When it comes to wine regions, everyone knows Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Napa Valley, along with a handful of other high-profile regions. Encouraging your shop customers to foray beyond the tried-and-true can benefit you on a number of levels. [level-members]
First, helping customers explore wine from, say, South Africa, or even less popular regions of Italy and France – Valle d’Aosta or Alsace, for example – is obviously an excellent way to encourage a passion in your existing customers. People love “discovering” new things that they can claim as their own, and drinking something other than the usual is frequently a point of pride for those who have or are developing a passion for wine. If you’re the one who introduces them, they will love you – and seek out more great finds from you.
Second, championing alternative regions and varietals is another great way to burnish your own reputation as a shop with a real personality. Carving out that unique niche is critical if you want to avoid competing on price and convenience.
And what new regions should they explore – and why? Here are a few worth looking into, though they’re not all exactly undiscovered. [/level-members]