The Wines For Every Taste Program
What is "Wines for Every Taste?"
A comprehensive program to better integrate wine sales and wine enjoyment into the restaurant guest experience,
by providing servers and guests with suggested wine pairings for each menu item.
What is the Purpose of "Wines for Every Taste?"
⁃ Increase quality of the restaurant Guest Experience
⁃ Increase the restaurant wine sales
⁃ Increase overall restaurant guest traffic
⁃ Increase service staff knowledge of:
• Wine and its importance in the Fine Dining experience
• Menu item flavors and flavor components and the attendant wine choice indicators
Create a mechanism to:
⁃ Highlight and create awareness of she restaurant wine offering and wine expertise for foot traffic
and guests who've entered the restaurant
⁃ Facilitate introduction of the Sommelier to guests (ice breaker - something to say)
⁃ Provide structure and substance for server/guest conversations concerning taste and
wine preferences aimed at matching in-stock wines and menu items to guest tastes
⁃ Raise guest and potential guest awareness of the depth and breadth of the restaurant's
offering and wine/food pairing expertise
What is the basis of "Wines for Every Taste?"
⁃ Selected wine pairings (by-the-glass and bottle) for every menu item, as well as selected menu items
for wine choices
⁃ Education of the service staff to enable tailored wine discussions with every guest
⁃ Ease of use for guests and staff
⁃ Increased guest visibility of wines and wine expertise at the restaurant
How does it work?
⁃ Simplify the wine list for customers and service staff, organized in parallel with
the food menu (One, Two, etc.)
• Reduce guest intimidation and hesitation posed by a large wine list containing,
a lot of unfamiliar labels and wines from unfamiliar regions
⁃ Pairings Menu card
• Available in reception area for guest perusal
• Provided and introduced at the table by the host/hostess/server
• Utilized by Sommelier as an "ice breaker" to introduce him/herself and illustrate
simplicity of choosing and ordering paired wines
⁃ Biweekly/semimonthly staff tasting sessions, providing staff and severs first-hand experience,
with the taste profiles of wines chosen to enhance each food menu item
• Basis for opening a dialogue with guests
• Project confidence based on knowledge and familiar descriptions
• Include two menu items per session, beginning with the most popular
⁃ "Wines for Every Taste" program poster on easel in the reception area
⁃ "Wines for Every Taste" pamphlet for distribution to area concierges, local company HR Reps,
Event Planners, etc.
⁃ Continuous tracking of wine sales to focus training and facilitate related decisions
What are some features of the program?
⁃ Wine and food pairing events:
• Restaurant Manager, Chef and Wine Director chosen menu items and wines
• Maximum 50 participants
• By reservation
• Held in on-site restaurant event room
• Publicized on web site, social media, wine groups, hotel concierges, and
Atlanta-focused event sites
⁃ Added Menu Items:
• Four course food and wine sampling (guest-chosen, tapas-size servings, pre-paired wines)
• Four course flighted dinner (guest-chosen, standard menu items, pre-paired wines)
Here's a sample menu pairing