Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 3 merican wine sales have increased steadily for two decades, but if you've been following urban restau- rant trends, you might already have con- sidered that stormy seas could lie ahead for on-premise wine sales. Now, don't get me wrong. Americans know more about wine than they ever have, and they like it. They also appreciate wine's affinity for at least European and American food. But the craft brewing, craft cocktail and heirloom cider trends are even hotter. Wine isn't about to be replaced, but it is facing more exciting competition than ever, and restaurant wine directors are going to have to work even harder to engage diners. Wine is primarily tailored to suit Euro- pean cuisine. The rise of upscale Mexican, Japanese, Chinese and Thai restaurants only complicates things. Wine simply isn't the best match for certain types of dishes, a concept that the wine industry has never been able to admit to itself. Sandy Block, an MW and Legal Sea- foods' vice president of beverage opera- tions, offered his take on the situation at a recent symposium sponsored by Diam and E. & J. Gallo. He cautioned against wine industry complacency and warned of increasing competition for on-premise dollars. I interviewed him a week after his presentation. MARKET WATCH TIM TEICHGRAEBER "When I first got into the wine busi- ness a while ago, French wines were the only things you would find at fine dining restaurants – on the East Coast at least," explained Block, who oversees beverage service at the 36 Legal Seafoods restau- rants. "The French really had this attitude that they had the best wines and the best wines for food. They were unchallenged in their own minds. Consumers reacted against it eventually for a variety of rea- sons, one of which was that they weren't The Diversity Menace How cocktails, craft brews and ciders bite into restaurant wine sales + High-end cocktails are surpassing wine as a profit driver for restaurants. + People go to restaurants seeking food they can't cook at home. Craft cocktails offer a similar appeal. + Varied beverage offerings provide restaurant staff more compel- ling pairing options. + Young servers can be intimidated by the complexities of wine, especially if they aren't personally interested in it. + Energizing a wine program to compete with cocktails, beer and cider requires training staff to educate, reduce intimidation and generate excitement. AT A GLANCE