Wine training rolls out

Wine supplier Enotria is ­rolling out its new wine training scheme for bar staff following a successful three-month trial with Mitchells & Butlers brand Village Pub & Kitchen.

The scheme is free to any pub which buys its wines from the company and is aimed at staff with little or no knowledge of wine.

It takes the form of a three to four-hour in-outlet session run by Enotria staff and can be tailored to each outlet's wine list.

"Wine is a significant part of an outlet's revenue but very often gets limited focus," said marketing director John Grieveson.

"Staff training can have a profound impact on wine sales and we know from research that in casual dining outlets a level of wine knowledge and how wine is served can significantly impact a customer's overall perception of the venue."

The course is simple and even caters for staff who have no interest in wine.

"I think that's one of the areas where wine training has been fundamentally flawed in the past," explained Grieveson. "When designing training courses we've all assumed that staff have an interest in and love for wine, but that isn't always the case."

Sheila King, brand manager for Village Pub & Kitchen at Mitchells & Butlers, said: "We already enjoy a strong relationship with Enotria and were delighted to take part in the development of this programme.

"We feel it provides our staff with the skills and knowledge to serve wine with confidence to our customers. We particularly liked the focus on ensuring customer experience is enjoyable and the fact it is tailored to our own wine list."