NOTEBOOK: Wine On-Premise in 2020 pg. 2 — Conversations with New Master Sommeliers: pg. 3 Mariya Kovacheva, MS, Pernod Ricard Justin Moore, MS, Vetri Cucina, Las Vegas Joshua Orr, MS, Broadbent Selections Jill Zimorski, MS, Strategic Group, Chicago, Illinois STAR LISTINGS (800+ wines) pg. 23 — USA: Gems from Russian River Valley pg. 25 — Outstanding 2016 Cabernet Sauvignons/blends pg. 36 (Napa Valley & Washington State) — Top Merlots, Rhone-Style Blends, Syrahs, Zins pg. 45 — Great Nebbiolos from Piemonte pg. 99 — Focus on Montefalco: Rosso & Sagrantino Are pg. 91 Gaining Momentum — Special Report: 2016 Red Bordeaux pg. 72 www.restaurantwine.com/subscribe Issues #187, #188 & #189 ON-PREMISE WINE 2020: Wine Service Will Sell, but E-MAIL: Not New Tariffs [email protected] looks to be one of the most turbulent years on-premise in a decade. Internet: 2020 The list of challenges and possible issues is lengthy—ranging from labor shortages, food price increases, falling customer counts, the coronavirus www.restaurantwine.com outbreak, and stiffer trade tariffs--which, for the moment, have been postponed, www.ronnwiegand.com pending on-going trade negotiations. www.tastetour.com Despite these headwinds, and inevitable bumps along the road—be they political, ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: social, and/or economic—2020 looks to be a lukewarm if positive year in the US Ronn Wiegand, the first person in the world to hold both for the restaurant industry, notably for restaurants selling wine. the Master of Wine & Master Sommelier titles, had the distinction of passing both exams on his first attempt and receiving exclusive awards (Tim Derouet, Krug Cup) for The most serious downside risk to wine sales in the US on-premise market was the top scores in each. possible implementation of higher wine tariffs on European wines. If introduced He is an active wine consultant, wine marketing special- ist, and wine blender, who has worked in many parts of as threatened, tariffs would have decreased on-premise wine sales by 10% or more the work, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, in 2020, as operators would have had scramble to sell alternative wines to largely Italy, Hungary, Austria, the UK, Japan, and China. disgruntled customers. He is also publisher of TasteTour WineGuides and TasteTour WineCharts, concise, artistic, practical “short courses” on six of the world’s major varietal wines— available at www.tastetour.com. They have been used for That bullet has been dodged for this year, at least. Even so, the 25% tariffs introduced training in hundreds of restaurants, wineries, and wine on European wines in 2019 continue to weight on sales of these wines. distributorships throughout North America. Contributing Editor Europe: Consequently, we estimate that in 2020 inflation-adusted wine sales in the USA Hajnalka Pracser, based in Tokaj, Hungary, has worked on-premise industry will increase by a paltry 0.2%, with the majority of this growth in the industry since 1999, in Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Hungary, in many capacities—from contributed by full-service restaurants (upscale and fine dining), where slowing grape harvesting to wine marketing. She has a MA in American Studies from Debrecen University, and has traffic has been effectively off-set by higher guest check averages. written on wine for Decanter Hungary magazine. She regularly visits wine regions in Europe. An excellent taster, she is also a professional wine judge. How is that possible—fewer guests but greater sales? In two words: service (still) sells. Credits & Back Issue Information RESTAURANT WINE® (ISSN 1040-7030) Vol. 32 No. 4, 5 & 6; September-December 2019, January-February The better the service—including wine 2020. RESTAURANT WINE® is published several service—the more guests are willing to 2020 looks to be a luke- times annually (equivalent to six 24-page issues), by NOTEBOOK Wine Profits, Inc., 1911 Trenton Court, Walnut Creek, spend. Not coincidentally, the service staffs CA 94596 USA (925) 210.0604. at leading upscale and fine dining restaurants warm if positive year in the Back issues in pdf format—from #1 through this issue— tend to be well trained across the board, from are available for $24 ($US) each, except double issues ($50) and triple issues ($60), at www.restaurantwine. tableside demeanor to wine. com/newsletter. US for the restaurant indus- ® & © Copyright 2019 & 2020 by Wine Profits, Inc. As a result, those full-service operations (WPI). All rights reserved. Reproduction of material herein in any form (including by means of office copying, with consistently excellent service in 2020 try, notably for restaurants facsimile machines, and electronic media), in whole or in part, without written permission, is strictly prohibited have the opportunity to upsell a bit (5%+), by law (please call or write for reprint information and but only if their service staff is also selling wine—barring new prices). The sole exception is that news media, wineries, wine and spirits importers and distributors, retailers, carefully attuned to customers questions, restaurateurs, and hoteliers may make use of a maximum tastes, and expectations, especially with of 15 beverage product reviews per issue, but only if wine tariffs. RESTAURANT WINE® is credited and only if these wine (which is a vast, complex world of reviews are reproduced as printed, with their respective styles, types, and food pairing possibilities price categories noted. unto itself). Editorial Policy All editorial content in RESTAURANT WINE®—in- What about beverage categories—cocktails, luxury spirits, hard seltzers, craft cluding articles, reviews, tasting notes, images/graphics, beers, hard ciders, sakes, etc.—competing with wine for the customer’s share of and photography—is professionally responsible and reliable, and is not supported by payment (including stomach on-premise? Depending on the type of establishment, these all have their goods and services) of any kind. We have never accepted advertising, either in the publication itself or online at roles and constituencies. www.restaurantwine.com. RESTAURANT WINE® is entirely subscriber-supported. But wine’s primacy at the table, with food, in the US, at upscale and fine-dining establishments, suggests that 2020 in them will be a year of positive growth and increasing wine profits. Here’s to your 2020 success: Sante! 2 RESTAURANT WINE® Issues #187, #188 & #189 © Copyright 2020 by Wine Profits, Inc. (WPI). All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without written permission. CONVERSATIONS WITH NEW MASTER SOMMELIERS Mariya Kovacheva, MS Justin Moore, MS Joshua Orr, MS Jill Zimorski, MS In 2019, 150 candidates sat the Court of Master Sommeliers, America Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. Of these, 46 candidates took the Tasting and/or Practical portions of the examination at the Four Seasons Resort in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 9 and 10, 2019. Of the seven individuals who passed, four are profiled here: Mariya Kovacheva, MS, Regional Wine Education Manager, Americas, Pernod Ricard Justin Moore, MS, Wine Director, Vetri Cucina, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada Joshua Orr, MS, Regional Sales Manager, Southern California & Southern Nevada, Broadbent Selections Jill Zimorski, MS, Champagne Specialist, Strategic Group, representing the Moet Hennessy Champagne Portfolio, Chicago, Illinois Our congratulations to them all. There are four stages involved in attaining the top qualifications of Master Sommelier: 1) Introductory Sommelier Examination; 2) Certified Sommelier Examination; 3) Advanced Sommelier Examination; and 4) Master Sommelier Diploma Examination. The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination consists of three sections: a verbal theory examination, a blind tasting of six wines in 25 minutes, and a practical service component that focuses on restaurant beverage service and salesmanship. Candidates must receive passing scores in each category in order to earn the title of Master Sommelier. There are 172 professionals who have earned the title of Master Sommelier as part of the Americas chapter since the organization’s inception. Of those, 144 are men and 268 are women. Two hundred and sixty-nine professionals worldwide have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam was held in London, in 1969. The first American Master Sommelier, Raoul Sofer, passed the exam in 1971. At the time, he was Sommelier at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco. He later moved to The Clift Hotel, where publisher Ronn Wiegand joined him as Assistant Sommelier. Wiegand became the 6th American Master Sommelier in 1986. Link: www.mastersommeliers.org. © Copyright 2020 by Wine Profits, Inc. (WPI). All rights reserved. RESTAURANT WINE® Issues #187, #188 & #189 3 May not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Mariya Kovacheva, Master Sommelier Now Instagram: @mariyapours Email: [email protected] Currently: Regional Wine Education Manager – Americas, Pernod Ricard Primary job responsibilities: “I contribute to the development and application of the com- pany wine education strategy in USA and Canada. Addition- ally, I lead and manage the Wine Ambassador team across the Americas region. My role also encompasses the development of key positioning strategies and implementation of regional activations for our fine wine portfolio [which includes Ken- wood, Campo Viejo, G.H. Mumm, and Perrier-Jouet].” What she enjoys most about her job: “The opportunity to lay out the wine educational foundation