There has been a shift between wine sales in restaurants, called “on premise,” and wine sales in retail stores. According to Nielsen, off-premise sales have increased nearly 20 percent during the summer months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly sparkling wine led the increase with a 29 percent uptick. Consumers didn’t have anything to celebrate — they must have wanted to just pretend.

I suppose most wine drinkers, like me, looked for a dining experience if they were going to be stuck in their homes. Wine complements a dinner and at least makes you feel better about a troubling world we live in.

According to Nielsen’s figures, sauvignon blanc sales were up nearly 27 percent. Pinot noir, rose and cabernet sauvignon followed in that order.