Wine Focus: Question of quality

Wine research from The Publican in association with:

The final part in our series on raising the profile of wine in pubs brings together the ideas of the previous five features and suggests that at the end of the day quality is key to boosting sales.​

The letter "Q" has got an air of sophistication about it. There is the James Bond character who is always at the cutting edge, bringing together all the latest informational and technological innovations to produce state-of-the-art gadgets that constantly get the oh-so-suave one out of trouble.

You may also recognise it as a forerunner to an answer, but the "Q" word of our day is increasingly that of "quality".

Everyone's always banging on about it save the odd publican when the subject of their wine list is brought up.

Customers have noticed this and have voted with their wallets and their feet, decamping to restaurants and style bars where they perceive wine is taken more seriously.

There is a way out, however. Just follow The Publican's simple five-step guideline.

• Visibility​

The biggest reason wine drinkers never consume wines in pubs is because they never consider it. It doesn't take an Einstein to conclude that increasing wine's visibility will improve its performance in your outlet. The old merchandising cliché "eye level is buy level" still holds true. So resist the temptation to create a waist-level display and take the plunge with a back-bar display five or six feet off the ground. Create some wine lists, too, and satisfy your customers' idle curiosity with gambits about the wine's provenance, taste, price and serve-size. And why not jazz up the old chalkboard for added effect.

Range​

Recognise the huge shift in consumers' wine-drinking habits that has occurred, and accommodate it. Fifteen years ago, Brits almost exclusively drank wines from our European cousins. Now we're just as likely to drink from the New World. So, offer a varied range of wines that takes into account not only price, but also country/region of origin, grape variety and brand. And don't get over-ambitious with the number of wines offered by the glass - wine tends to stay fresh for no more than a day, and bottles open beyond that will not only discourage consumption in your venue, but throughout pubs in general.

Food​

No less than two-thirds of pub-goers tend to drink their wine with food. The wine-food combo is as successful as Torville and Dean. Recognise that this is one of those win-win situations, by providing a range of wines that complement food. Shout about your wine range on your food menu, and if you're really adventurous you could even introduce your customers to your food offerings on your wine list.

Solo​

There's been a huge rise in drinking wine without food over the last decade but still only 37 per cent of pub-goers claim they drink wine on its own. Most solo wine drinking is done by women, so ensure you create a female-friendly atmosphere. Consider mini, single-serve bottles. They are increasingly available and reassures your sceptical audience that the wine served is fresh. Include lighter, fresher styles of wine which are more suited to solo consumption. These include riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio among whites, and pinot noir among reds.

Training​

Wine is a complex drink, but don't be intimidated by the wine bores and cork dorks - a bare minimum of knowledge will reassure and delight your customers. Thankfully, such knowledge is now easily accessible. Consider the WSET Level One, which is specifically designed to not only educate the attendee, but enable the knowledge garnered to be passed on to their staff.

The Publican's research conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres in association with Jacob's Creek, JP Chenet and Waverley Wines and Spirits, clearly revealed that pub customers' wine expectations exceed their experience.

By following the steps outlined and in the preceding articles, pubs will be well on the way to turning such preconceptions into misconceptions.

Top tips for wine visibility​

• Remove clutter from the back-bar to create space for displays
• Display wine brands and varietals together to attract the customer's eye
• Change displays regularly to attract attention
• Allocate space in the wine chiller for top selling/promotional wines
• Use visual cues - wine coolers, ice buckets - to entice customers to think of wine
• Use point-of-sale and merchandising materials to highlight wine, including blackboards, posters, table cards and branded items
• Place additional wine displays near to food service points
• Use wine menus for wine descriptions, tasting notes, pricing and serve sizes available
• Use staff uniforms to promote wine with branded T-shirts and aprons
• Remember: wine visibility and display can influence customers' buying decisions.

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Top tips for range​

• Provide a range that ensures your customers' tastes and varied drinking occasions are satisfied
• The ideal range should offer your consumers a choice of different price points, varietals, brands and countries of origin
• It is important that New World wines are part of your offering as Australian wine is the most popular among wine
  consumers
• 79% of consumers are more likely to select a product that they are familiar with so make sure that brands are part of your offering (Research International 2001)
• Follow the trends in the off-trade and change your wine offering to keep up with the most popular varietals, brands and countries of origin
• Offer wine by the glass but limit the choice to ensure that quality is not compromised
• Ensure that the range is visible.

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Top tips for wine with food​

• Stock a range of wines that will complement a strong food offer
• Matching food and wine helps boost the profit potential of both
• Ensure you have knowledge of and confidence in the most suitable food and wine combinations for your outlet
• Training is the key but keep it simple. Stick to basic facts, grape descriptions and styles
• Don't be afraid to be adventurous and experiment - break with tradition
• Highlight wine and food matches on chalkboards, table talkers and wine menus
• Place wine lists in food menus or at the food till point
• Analyse the basic elements of taste in both the wine and food. Balance the elements, don't let either one overpower the other
• Always match the strongest flavour on the plate. In many cases this could be the sauce which accompanies the dish
• Consider the method of cooking. When steaming, poaching, boiling choose a light bodied wine with good acidity
• Slow-cooked food: roasted, braised, stewed, grilled, choose a fuller bodied wine with robust flavours

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Top tips for wine without food​

• Display your range of wines clearly - visibility is the key to sales
• Show wine as a mainstream alternative to beer and spirits which can also be drunk without food
• Create a female-friendly atmosphere. Women are more likely to choose wine for a social occasion, for example when they are out with the girls or a