Winebits 721: Hard seltzer, Ohio, food trends

This week’s wine news: Millions of cases of hard seltzer will be destroyed, as the boom fades. Plus, Ohio finally does something about its Prohibition-era shipping laws and wine doesn’t make a food trends list

• So much for hard seltzer? The company that owns Truly, the second best-selling hard seltzer in the U.S. after White Claw, will destroy millions of cases of the product. The reason? Hard seltzer goes off it sits too long, and millions of cases are doing just that on store shelves and in warehouses given hard seltzer’s stunning sales plateau this year.  Hence, destroy the product rather than sell one that that isn’t fresh. The other thing worth noting here? Several wine companies jumped on the hard seltzer bandwagon; it will be worth watching to see what happens with them.

• Thank you, Ohio: Ohio, which has been almost Utah-like in restricting wine shipments into the state, has made it easier for consumers (and wine writers) to get wine from out of state producers. State law had forbidden wineries making more than 100,000 cases from shipping directly to consumers; it has lifted that restriction.  That’s not a small winery, but it’s hardly big the way the wine business works these days.

• Absent wine? Wine used to make food trends prediction stories all the time; local wine was especially popular. But not any more, according to a list for 2022 from retailer Whole Foods. Instead, we will be drinking yuzu, a citrus fruit, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails. The big eating trend? Something called reducetarianism, in which we try to eat less meat, dairy, and eggs but eat high quality meat when we do splurge (which, not coincidentally, Whole Foods says it sells). The Wine Curmudgeon, who long ago cut his consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy, always thought he was following best medical practice. Who knew I was actually being super cool?

Photo: Camden & Hailey George on Unsplash