MAYBE THEY COULDN’T CHARGE THEIR ELECTRIC CAR: Why is Wine Country tourism so slow? ‘You’re out a few thousand dollars before you walk into a winery.’

It has been an unusually quiet summer in Wine Country.

Many Napa and Sonoma County business owners have described a slowdown, attributing it to a number of factors, including the surge in international travel and inflation. The costs of gas, airfare and lodging are all on the rise. Wine tasting fees have also gotten more expensive in Napa and Sonoma counties.

Maybe we’re already in a recession, and maybe a lot of the target market has left California.