Star Wine List: Here is what we are doing - can we do more?
Star Wine List is adapting and developing online events and resources because of the corona virus pandemic, writes founder Krister Bengtsson.
Dear wine friends, these are extremely troubling times for the restaurant industry, the people who work in it and those who depend on it. We hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy and that the lockdowns and recession will end soon.
It is heartbreaking to read about all the layoffs, not least for our own ambassadors around the world. But is also heartening to see all the initiatives helping businesses and people survive the downturn.
We have been thinking a lot about what we can do. We are right now focusing on a few main activities, listed below. But if you have ideas on how we could do more to help wine bars, restaurants and people, please let me know.
Our focus right now:
- Virtual Round Table & Tasting
We have gotten a lot of positive feedback for our Round Table & Tastings where we invite a winemaker and sommeliers to a tasting with a hosted discussion around the wines. If you are a winery or a country or regional wine organisation, help us give sommeliers some freelance work with our new digital concept - Virtual Round Table & Tasting.
- Star Wine List of the Year goes digital
Our competitions for best wine lists have been very appreciated and we are pushing forward with the next one for Sweden on 4 May - with some adaptions. We will produce a streamed digital event, hosted by Arvid Rosengren and me. Our world-class jury will be able to participate online, as well as other sommeliers and our partners and sponsors. Please check out the new event program here and join us in celebrating the great work of the sommeliers of Sweden, and to look forward to better times together.
- Highlighting efforts to help
Read our continued coverage to find ways in your cities to help restaurants, wine bars and people - we are listing efforts from around the world. If you know more of these, please send them to us at [email protected].
- Keep expanding our guide, now primarily in Asia
While the rest of the world grinds to a halt - we are focusing on launching new guides in Asia. Meanwhile, we are also preparing a number of guides to Europe, Africa, North and South America. When the world opens its doors - we will launch them and look forward to sharing a glass of wine in these cities and regions.
Finally: At 50, I have lived through several tough recessions, one of them left me unemployed for months. The hard times always end one day and jobs always come back, be they new or old. But lives that are lost will stay lost forever. Stay safe and healthy, take care.
Krister Bengtsson, founder and publisher on Star Wine List, [email protected]
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