Wine Education Essential, Yet Often Ineffective

STAFF TRAINING TEACHING THE ‘BIG PICTURE’

Most restaurants want to sell more wine. Guests drinking wine spend more and leave happier than others. Beverage managers work hard to stock a range of wines appropriate for their menu. But, the servers are the ones at every table who need to feel confident describing each item. If they aren’t comfortable discussing wine, they won’t be good at selling it. Restaurants that want to boost wine sales must teach their servers how to talk about wine. Wine education may be essential, but it is rarely as effective as it should be. Most restaurant training programs skip over the big picture to focus on complex specifics, like grapes, appellations and vintages. Some simply introduce new pours at pre-shift meetings with a brief description, but give little in the way of context or guidance. Others rely solely on distributors to provide wine training, sending mixed signals as a result. Focusing on what is unique to a few wines without first addressing what they all share is like trying to teach the exceptions before the rules. Servers that don’t speak the lingo or grasp the fundamentals often find wine training confusing and tune out in frustration. Like teaching algebra before arithmetic, skipping the basics bogs students down in minutia without a supporting framework of general principles. For example, it’s far easier to remember the flavor differences between Pinot Noir from Oregon and California once you’ve got a sense of the effect of climate on the ripening process. The key to more effective wine education is to apply the same method used for any topic in school; start with the absolute basics before introducing advanced concepts. Overwhelmed by wine’s complexity, many managers rely on wine companies to lead training sessions. While suppliers are a terrific resource for supplemental wine education, the service is free for a reason; it is a form of advertising. Marketing is biased by definition, and supplier-led trainings emphasize strengths and play down weaknesses. A Napa Valley producer might praise his Chardonnay’s richness and concentration. A French importer may argue the exact opposite, that his Chablis’ food- friendly acidity and restraint are assets. Without a sense of context, servers will be justifiably confused. Wine orientation should be part of the ‘initial training’ that restaurants provide new hires. Teaching basic concepts independently of wine companies may be a challenge, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Demonstrating how to taste and defining sensory terms free of marketing spins builds self-confidence. Explaining the why’s and how’s of wine puts novices on solid footing for the ‘ongoing training’ that will follow. Like the old adage about teaching a man to fish, basic wine training provides beginners with conceptual tools they can build on, rather than sound bites applicable to only one wine. Instead of struggling to memorize cumbersome lists, servers given an introduction to wine fundamentals learn more, learn faster and ultimately sell more wine.

‘BASIC TRAINING’ should assume nothing and define each new term. Topics to cover include: o HOW TO TASTE AND DESCRIBE WINE Focus on obvious objective characteristics, like acidity and tannin, over

subjective descriptions and value judgments. Define confusing sensory terms, like “dry” and “body”. Demonstrate proper technique, drawing attention to which sense perceives which feature. o WHAT WINE IS AND HOW IT’S MADE Explain fermentation, in order to simplify style differences. Eg. Ferment with the dark skins for red wines, ferment in a sealed container for sparkling wines, stop fermentation early for off-dry wines, etc… o WHY WINES TASTE SO DIVERSE Break down the factors behind wine flavor by category: grape variety, region of origin and human influence. Illustrate the most important concepts, like the effects of climate or barrel aging, through side by side comparisons of otherwise similar wines. o THE MAJOR GRAPES AND REGIONS Emphasize the 6 major grapes and their flavor profiles, as well as the 6 French regions whose styles are imitated worldwide. Explain new grapes and regions with reference to these ‘icons’ in ongoing training. o OLD WORLD / NEW WORLD CONTRASTS Highlight the differences between classic European and modern New World wines in terms of climate, philosophy and labeling law. Demonstrate the consistent pattern of flavor variation through side by side comparisons of otherwise similar wines. o HOW WINE AND FOOD FLAVORS INTERACT Spell out the simple principles of sensory science that govern the interactions of wine and food. Show how salt and fat minimize the perception of acidity and tannin in wine, and how two similar flavors balance each other rather than seeming stronger together.