Five Years Later: How the Pandemic Reshaped Wine and Life
Last week, I shared a post on my socials about What is a woman?—our place in society and the wine world, and how we must take up space unapologetically. That reflection stayed with me all weekend. It made me sad, thinking about how much we still have to fight for.
So, as I often do when I need perspective, I went through my archives. I love journaling—always have. Writing and photography help me process my thoughts, and over the years, I’ve collected a mix of old-school paper journals and digital snapshots of my journey.
And that’s when it hit me.
We’re already in mid-March… and wait—five years have passed. Five years since the world changed. Five years since the pandemic turned everything we knew upside down.
Wild, right?
March 2020: The Moment Everything Shifted
I remember it vividly. I was in France, in Bordeaux, deep in my WSET Diploma studies. That week, we were studying Italy, exploring their wines, regions, and histories. It felt like any other day—until suddenly, it wasn’t.
One announcement from President Macron, and the world began shutting down. Borders closed, flights were canceled. I had to make a quick decision: stay or leave? Within hours, I was on a plane back to Kenya, uncertain about what awaited me. And then—lockdown.
Back then, we didn’t know how long it would last. A few weeks? A month? Instead, it reshaped life as we knew it.
And the Wine World? It Changed Too.
The way we buy, drink, and experience wine has transformed. But how?
A New Way of Drinking
Before 2020, wine was about shared moments, restaurants, bars, vineyards, and social gatherings. Suddenly, those spaces were closed. Wine consumption didn’t stop, but it changed.
People shifted to at-home drinking, rediscovering online purchases and exploring new varieties through virtual tastings. Online wine sales skyrocketed, and wineries had to rethink how they reached their consumers. Small producers that once depended on in-person tastings had to pivot to direct-to-consumer sales and digital marketing.
Some habits stuck, wine e-commerce and direct-to-consumer models are still thriving. But the way we drink has changed. The experience of sharing a bottle became more intimate, more reflective. And for many, it became a way to bring a sense of normalcy in a world that felt anything but normal.
At-home wine pairings became more experimental. People sought out lesser-known wines, wanting to explore beyond their usual selections. Natural and organic wines gained traction as consumers became more conscious of what they were drinking and how it was made.
Industry Shifts—Survival and Reinvention
The wine industry had to adapt quickly. Wineries that relied on tourism and in-person tastings suffered the most. Restaurants that once championed wine pairings saw their business collapse. But out of that crisis, we saw resilience.
More wineries embraced digital marketing and e-commerce, making it easier than ever to access wines from different regions.
Sommeliers pivoted to online consulting, helping consumers navigate wine selections remotely.
Virtual tastings became a lifeline, keeping people connected to the wine world despite the physical distance.
Smaller producers found new ways to connect with drinkers worldwide through social media and storytelling.
For better or worse, the pandemic forced the industry to modernize. We saw a rise in low-intervention winemaking, as supply chain disruptions pushed producers to work with what was local and available. And with restaurants closed, interest in food and wine pairing at home grew—people wanted to learn, experiment, and bring the restaurant experience into their kitchens.
This shift also challenged the traditional wine hierarchy. Consumers became less dependent on critics and formal recommendations, instead trusting independent voices, social media influencers, and their own curiosity. Wine became more democratic, exploratory, and personal.
Personal Reflection—Lessons from the Unexpected
Looking back, the pandemic forced me to rethink what I truly wanted. It was a moment of stillness, of reassessment.
Before 2020, I was always on the go, studying, working, traveling, chasing the next opportunity. The lockdown made me pause, and in that pause, I found clarity.
It pushed me to focus on my passion for education and storytelling, to build something digital-first, to bring people together through wine in new ways. It was during this time that the seeds for Mulongo Wine & Spice were planted. I realized that wine isn’t just about what’s in the bottle—it’s about culture, connection, and conversation.
What’s Next?
Five years later, we’re still seeing the ripple effects. The wine industry is facing new challenges—climate change, shifting consumer habits, and economic pressures. But one thing remains clear: adaptability is key.
The next frontier isn’t just about producing great wine—it’s about storytelling, accessibility, and meeting people where they are. The industry is still learning from the past five years, finding ways to make wine more inclusive, more innovative, and more resilient.
So, where do we go from here? That’s the exciting part.
Tell me—how has your relationship with wine changed over the past five years?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
If you’re curious about exploring the world of wine and spices with me, or if you’d like to learn more through virtual tastings and personalized consultancy, reach out. Let’s create meaningful, enjoyable experiences together!
To resilience, reinvention, and the next chapter,
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. Until next time.
Mulongo Wine & Spice. 🍷