Why I Hate Their Wine List
A few months ago I wrote about Why I Hate Your Wine List. many of you responded by showing me your wine lists, and well, I hated most of them.
Hate is a strong word, and it is used here more for poetic effect than any actual vehemence. I hate the markup most restaurants charge, I hate the confusion that too many wine lists cause, and I hate the lost opportunity to turn a decent, honest profit while keeping your customers happy. Whew, that is a lot hate. I also hate to watch waiters open the bottle at the table, but that is another rant.
I recently visited The Wine Spot here in Aspen. Before I get into what I didn't like, let me point out that I had a good time, and I do recommend you visit when you are in town. The ambiance is great, with overstuffed chairs and sofas, and several cosy fireplaces.There is a huge selection of wines by the glass to enjoy, and a few nibbles to order.
Their wine program is carefully thought out and shows a purposeful style and direction. Alas, I think that they still make some fundamental mistakes. These are keeping them from realizing greater profits, and a stronger following.
It is great to have a lot of wines by the glass. It is a chance to taste a lot of new wines, and to make comparisons. At least it would be if The Wine Spot offered "flights" of wines.
Other wine bars allow you to order several wines together, each a small pour in an appropriate tasting glass. The wines can be all the same with different vintages (a vertical tasting) or all the same vintage but different producers (a horizontal tasting).
The permutations are endless, but the point is that a wine bar should sell small tastes of several wines at once, and not just a full glass of wine. For the consumer this is a rare opportunity to learn about wines and find new favorites. For the establishment it is a way to sell wine with the highest possible markup, while still offering a great service. Everyone wins.
Food is always nice with a glass of wine, and in Colorado all bars have to prepare some sort of food (we have what is called "tavern licenses"). The Wine Spot has some really tasty treats, unfortunately most of them are very wine unfriendly (the menu on the web site is better than what was offered to me).
Artichokes, vinegars and bitter greens are tough with wine, especially red wine, and it seemed everything had one or the other. We settled on a cheese plate and were disappointed with the lack of variety, and shocked at the ginger laden cheese that ruined our fabulous Zinfandel. We were told that it goes great with Riesling, but we were drinking red wine when we ordered it. At least they had a cheese plate.
While the wine list itself is extensive (and different from what is posted on their site), it is not particularly friendly for the average wine lover. At the risk of offending the good people at The Wine Spot (since I am in so well with them up to this point) the list looks to me like someone is trying to show off. Obscure is preferred over quality, and there is little balance in pricing and styles. It was difficult for me to find a well priced wine, and therefore even harder for the average Jane.
I am all for an impressive list. I am also all for sharing great finds, but in all things balance. A list needs to cater to the client, not just intimidate them. An overwhelming list needs needs an well trained staff to sell it, and while those who created the wine program have impressive bona fides, the bartender when we were there was, well, a bartender.
The Wine Spot gets kudos for just existing. We need more wine bars, and more wine programs that are created with care and thought. We don't need more over hyped, over priced sources of wine intimidation. The Wine Spot is too much the latter for my tastes, but I urge you to visit for yourself and let me know what you think.
Hate is a strong word, and it is used here more for poetic effect than any actual vehemence. I hate the markup most restaurants charge, I hate the confusion that too many wine lists cause, and I hate the lost opportunity to turn a decent, honest profit while keeping your customers happy. Whew, that is a lot hate. I also hate to watch waiters open the bottle at the table, but that is another rant.
I recently visited The Wine Spot here in Aspen. Before I get into what I didn't like, let me point out that I had a good time, and I do recommend you visit when you are in town. The ambiance is great, with overstuffed chairs and sofas, and several cosy fireplaces.There is a huge selection of wines by the glass to enjoy, and a few nibbles to order.
Their wine program is carefully thought out and shows a purposeful style and direction. Alas, I think that they still make some fundamental mistakes. These are keeping them from realizing greater profits, and a stronger following.
It is great to have a lot of wines by the glass. It is a chance to taste a lot of new wines, and to make comparisons. At least it would be if The Wine Spot offered "flights" of wines.
Other wine bars allow you to order several wines together, each a small pour in an appropriate tasting glass. The wines can be all the same with different vintages (a vertical tasting) or all the same vintage but different producers (a horizontal tasting).
The permutations are endless, but the point is that a wine bar should sell small tastes of several wines at once, and not just a full glass of wine. For the consumer this is a rare opportunity to learn about wines and find new favorites. For the establishment it is a way to sell wine with the highest possible markup, while still offering a great service. Everyone wins.
Food is always nice with a glass of wine, and in Colorado all bars have to prepare some sort of food (we have what is called "tavern licenses"). The Wine Spot has some really tasty treats, unfortunately most of them are very wine unfriendly (the menu on the web site is better than what was offered to me).
Artichokes, vinegars and bitter greens are tough with wine, especially red wine, and it seemed everything had one or the other. We settled on a cheese plate and were disappointed with the lack of variety, and shocked at the ginger laden cheese that ruined our fabulous Zinfandel. We were told that it goes great with Riesling, but we were drinking red wine when we ordered it. At least they had a cheese plate.
While the wine list itself is extensive (and different from what is posted on their site), it is not particularly friendly for the average wine lover. At the risk of offending the good people at The Wine Spot (since I am in so well with them up to this point) the list looks to me like someone is trying to show off. Obscure is preferred over quality, and there is little balance in pricing and styles. It was difficult for me to find a well priced wine, and therefore even harder for the average Jane.
I am all for an impressive list. I am also all for sharing great finds, but in all things balance. A list needs to cater to the client, not just intimidate them. An overwhelming list needs needs an well trained staff to sell it, and while those who created the wine program have impressive bona fides, the bartender when we were there was, well, a bartender.
The Wine Spot gets kudos for just existing. We need more wine bars, and more wine programs that are created with care and thought. We don't need more over hyped, over priced sources of wine intimidation. The Wine Spot is too much the latter for my tastes, but I urge you to visit for yourself and let me know what you think.
