Wine at the restaurant, or better to say, the way wine is being served and sold
at the restaurant, is a frequent subject and most of the times troublesome. The
fact it is a frequent subject, it is very likely in restaurants - talking in
general terms - the service of wine is often seen by clients as inadequate or
unsatisfactory. It is a troublesome subject because whenever you talk about wine
at the restaurant, it is almost impossible not to talk about its price and, in
particular, the profit they make in order to bring a bottle to the table.
Moreover, this subject is troublesome for producers as well: when you ask them
about the price at which their wines are generally sold at the shelf, they show
an evident annoyance in telling this information as this is sometimes out of
their control. As they have to sell their wines, also in restaurants, in order
not to wrong them - last but not the least, in order not to receive
complains for having spread a certain price - they do all they can in order to
avoid saying a reliable price.
The marketing of wine is very particular. As opposed to what happens for many
other products, for which it frequently is the producer to set the retail price,
in wine exists a sort of marketing anarchy in which everyone, more or less,
sets the price which is considered to be appropriate or
convenient. Therefore we have, for example, profits which are sometimes
higher than 400%, even though it is very common to sell a wine with at least a
profit of 150% from its cost. This is, of course, a generalization, as there
are many cases in which can be seen an evident exception. They are just cases,
in fact. It is not my intention to blame restaurants for getting excessively
high profits, as this also happens in other business categories, too. It is
however undeniable the most frequent complain from consumers is about the price
paid for a bottle of wine at the restaurant. I can say this also because of the
many letters we receive from our readers: most of them are about the retail
price of wines, in particular, at the restaurant.
Complains are not about price only. Many complain about the little attention the
wine receives at the restaurant, not only about the way it is being served, but
also about the way it is being presented. Inadequate glasses, approximate
temperature, confusing wine list which is sometimes a mere list of what should
be available in the cellar. Moreover, many complain about the scarce
technical knowledge of the staff in charge of serving wine, sometimes having
evident difficulties even at the moment of uncorking a bottle. Not to mention
when the bottle arrives at the table already uncorked: any suspect and any doubt
about its content and the wine itself are legitimate. Sometimes, when you sit at
the table of a restaurant, you get the impression wine is an obstacle instead of
something allowing the best appreciation of what has been produced in the
kitchen. For many, this is undeniable, wine is simply a way to increase profits,
in other words, a product like any other else, provided it allows the increasing
of the amount a client will pay at the end of the meal.
It is not my intention to blame all the restaurants: there are in fact many and
praiseworthy exceptions. There are restaurants which understood the role of
wine, and in particular, what a client expects and sometimes it is not happy
with the house wine or with the sad question white or red?. It is
however undeniable they are exceptions, as in most of the cases the service and
the attention wine gets at the restaurant is quite depressing. It is not a
matter of price only: I am certainly willing to pay a price in case I get an
adequate and professional service in return, something satisfying my
expectations. I admit I am very pedantic when I sit at the table of a restaurant
- after all, it is not always easy, in those cases, to get rid of your
professional bias - however it is also true my pedantry is in function of
what I spend and what I get in return. Just like everyone, after all.
The difficult relationship of wine and the restaurant is not only affected by
price, it is however disconcerting sometimes the price of a bottle is higher
than what you pay for the meal. It could be said producers are the ones to be
blamed for this and for the fact they sell their wines at high prices. It is
known this is not always true, however the solution is very simple and was
proposed for the first time by Luigi Veronelli - and then supported by others,
including myself - when he suggested to state in the bottle the price at which
it is usually sold at the winery. No one is questioning the fact everyone
selling a wine should get a legitimate and understandable profit for their job,
however this is different from speculation. Maybe this is the reason why most of
restaurants do not allow their clients to bring their own wines from home,
something which is accepted in many countries of the world, as this is
considered as a cause of loss of profit, despite the fact it is right to pay for
the service of bottle uncorking, the use and wash of glasses.
Not only of prices and profits, but also, and in particular, of service. I am
happy to pay something more, provided I get something adequate in return.
Professionalism and work of others, not only are to be respected, but they also
have been properly paid. By seeing those awkward operations during the uncorking
of a bottle and the service of wine, inadequate glasses or wrong temperatures,
it does not positively predispose the client. The same can be said for some
confusing wine lists, with evident and embarrassing mistakes, lack of information
which are not however satisfied even in case one asks the person assigned to the
service. Professionalism is also this: being capable of answering questions of
clients and to be culturally competent as well as knowing what it is sold in
a restaurant. This is not something related to wine only, but to everything
being served at the table of the client, including what has been made in the
kitchen. In conclusion, I am asking restaurateurs this provocative question,
wishing this can be useful for a reflection. You rightly expect a profit for
your job and for what you sell, including wine: are you really sure what you
give your clients is adequate for the money they pay?
Antonello Biancalana
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