Services
Consulting:
As a wine rep for more than 20 years, when my buyers asked me to recommend a bottle, it often came down to price and budget. Anyone can pick a great expensive bottle but finding a gem at $10 requires real effort and many, many tastings of wines that aren’t so good. I’ve produced award-winning wine lists and what I’ve discovered is size doesn’t matter, the real quality is in the selections.
A wine list should reflect the food, attitude, passion, and ownership of the restaurant. A good wine will not only complement and enhance the food, but also elevate the experience of dining and socializing.
A wine list speaks volumes and wine is often accompanied by feelings of warmth, comfort and long-term memories. It’s not just food that pairs with the wine but everything within the scene or as the French say, “
mis-en-scene.”
keys to wine buying
Knowing how to buy wine is the most important aspect of wine buying. As an industry insider there are ways to buy wine that determine margins and profitability in ways only insiders are aware of.
Training
When developing and implementing a wine list the decisions on what to include or exclude can excite or alienate your guests and staff. A wine list should be a pleasant discovery, familiar and new. If a sommelier must go to every table to explain what’s on the list, you’re already making it harder than it should be.
Mechanics of Wine Analysis
My four-point analytical system simplifies breaking down wine in ways that anyone can grasp and sound like a pro.
Wine Speak
Learning how to articulate and talk about wine in ways that are accessible, original, and accurately convey what’s going on in the bottle.
6 Wines – Comparison Tasting
Wine is divided into two worlds Old and New. Comparing and contrasting differences in wine is fundamental to understanding what the wine is saying.
