Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/72545
MANAGEMENT MARKET WATCH Restaurant Lists Gone Rogue Trendy, 'hot' accounts are cool to mainstream wines as this happened to you late- ly? You sit down at the trendy new restaurant that your sales reps have been badgering for a placement, and you browse the by-the-glass selections. Assyr- tiko? Lagrein? Lacryma Christi? Sweet Jesus! I think I'm about to cry, myself. Big-city sommeliers and bever- age managers have gone rogue in recent years. Many of today's hot restaurants have wine lists that would have been considered insane 10 years ago. The trend may have some roots in the recession, but shows no signs of weakening. Wines that have been smoldering for thousands of years are suddenly as trendy as they are impenetrable. Part of the phenomenon is genera- tional, part of it is cost-related, and all of it potentially spells trouble for domestic producers focused on tried-and-true noble grapes. In key markets, obscurity clearly has cachet. It would be easy to chalk up the movement to the re-defini- tion of Italian restaurants toward regionally focused wine lists, in the realm of San Francisco's A-16, which features Southern Italian fare and wines. But even so-called "New American" restaurants have clearly adopted similarly focused wine lists. If you think it's purely a coastal trend, take a look at the wine lists at Minneapolis restau- rants Piccolo, where white malvar Tim Teichgraeber cut his teeth in retail wine sales before becoming the wine col- umnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Today he is a contributor to the San Fran- cisco Chronicle, Tasting Panel, Opus Vino and other publications, when he's not working as an entertainment lawyer in San Francisco. from Madrid is the most affordable by-the-glass option, and the Scan- dinavian-inspired Bachelor Farmer, where a thirst for Cour-Chevergny or apremont can be slaked. At both restaurants, the food is as brilliant as the wine is challenging. YOUNG SOMMS SEEK OBSCURITIES I've discussed this topic with Marnie Old, a Philadelphia-based author, educator and consultant. We both have mixed feelings about the predominance of oddball Euro- pean wines that are popping up on American wine lists: We appreciate the diversity of offerings, but won- der if diners are really being well- served. "What happens with all national SHORT COURSE Wine lists at trendy restaurants in metropolitan areas are increas- ingly populated with esoteric vari- eties. Sommeliers can be highly ide- alistic and zealous in promoting unusual wines. Young diners are "comfortably insecure" and willing to try a glass of something new. Domestic producers with some- thing interesting to offer can make it onto a hip list. Many young sommeliers today promote obscure wines, rather than tried-and-true selections. Photo: Thinkstock 26 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT JULY - AUG 2012 Buyers' demand for food-friendly wines is a driver of the quirky wine list trend. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM TIM TEICHGRAEBER