Anecdotally, it would seem that most – but certainly not all – wine merchants voted to remain in the European Union. So when we asked a selection of independents to comment on what business is likely to be like post-Brexit, the response was rather less enthusiastic than the one we’re hearing from the new Cabinet.
The most immediate threats are the impact on currency, and the economy generally: the wine trade depends on discretionary income and any market nervousness could be disastrous for our more marginal businesses. And yet there could be opportunities too, some independents predict, particularly if booze cruises come to an end, and New World wines manage to circumnavigate what some critics regard as EU protectionism.
Issue 49 of The Wine Merchant, where the Brexit fallout is analysed, comes with our Top 100 Winners Supplement, containing profiles of all the successful wines in this year’s competition. The digital version is here – congratulations again to all those who made the cut in a year when the competition hit a record entry level.
