I know, I know, COVID-19 is not a laughing matter, especially as the past 24 hours have been a “whirlwine” of corona virus caused cancellations.

And if it hasn’t been cancelled yet, it probably will be — like my Napa Valley Wine Academy WSET 3 course. Doesn’t it look awesome? Too bad it’s not happening now.

Cancellations and postponements include April’s Vinitaly and the Italian Wine Ambassador Course moved to June, wine classes at Napa Valley Wine Academy like the Bud Break class I was slated to attend as well as press trips to France for Millesima in March and Clink Different in April (along with Germany — more on that next week), and other places around the globe are minor disruptions compared to the population of an entire country like Italy being put under quarantine.

Recent figures indicate that 60-80% of everyone on the globe will come down with the novel virus because it’s just that — novel to humans, new and unknown, and we have nothing to fight it with right now except for social distancing which means basically cancelling everything and staying home. Some people will get it bad, some will get it worse with older populations and those with compromised systems most at risk.

I know I’m not the only one who has a generous stockpile of wine. (And if you need some interesting bottles from Italy made sustainably, Sheila Donahue of Verovino has them in her Ventura warehouse and can ship them to you!)

But a warehouse of wine may not be enough… now that schools are being cancelled for the next month.  What am I going to do with my teen?

Personally, when the press conferences and bad news hit, I was packing up to drive to Napa on Friday to visit some organic wineries in advance of my course. Checking the agenda above and planning on what I would need to bring ( St Patricks Day! Winemaker Dinner! Vineyards Visits!), I was so excited. And then I got the phone call that all classes at Napa Valley Wine Academy were cancelled, including my Bud Break WSET 3 class.

I understand — everything that can be done should be done. It seems easy but it’s not as this NPR story shows.

What I see ahead of me is plenty of time to write, to work in the vineyard and the cellar, to study about wine… maybe some skiing? But what I really want to do is take advantage of the cheap flights and this time and take a trip with my son… I have a serious case of wanderlust too.

Flatten the curve, I remind myself.

Cheers!

stocking up on necessities