orders all California wineries to close

Bars, clubs, to close as well; restaurants to cut capacity by 50%. Sad to see this news, but it makes sense given the rapid spread of COVID-19.

I just heard as well - wanted to confirm if this does this include distribution as well?

And told healthcare workers including docs over 65 to stay home. That’s 25% of California docs. Ridiculous. We need to be there.

My tasting room is closing at 4pm today and will remain closed except for pick ups for the foreseeable future. Hoping folks that would normally stop in will still place orders for shipping - and I will even offer free local delivery if needed.

It’s gonna get tough for all small businesses in CA and elsewhere for sure . . .

Cheers.

Given the context, I’m certain that the intent is that tasting rooms only have to close, not other winery operations. But that’s a huge hit for many wineries, both large and small. Brewpubs are included in the order too.

Article from the SFGate website here:
Newsom: All bars and nightclubs must close in California

Chambers Street Wines here in NYC just e-mailed to say its shop will be closed, though there will be staff there to take orders for delivery.

At least it isn’t the summer time, though who knows if the situation will have improved by then.

And think how many younger doctors and especially nurses may be unable to work, or work at normal capacity, due to their young kids being home from school. We are cutting off some of the legs we need to handle the medical volume.

Apart from tasting room sales, this is going to severely disrupt spring bottling for many wineries. Bottling dates are hard enough to schedule under normal circumstances.

I wouldn’t be concerned about the older docs being told to stay home. In emergency shortage they can always be called back in. This is to protect the vulnerable doctors for as long as possible.

What Ian Brand is doing about the winery closure:

Dear friends,

As of this afternoon, Sunday, March 15, at 4pm our Carmel Valley tasting room is temporarily closed following the order announced by Governor Newsom. We hope for the health and safety of all and a quick resolution to the current public health situation.

In the meantime, a little wine at home might be the perfect respite! Community has always been the cornerstone of our business. We at I. Brand family are here for you. During the closures we are offering curbside pick-up at the tasting room as well as home delivery local to the Monterey Bay Area by appointment.

Call or email Heather personally to schedule your wine pick-up ordelivery. > Heather@ibrandwinery.com > or 831 359 9834. As always shipping is an option.

Thank you to those who visited the tasting room recently, we are a family business and greatly appreciate your support.

Stay safe, wash your hands and we look forward to toasting with you all again soon.

Heather & Ian

Mike, judging by what I’m seeing on Facebook, lots of wineries are going to be doing this.

This is sheer idiocy. The docs are some of the most educated people around and fully capable of deciding whether they should or should not show up for work.

Wineries are only supposed to close their tasting rooms, right?

Not sure why Chambers would close though, unless it’s because staff doesn’t want to come in or Jamie and David decided to do it on their own. They are akin to a grocery store that sells only packaged items. I realize that’s in NYC and not CA, but I don’t get the thinking there.

Just got word that the Graton Rancheria Resort Casino in Rohnert Park is packed with gamblers. Brings a new meaning to you bet your life.

Rohnert Park Healthcare worker announced yesterday as the first community transmitted COVID-19 patient in Sonoma County.

[rofl.gif]

No food is sold in NY liquor stores. They survived 9/11. This is a good move, Fauci has called for a 3 week national shutdown.

I realize that Tom, which is why I’m wondering why the wine store would shut down. They ONLY sell packaged items and in NYC you can’t operate a wine bar with a retail outlet. So what is to be gained?

Seems like a very obvious for first rounds of closures. I think the tasting rooms as others have mentioned are the target here. Again, seems like a very obvious thing to start with. There will be wider closures on many more types of businesses to come.

On the 65 year plus doctors, given the way this virus is acting this seems prudent. I doubt anyone is going to be patrolling homes so I’m sure lots will ignore this but it’s also going to cost the lives of many doctors that do. That’s just another strain on the system. I would hope that most older doctors will get on board with some sort of online care that many are doing now. Staying home is not the same as being unproductive these days.

We closed our tasting room earlier today but will be open for order pick-ups by appointment (also offering local delivery). As long as our warehouse stays open we’ll be able to fill internet orders. I do not believe winery production is included in the order (hope not as we are bottling end of April - rescheduling that would create many issues).

I work in a wine bar and I’m a senior so I guess I’m on vacation for now… either way, although nothing I’ve seen says this is an order. Another wine bar, near us, (much larger and with a real kitchen) has announced that they’re closing and asking for help in finding their staff temporary work. Sounds like the government’s plan to help such people has a long way to go before it’s real.

It’s maybe too deep in the weeds, but CA licensing law allows many places that are really tiny restaurants to be licensed only as bars. So they would not be able to just limit occupancy but would have to close if this were to be a legal order.

I don’t work enough hours for this to be a huge thing, and our shop is really small (occupancy around 30, which we only see on a good day). I haven’t heard from the owner yet but am assuming I’m on vacation. The problem I see is that no one is saying anything about how a small shop owner is going to pay rent for any length of time if they close.