Isaac wine sales high, but not like Katrina or Gustav

In preparation for the plodding tropical storm that ultimately turned into Hurricane Isaac, local consumers spent plenty of time last week stocking up on wine, beer and spirits, say Baton Rouge merchants. “We’re in Louisiana, honey, and it’s all about booze and food,” says Kim Gray, wine manager at Calandro’s Select Cellars on Government Street. “I think a lot of it, too, was fear of Gustav,” she adds. Indeed, on Sunday, Monday and even Tuesday, many consumers who recalled Hurricane Gustav’s lingering effects four years ago went searching for wine and beer for themselves and their houseguests.

Gray says traffic was heavy before the storm, and picked up again as patrons looked toward Saturday’s LSU game. Matherne Supermarket manager Bill Hounshell says Isaac also inspired his regular customers to bolster their supplies, but it was nothing like sales during Gustav or Hurricane Katrina. Moreover, many had stopped in days earlier. “We did see an increase, but we held our annual pre-holiday inventory reduction sale the Saturday before the storm, so everyone had pretty much stocked up,” says Hounshell. “The problem was getting more product in. We just received our first order from our largest wine supplier [Monday].” With no storms or major traffic jams so far this week, local consumers may have predictable buying conditions as they head into football festivities this weekend.