US frustrations

I have a personal connection to the USA as my father is a US citizen, so to read Matthew Luczy’s feature on California and the crippling issues its wine industry has faced over the last year (April 2021 issue) was extremely emotive. Two almost biblical disasters have decimated the industry and Governor Gavin Newsom has been ineffectual at best.

However, one is drawn back to the words of Winston Churchill: ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste’, and I think this would be the perfect chance to encourage change in the archaic three-tier system that restricts sales direct to consumers and was set up during Prohibition.

After these two blows to the industry, everything must be done to ensure it can grow back with vigour. California has wonderful wines and will bounce back, but the rebuilding job cannot be done without forward-thinking and innovative government – never has there been a greater need for them to step up and act. I wish them every success.

Benjamin Lewis, London

Matthew explains the US three-tier system, and why it needs to change, on our website: www.decanter.com/wine-news/opinion/matthew-luczy – Ed.