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As the public become increasingly interested and knowledgeable about what they are eating and drinking, terms such as 'locally sourced', 'organic' and 'seasonal' are now common value-adding terms on a restaurant menu.
The ongoing popularity of food-orientated television programmes indicates an consistent effort to improve quality across the board, and a desire to eat that's been food produced by people who care. Given this trend, one would expect the same applies to drink, and evidence demonstrates that there is an increasing demand for higher quality products such as fine wines.
Claire Blacker reports on the opportunities available for caterers to enhance their product offerings…
Despite more interesting, higher priced wines appearing on supermarket shelves, disappointingly few restaurant wine lists seem likely to satisfy a customer's aspiration to drink something of real interest to complement their food choice. Lists are often unbalanced and one-dimensional, and seem to reflect an apparent lack of interest or, perhaps, a lack of knowledge, about a drink which could surely provide an important contribution to both a customer's dining experience and a restaurant's bottom line.
It could be argued that such wine lists reflect customer demand for the wines on offer and, inevitably, a lack of wine knowledge on behalf of the customer is partly responsible for this. A stalemate seems to exist where a restaurant will offer a list that aims to appeal to a wide range of tastes, and from which the customers will select something that merely 'will do.' The probable truth is that neither is truly satisfied with the outcome, and so the enjoyment/sales opportunity falls short of its potential for both parties. In the absence of knowledge, price is king. How many customers simply select the 'house' offering because it's the cheapest and 'least risky' option?
Is there a solution in sight? Well, customers are definitely becoming more knowledgeable about wine, its properties and its origins, but the change in attitudes and education levels is inevitably slow. Wine has its fair share of idiosyncrasies and nuances and understanding it isn't such a straightforward exercise. However, the demand is increasing for better quality, more interesting wine and, in the interim, the potential is there for restaurateurs to bridge the knowledge gap. Eating in restaurants isn't merely about the food - customers are looking for an experience - and service has to be the priority, ahead of food, environment and price. The opportunity is there for restaurants and bars to provide superior service by employing waiting and bar staff who are confident in wine service, offering advice and making food- and wine- matching suggestions. The demand, resources and opportunities are there – but it's up to the industry to take the initiative.
The Case Studies Wine School, based in Edinburgh, offers professional wine & spirits training courses throughout Scotland.
For more information contact Claire on 01236 829 920 or visit www.casestudieswineschool.co.uk
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine August/September 2008.
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