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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/598044
www.cheersonline.com 14 • November/December 2015 says Pulsinelli, is $10 to $15 for a half bottle. The price points make them less of a special-occasion order; more guests are enjoying a glass of prosecco or cava as an aperitif. "A glass of prosecco after work gets the party started," he notes. ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES At the Denver-based Sage Restaurant Group, "We have seen an uptick in sparkling rosé—a trend that has been picking up steam over the past few years," says beverage director Brandon Wise. The casual-dining company operates a diverse portfolio of 10 units in a number of markets. Accordingly, Wise has upped the options, with several by- the-glass sparkling rosés, such as domestics from Gruet and Chandon, French Cremants and some Champagnes. There are at least two selling opportunities for sparkling wine, says Wise: "It's the perfect way to start the dining experience, and a great way to finish—lovely with dessert." The Bubbly Mermaid has also found that "rosé Champagne sells really well here," concurs Naff. The pretty salmon color of the wines attracts attention and me-too sales. Stats bear that out. Rosé wines, according to Nielsen, increased 14.4% to total nearly $90 million in the 52 weeks that ended in January 2015. Among them, French rosé wines, which account for roughly a third of the category, increased 52% in that same time period. Consumers associate rosé wines with an affluent lifestyle, and since wines are seen as an affordable luxury, demand is increasing, according to Beverage Information Group's Wine Handbook. GROWER IS GROWING Although Grower Champagne represents just a fraction of its output, interest is on the rise among aficionados. While the big Champagne houses source grapes from many different vineyards to create a house style, Grower Champagnes are produced by independent estates who make wine from their own vineyards. They can be identified by RM (meaning Recoltant Manipulant) on the label. "Grower Champagne is definitely making a big stance right now," says Daniel Grajewski, director of beverage for the San Francisco-based Mina Group, with 17 different concepts and 27 restaurants. "The grower is also the winemaker as well, so there is more control over the product," he explains. What's more, Grajewski says, "Grower Champagnes are fantastic and an incredible value compared to the wines that the big names are putting out." That price-value has attracted consumer interest. "We've been seeing more Grower Champagnes on the market; that's a trend," concurs Wise. PRICING AND PROMOTION The Bubbly Mermaid bar, which Naff built himself out of scavenged materials and wine pallets, has no wine list, just Champagne bottles arrawnged on tiers of shelves. "Menus are too boring, and my bottles change out so often," says the owner. Plus, "Champagne labels are so striking and intriguing." The Champagne on the lowest tier is priced at $12 a glass; $75 a bottle. Naff will open any bottle on that shelf with no glass minimum; because of how quickly the product moves, he doesn't have a problem with bottles going flat. The second tier is $100 a bottle; $20 a glass, with a two- glass minimum if the selected bottle is not already open. The third shelf is $30 a glass, $150 a bottle; the fourth is $40 a glass, $200 a bottle. The Bubbly Mermaid's top shelf is $50 a glass and $300-plus per bottle. Naff takes a small margin on the top Champagnes. "We don't always make a killing on our top-tier bottles, but it is fun to move some bottles that no one this far north is selling," he says. "Selling Champagne by the glass is not always economically feasible," says Brian Bolter, co- owner/beverage director of the Red Red Wine Bar in Annapolis, MD. So he upgrades his sparkling wine flight with a vintage-dated cava, a prosecco superiore and a sparkling chenin blanc from the Loire made by a Champagne winemaker. "It's a Champagne mentality at a more affordable price point," says Bolter. Of the 50 or so selections Red Red Wine Bar offers by the glass, about 10% are sparkling, including a chardonnay-riesling blend from Brazil called Salton Intenso. "I'd never had a Brazilian wine before," says Bolton. "This sparkling wine was delicious, interesting and unusual, and went over well with my customers." At his other restaurant, Dry85, which is focused on craft beer, whiskey and comfort food, Bolton serves just one sparkler, Veuve Clicquot. It's a special on his food menu: Champagne and Hand-Cut Fries tossed in truffle oil, rosemary and sea salt; "I CHALLENGE ANYONE TO BE IN A BAD MOOD WITH A GLASS OF SPARKLING WINE IN THEIR HAND." —Brandon Wise, beverage director for Denver-based Sage Restaurant Group Red Red Wine Bar in Annapolis, MD, offers some 50 wines by the glass. About five of these are sparkling, including the Salton Intenso, a chardonnay-riesling blend from Brazil. PUTTING ON THE SPRITZ