Judith Smelser Uncategorized, Wine News

Wine shops can keep operating under Orange County stay-at-home rules

Swirlery Wine Bar co-owner Melissa McAvoy, pictured here with her partner Damian Roman, scoured Tuesday’s executive order from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demmings, desperately searching for the relief wine shops and other local alcohol retailers sought.

“I read it over and over again,” she said.

Liquor and wine stores are absent from the extensive list of essential businesses exempt from the order, which mandates a two-week closure of many of the county’s commercial enterprises starting Thursday night.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

FL Governor suspends all food and drink sales for onsite consumption

Governor Ron DeSantis has once again tightened restrictions on Florida restaurants due to COVID-19.

In an executive order today, he ordered businesses to stop serving food and alcohol for onsite consumption.

Restaurants can stay open for takeout and delivery, however. The order also suspends a state law that prohibits most restaurants from selling alcohol for takeout. Those sales are now permitted, provided the alcohol is in a sealed container and food is included in the same order.

Today’s directive supersedes Tuesday’s order that allowed restaurants to stay open at 50% capacity.

Judith Smelser Wine News

Local businesses dream up more ways to stay afloat while quenching Central Florida’s thirst for wine and connection

It’s Day 3 of Florida’s COVID-19 bar and restaurant restrictions. More local businesses are joining those we reported on Tuesday and jumping on the curbside pickup bandwagon. They include:

But that’s not all. There are other creative ways local wine businesses hope to entice patrons to come, maybe not in the door, but at least close to it.

Continue reading “Local businesses dream up more ways to stay afloat while quenching Central Florida’s thirst for wine and connection” →

Judith Smelser Wine News

After hours of confusion, Orlando reverses course on alcohol sales at restaurants

For Orlando’s food and beverage community, today has been perhaps the most tumultuous roller coaster ride yet on the dystopian fantasy fairground that is the COVID-19 crisis.

Just after 10am, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer sent the community into a panic when he issued an executive order banning all sales of alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption in the city until further notice.

A few hours later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued his own executive order banning sales of alcoholic drinks for 30 days at all “bars, pubs, and nightclubs,” defined as businesses that derive more than half their gross revenue from alcoholic drink sales.

Under the state order, restaurants are subject to a number of new rules to ensure social distancing, but they can still sell alcohol to drink onsite.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

Orlando wine businesses get creative in the face of new COVID-19 restrictions

UPDATED Tuesday March 17 4:30pm

Today was the day the other shoe dropped for Orlando’s wine and beverage community.

This morning, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer banned the “sale or distribution” of alcohol for onsite consumption, effective immediately. Soon afterwards, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered bars and nightclubs across the state to close for 30 days, starting at 5pm tonight.

Retail alcohol sales are still allowed, though, and local wine businesses are quickly adapting to the new rules, as well as to new expectations for social distancing.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

Despite a few cancellations, it’s business as usual for most Orlando wine establishments

Tim’s Wine Market Orlando is suspending its wine seminar series until further notice because of concerns over COVID-19. An email to customers – headlined by the photo below- said patrons with prepaid reservations will get refunds or store credit. The store’s informal weekend samplings, however, will continue as usual.

Credit: Tim's Wine Market Orlando
Tim’s Wine Market in Orlando is suspending its wine seminar series because of COVID-19. (Credit: Tim’s Wine Market)

As we reported on Thursday, the Orlando Magic has postponed its blockbuster Orlando Wine Festival and Auction that was scheduled for this weekend.

Apart from that, most Orlando-area wine establishments appear to be operating as normal.

“We’ve been really busy lately,” said Digress Wine owner Rob Chase, “so I’m going to keep rolling with it!”

Continue reading “Despite a few cancellations, it’s business as usual for most Orlando wine establishments” →