THE WINE MERCHANT. An independent magazine for independent retailers
Issue 102, May 2021
Dog of the Month: Trixie Stainton Wines, Cumbria
Indies face long delays as wine shipments creak under strain A combination of factors, including Covid and Brexit, mean that merchants are facing huge supply chain disruption
T
he pandemic, global logistics issues and Brexit are all
conspiring to disrupt UK wine
supplies, with shipments from the US a particular pinch-point.
Several suppliers have identified
cross-Atlantic freight as a major cause for concern, though delays to volume transit from the EU and niggly issues with duty
demands on sample bottles are also being experienced.
reports that he placed an order from
numerous regions for varied reasons.
there was a Brexit-related element.
are stuck,” he says. “The whole global flow
California in November that was expected to hit the UK in mid-May and suggested “The world’s largest shipping line is
avoiding the UK because of all the delays at the deep-sea UK ports,” he says.
Matt Douglas of North South Wines says
the company has experienced delays from
“There is a shortage of empty containers
in all parts of the world as many containers has been disrupted and there are fewer
ships circulating the empties, mainly due to port and ship manpower issues related to
Continues page 8
Delays to US shipments are being blamed
on a combination of factors, including a
global shortage of refrigerated containers, the toll taken by Covid on staff levels in
the freight industry stateside and the Suez Canal blockage.
Peter Mitchell MW of Jeroboams reports
“current delays of around 12 weeks for shipments – meaning a total shipping
time of around 22 weeks – with the wine waiting in storage in Oakland”.
He adds: “This delay has come down
from four months for orders placed in November last year.
“We have been told it is because of a lack
of physical containers to put the wine in, coupled with general congestion in the
ports owing to a lack of capacity, lack of
healthy workers and increased spending on consumer goods in the US.”
Daniel Lambert of Daniel Lambert Wines
The Riddling Rack in Newton-le-Willows is one of hundreds of indies delighted to be welcoming back customers to enjoy wine on the premises. Read more about the company’s renovations on page 2, and see what ther independents are saying about their own return to table service in The Burning Question on page 21.