Archive for May, 2018

Wine Industry Stats, Facts, and Figur

May 29th, 2018

If you’re looking for the numbers to back up your assertions – or you want to get a sense of what direction some part of the wine world might be heading, we’ve got the resource for you. [level-members] Or, more accurately, Ricardh Hemming does. You’ll find his compendium here, which is an update on the […]

National Wine Day 20

May 25th, 2018

Yes, we know it’s Friday and we almost always post food and wine pairing ideas and recipes, but we’re going to skip that today because today is National Wine Day! [level-members] Unlike other lesser lights on the yearly calendar of holidays – we’re looking at you, National Kazoo Day (January 28th, if you’re interested) – National […]

Wine Stories Worth Sharing – May 24, 20

May 24th, 2018

Vibrant white wines from decidedly not-cool climates, affordable Pinot, and mindfulness with your daily tipple. [level-members] Mindfulness, meditation, and a nice glass of wine. All jokes aside, there’s something to be said for being “in the moment” while enjoying wine. Who doesn’t love affordable Pinot?  What’s hot is cool, what’s cool is hot. At least when […]

Sell Less to Sell More Wi

May 23rd, 2018

The key to selling more wine is to not always be all about selling wine. Engage your audience on another level and you’ll get more of their attention. [level-members] Make interesting and useful recommendations and you’ll create a more devoted following. Like, for example, recommendations about setting up a home bar.  Remember that for a […]

Value, Perceived Value, and Wi

May 22nd, 2018

Is that $80 bottle of wine really worth four times that $20 bottle? [level-members] It depends, and from a wine shop business standpoint, it makes sense to stock wines in a full range of prices because the price of the bottle is less important than the value. Let’s get this out of the way right up front: […]

Wine Industry News for May 21, 20

May 21st, 2018

Is the natural wine movement right that “everything” is wrong with the modern wine industry? A bootlegging bust in Brooklyn. Drought’s effect on price and quality in South Africa. And we begin with excellence in Bordeaux. (but in Walla Walla …) [level-members] Is Bordeaux ceding its excellence? Fans in Walla Walla, Washington may like The […]

Food & Wine Pairing: Another Springtime Pairi

May 18th, 2018

It’s shaping up to be another soggy weekend in much of the country, so grilling may not be the best option, but spring is still here and we can cook like it! [level-members] We’re headed off the beaten path this week, with an interesting recipe from Bon Appetit: Pea Pancakes. These will work for a […]

Wine Stories Worth Sharing for May 17, 20

May 17th, 2018

Randall Grahm, assessing wine without tasting it, and wine tours off the beaten path. We start, though, with a train trip. [level-members] Tequila Train sounds a lot different than it turns out to be. Might be more rewarding, though, to take a wine tour off the beaten path. Apparently, you can “assess” a wine without […]

Help Your Wine Shop Customers not be Wine Sno

May 16th, 2018

Wine snobs are insufferable. The trick to teaching people how not to be wine snobs is to not teach them at all. [level-members] As I read this humorous take on wine snobbery – and learning to become a wine snob – I realized how little time most of us devote to educating our wine shop […]

Being a Responsible Wine Shop Own

May 15th, 2018

Apologies for a heavier-than-usual article today, but this is a topic we can’t ignore. [level-members] And quite frankly, I’m not ever sure there’s a solid actionable item or take-away, which is usually what I’m shooting for when I decide what to write. But as much as we focus on the positive aspects of wine and […]