Since most of the nation began living in coronavirus quarantine, retail wine sales have shot up. In the latest data available, wine sales in dollars were up 66 percent in the week ending March 21, from the same week a year ago, according to Nielsen.
Partly this is because nobody is going out to restaurants now, and sales have shifted. But it also reflects the mood of an anxious, restless and, yes, bored population that sees wine alternately as pleasure, comfort or therapy.
Shopping in stores is generally out of the question. So most of those purchases are for pickup or delivery. If wine delivery is new to you, here are a few of the available options.
Need It Right Away
In New York, services like Swill, Minibar and Drizly offer home delivery of wine, beer and spirits. But only Drizly promises to deliver in less than an hour, and the current situation is causing it to hedge its pledge a bit. Drizly offers a nice variety of craft beers and spirits. For wine, however, the choices are, with a few exceptions, restricted to big brands, and many wines are not identified by vintage. If your local wine shop is open, that might be a better option, particularly if you have a relationship with the staff.
I Can Wait a Few Days
Most good wine shops will not deliver immediately, except to customers within a small radius, but the breadth of their selections and their personalized service are worth the wait. Every shop has its own shipping policy. Bigger stores in Manhattan will deliver anywhere in the city once you surpass a purchase threshold. Others will have modest charges. Many also offer case discounts. In most states, you can order from any retail shop in that state, and in many states you can order from out-of-state shops as well. But you will pay shipping charges. If you are searching for particular bottles, wine-searcher.com is a handy tool.
Go Directly to the Source
Most states permit direct shipping from American wineries, so if you have favorite producers, you can order directly. You can expect to pay shipping charges and receive your orders in 5 to 10 business days, though each producer is different. Some are offering promotional discounts to encourage online sales.
Order From Restaurants
Some states, like New York, California and Texas, as well as municipalities like Atlanta, are permitting restaurants that are selling takeout and delivery meals to include wine, beer or spirits from their lists at roughly retail prices. Ordering would be a good way to support restaurants, and would of course provide excellent additions to your meal.
Grocery Services
Companies like FreshDirect and Instacart deliver wine as well. But their selections are fairly limited, and, judging by the difficulties nowadays in reserving delivery slots, your purchases will not arrive swiftly.