Wine Focus: Simply corking!
The secret to success in the wine and pubs market is not as simple as conquering the merchandising and training problems. To be honest, there are so many issues to address, skills to learn and information to absorb that it takes a long time tocompletely master it.
However, there are simple lessons that can be learnt that will improve your wine sales and add to your bottom line. Here are some tips from across the pub industry, from retailers to wholesalers, as well as a closer look at a successful retailer who set herself the challenge of transforming a set of typical beer-led, no-food pubs, into destination venues, with great food and fantastic wines.
Case study: Bernie Taylor, Mulberry Pub Company
Bernie Taylor has great pedigree in the pub market, having worked for Marston's, Bass and latterly Mitchells & Butlers, running the Edwards and Loaf brands.
In October 2005 she set up the Mulberry Pub Company. Her aim was to take 'spit and sawdust' pubs and turn them into destination food and wine pubs.
She has had great success with her first two ventures (the Mulberry Tree and the Bradgate), which were both very much in the beer-led mould, while her latest, the Red House, has been shortlisted for The Publican's Pub Food Awards Wine & Food Matching Pub of the Year.
"I was looking to change those businesses around. I saw in Bass in the late 1990s that the landscape was changing; that pubs would need to increase the percentage of food sales.
"You could see the growth of the importance of families and that in essence, children were dictating where people went."That led to the growth of the importance of food - but of course you cannot do food without a good wine offer.
"Really, it is all about attention to detail. More people are drinking wine and travelling. They drink wine while they are abroad - and want it when they get home. It is about providing that experience again for them.
"There will always be people who know more about wine than you - so you have to give staff the confidence that they can have a basic conversation about wine and not let the customer down.
"Don't be pretentious and remember, you are not wrong or right - it's all about choice. It is like recommending music to someone - it's personal.
"You have to understand your customer and be absolutely sure what kind of customers you are trying to appeal to. If you are going for a more female audience, for instance, then go for the best pinot grigio you can. Wine is constantly evolving - what is great now won't be in three months time so you have to stay on top of it.
"How you present wines is also crucial - give the customer some help on the taste of the wines by describing them on your list."
Some more top tips
Emma Jeffrey, wine trainer, Enotria
1. Your staff have to know the product - so tasting is vital as you have to be able to talk to the customer about it2. Learn about a few styles and grape varieties - bite-size training is the way forward3. Wine is all about perception. Everyone's opinion is valid - let staff offer their opinions
Claire Archer, category manager, Punch Taverns
1. Always have a wine of the month on your pub wine list2. Have wine menus on tables and have wine and food matching suggestions on them3. Make sure wine is always displayed on your back-bar
Robin Knapp, director of wine, Matthew Clark
1. Offer two house wines for red and white - say, a house red and house shiraz, with the latter being a little more expensive2. Most pubs should have a mix of brands and non-brands3. Focus on names people know. Or focus on grape names. Just use clear, simple words4. Have a range of by-the-glass options that are not all at the lowest level5. Offer by style not by country, which has been done to death
