In one of our bulletins in December, we announced a new decision that would deal a heavy blow to wine production in Turkey. It is an unreasonable practice to demand guarantees against the possibility of not being able to collect unpaid taxes, which will put even more difficulty on the already fragile financial structures of small producers. We hope that the efforts made to prevent this practice from being implemented will not go unrewarded. We already know how Turkey's view of wine has changed in the last twenty years, especially with Special Consumer Tax and Tax Label practices. So, is this just our country? The answer to that question is no, and we are at a point where we need to be concerned about where this change might be heading not only in Turkey but also in the world.

We know that wine has been given both religious and cultural meaning for thousands of years. Wine, which is one of the examples where alcohol is used in the most moderate way, does not affect people as quickly as heavy alcoholic samples. This feature has given the wine the status of the best elite accompaniment. But it is possible to overdo everything. In case of overuse of alcohol, isn't it better to look for the responsibility of the excessive situation not on the drink but on the drinker?

Apparently, some of the officials who create policies prefer to look for the answer to this question in the drink, not in the consumer. USA is one of the most negative examples on this subject. Moreover, the biggest support for anti-alcoholism comes from the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign launched by the World Health Organization aims to place wine and cigarettes in the same place. In other words, it suggests that announcements stating that alcohol is harmful to health should be placed on labels and its promotion should be banned all over the world.

In European countries, we can see that taxation practices regarding alcohol are also on the agenda, although not as much as USA. The first applications have already been implemented in England and the Netherlands. Although there is no general and binding practice across the European Union yet, consumers need to be informed about these policies and raise their voices. If this process, which first starts with punishment by imposing taxes, then evolves into prohibitions, it will be more difficult to fight.

Things are more complicated in Turkey. Despite all the difficulties in market conditions, we see that new producer candidates are emerging and investing in wine business. We also observe that some local authorities make it difficult to obtain opening permits but the entrepreneurs continue to fight tirelessly.

As WAYANA, our support policy of introducing new producers and their products to wine lovers will continue as long as we survive. We believe that we must maintain our belief that these days will one day be left behind.