Stateways

ference between the different blends of champagne: classic blend (a third of each of the three champagne grapes), blanc des blancs (100% Chardonnay), rosé, blanc des noirs (predominately black-skinned grapes) and single village wines. By changing a few habits and mindsets, retailers might just be able to get customers to purchase an extra bottle or two of bubbly on their next visit to the store. o sell champagne, it pays to have a strategy. Mike Martin, who handles the top champagne account sales at Selection Pas Mal - a New York importer carrying eleven brands of champagne, including the darling labels Laherte Frères and José Dhondt - groups his wines by Champagne regions. He emphasizes to his retail accounts that having a wine from each of the three main regions of Champagne pro- vides diversity: the Vallée de la Marne is Pinot Meunier- predominant; Côte des Blancs is Chardonnay land; and the Montagne de Reims is known for its Pinot Noir. Martin focuses on selling styles of champagne rather than brands. T This sales concept, which Martin cleverly calls “dis- tribution of style,” is more about educating the consumer on champagne styles than about pushing individual, less- er-known champagne houses on the consumer. This education-based and comprehensive sales model encourages a year-round rather than short-term, season- al attitude toward champagne consumption. “What I give the customer is an understanding of just how differ- ent these Champagnes can be, and also ways of selling the correct Champagne to the person looking for a par- ticular style,” Martin explains. “Since all three are dif- ferent, the merchant now has a few more suggestions to offer his cus- tomer.” Staff training for retail accounts is another one of Martin’s key strate- gies. He teaches the staff about the three main regions that make up Champagne and also trains retailers how to ask the best questions to gauge their customers’ champagne prefer- ences. Once the staff has taste-tested the wines they’re selling they feel more confident in their knowledge and, thus, make more sales. And to help break from the holiday-only stigma, Martin suggests emphasizing the culinary-accompaniment poten- tial and cuisine-versatility aspects of champagne. 40 Setting a Strategy Champagne comprises a surprisingly considerable portion of sales for many A-list wine retailers. The pres- tigious Park Avenue retailer Sherry-Lehmann has long been one of New Yorkers’ go-to place for bubblies. Known for the breadth and depth of its champagne selection, Sherry-Lehmann currently carries more than 260 champagne selections. COO and partner Shyda Gilmer says that champagne makes up almost 20% of the retailer’s total annual sales and has been on the upswing, with double-digit growth last year. While Sherry-Lehmann has a long history of part- nerships with high-profile champagne brands (including Roederer, Perrier-Jouët and Dom Pérignon), it consis- tently maintains marketing efforts and special offers in its catalog, which goes to a mailing list of 110,000 cus- tomers five times a year. In addition, about seven times a year Sherry-Lehmann has the cellar masters or propri- etors of champagne houses conduct staff training and host in-store tastings. Gilmer also emphasizes the importance of its sponsorship of high-profile events, such as Fashion Week and Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), for maintaining the seamless asso- ciation of champagne and Sherry-Lehmann. n the age of online shopping, Sherry-Lehmann still uses its Park Avenue storefront window dis- play as a key showcase for “special” wine promo- tions — of which its partnership with Veuve Clicquot’s Polo Classic last summer is a prime example. In conjunction with this partnership, every Friday last June it hosted free cocktail-hour tastings of the entire line-up of Clicquot champagnes to draw in clients. I Summer Promotion Last summer, Sherry-Lehmann in New York City used its Park Avenue storefront window as a key showcase for Veuve Clicquot’s Polo Classic promotion. StateWays  www.stateways.com  May/June 2011

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Editors Note
• Dateline
• Explanation of Benefits
• NABCA Roundtable
• Champagne
• Vodka
• Tequila
• Products