High-end liquor and expensive wine sales have recently dropped along with North American stock markets, according to Liberty Wine Merchants general manager Robert Simpson.
He believes that if the strong August 9 rally does not continue, it could be months until he sells another bottle of French champagne.
That was the case back in 2008.
“From August 2008, when we felt the first shudders of nervousness, we didn’t sell another bottle of champagne until Christmas,” Simpson told Business in Vancouver August 9.
“We sold lots of [Italian sparkling] prosecco and lots of other bottles of $15 or $20 bubbly, but no champagne.”
Another trend Simpson has noticed is that many stockbrokers who bought the expensive Cristal champagne have switched to high-end vodkas such as Grey Goose.
Simpson oversees six private liquor stores. Four sell exclusively wine and wine-based ciders; the other two are licensed to also sell beer and spirits.
Glen Korstrom
Twitter: GlenKorstrom