Champagne shortage: Md. county short on bubbly for New Year's Eve

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - If your New Year's plans include a champagne toast in Montgomery County, Md., you might be out of luck.
Bethesda Magazine reports there's a shortage of bubbly, just in time for 2017's big debut.

The magazine reports that according to emails from the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC), there wasn't enough champagne and sparkling wine from suppliers to meet the demand, leaving some brands in limited supply as of Thursday. In case you don't know, Montgomery County stores are required to purchase liquor, beer and wine through the DLC.

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Bethesda Magazine reports the email chain indicated a number of brands including La Marca prosecco, Andre champagnes and Cupcake prosecco were scheduled to be restocked on Thursday after having very little or no product in stock. But the county was out of other brands, such as Moet & Chandon Imperial and Martini & Rossi Asti champagnes. The magazine reports DLC deputy director Edgar Gonzalez wrote in an email that suppliers shorted the department. Veuve Clicquot Brut also is not available.

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There was also some back and forth between the DLC and store owners about who is to blame, with the county claiming the problem results from suppliers who underdelivered, and some store owners blaming specific county employees for the shortfall in product at the county warehouse.

Bethesda Magazine reports that last year, store owners and restaurants reported shortage issues just before Christams. They report the department apologized for missed deliveries in a letter sent to their customers on December 30, 2015 and the department's director resigned less than a month later. He was replaced by acting director Fariba Kassiri, and earlier this month, longtime restaurant industry executive Robert Dorfman was appointed as the permanent director. He is expected to begin his new role at the end of January.

Full story: Bethesda Magazine