Eric Asimov, the chief wine critic of The New York Times Times since 2004, has been writing about wine, food and restaurants for more than 30 years. OPINION Sales are down, and health concerns are up. But wine’s history of providing beauty, joy and affirmation should not be forgotten.
Around the globe, much of the wine world is feeling besieged and stigmatised. Sales are down, way down for some. New studies suggest that any consumption of alcohol is unhealthful.
New diseases are preying on grapevines, older maladies seem more prevalent and climate change — which has caused subtle and violent changes to weather patterns and more frequent catastrophic events like spring frost, hail, drought and fire — poses a threat to the existence of small growers and producers..
