The next in the series looking at key pouring and volume limes in the On Trade – the fundamentally important section – “House Wines”. I have touched on this subject before but believe it is worthy of a more focused and detailed blog.
There isn’t a wine list in the country that I know of which doesn’t have a House Wine section. For most this is the “engine room” of the whole list driving volume, revenue, and if got right, profit. But it should be more than this – it’s a chance to set and promote your image and build customer loyalty, for example.
Getting the Right Wine by the Glass Selection
It is usually the first section a reader comes to and sets the scene and feeling for the whole list. It also allows you to showcase your own establishment’s personality and get engaged with the customer through the wording you use, as well as the selection itself. This is the chance to talk to your customer through the medium of the Wine List. By that I would encourage you to say - in commentary as a banner – why you have chosen these wines and what you like about them yourself, as well as why you as the customer can buy and enjoy them with confidence. Too often in my view, the House Wine section is presented in a sterile way – in other words just a list under the headings White, Red, Rosé, Sparkling.
Clearly, your selection needs to be competitively priced, but an important consideration too is that these wines should not simply be the cheapest. You can apply tiered pricing from entry level right up to premium examples.
To support this, employ effective preservation systems and train your staff well in using these – so that wastage and ullage is minimised. I have talked about these before but please see notes again later.
Again, of course, consider the most popular styles, regions, and grape varieties. But you can also be more adventurous and trial some more unusual wines – again good preservation systems support this initiative. Please see some suggestions I have made later under the general banners of “household favourites” and “rising stars”.
Other considerations should include:
- A mix of wines which can be enjoyed as a drink or aperitif and those which are much more designed to go with food – clearly the red section skews more towards food pairing
- Alcohol levels – abvs – this is becoming an increasingly important consideration for drinkers – make sure lower examples are included (by lower these days in the band 8.5% - 11.5%) which are more widely available these days not least with the duty tax burden which is encouraging the downward pressure
- Clearly offer non-alcoholic options too – not necessarily just wine, not least as I am often disappointed with many non-alcoholic wines and would rather drink something else, such as when being the dedicated driver
- And this is where offering premium wines by the glass works – people may well be budgeting for just one glass of wine with their meal – maybe for health or work reasons. I can speak from experience here and to put it simply if I am only going to have one glass of wine I want to indulge in the best on offer
- This can then be crossed refence with pouring measures. The “standard” glass measure these days may well be viewed as 175ml but you have options to offer a 125ml too. That not only would suit the customer looking not to drink too much but makes a more expensive wine more affordable as it is 6 out of a bottle rather than 4.3
- I would also recommend utilising a 500ml carafe as an option (rather than the bulky 250ml glass which I am not a great fan of). These are ideal for the couple who are not looking to drink a whole bottle but would like more than just one (175ml) glass. It also requires only a quick decant and wastage is minimal (two bottles make 3 carafes). They are cheap to buy as well
- Seasonality – adapt your selection in line with the seasons (and foods of that period). Examples include add an extra Rosé offering in the summer, along with a lighter bodied red which could be served cooled down, richer reds in the winter etc. Think of both the texture and balance of the wines you are offering in the process
- The “Second Glass Test” – I think this is a very important criteria to apply to your selection process. Good wine - whatever the colour/style - must be refreshing and when you are making your choices really say to yourself “if I were offered a second glass would I relish the chance to have it” – repeat purchasing is one of the key elements to commercial success. By contrast if you think the wine is bland or heavy, unbalanced or cloying then there is a good chance your customers will agree with you
Back to Preservation Systems
I have highlighted these before, but they are such an important part of your armoury in being both professional but also ensuring minimum wastage. They open so many options for you for wines by the glass.
Clearly the more sophisticated (and expensive) systems are designed for outlets who have a larger range of house and wines by the glass. However, the basic Vacu-vin system is cheap, effective, and easy to use – staff should find this easy to handle and manage. Above all, careful and professional use of these will dramatically reduce your ullage and wastage costs.
Storage systems are now available (vacu-vin, verre de vin etc) which mean you can be more adventurous with listings and still manage ullage issues. If you use or wish to consider a Coravin (gas blanket) system, then this allows you to offer more expensive and finer wines by the glass with minimal ullage risk – I do realise these are more expensive and this is for more extensive lists, but it is out there as an option.
Coravin – only viable if you are pouring high valued wines by the glass
House Wine Suggestions and Options
At its most basic it could be argued that all you need for a House Wine selection is a White, Red, Rosé, and Sparkling. If that were the case then make them the highest quality to price value you can whilst, of course, thinking of what I have termed “household favourites”.
If you were going simply on biggest selling lines and most fashionable, then it would could look like this – and would keep many of your customers happy.
- Prosecco
- Pinot Grigio from Italy
- Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
- French or Chilean Merlot
- Mendoza Malbec
- Provence Rosé
- or USA Blush Zinfandel for those who like a little sugar
It is also worth considering the following aspects:
- Should we offer a Champagne by the glass as well as a Prosecco
- Under “Dry Whites” offer a fuller bodied, maybe oaked example which goes well with food along with your “crisp and dry” example
- With Rosé again a richer, more food friendly example especially in the summer
- With Reds a lighter bodied, lower tannin level wine to go with the bigger, richer style
But I would encourage you to explore the depth of the Peter Graham Portfolio and be more adventurous without compromising your revenue and profit lines. It is also worth looking at their site under their banner “Profile” which neatly segments wines stylistically.
It really is worth looking at what I would describe as “rising stars” some of whom have virtually become household favourites in the process. Examples for me by category and style are:
Sparkling
- I would strongly recommend including an English sparkler in your mix – the quality level has never been higher
Whites
- Look seriously at these increasingly popular wines
- Picpoul de Pinet
- Albariño – especially from Rías Baixas northwest Spain
- Grüner Veltliner from Austria
Reds
- Pinot Noir – growing rapidly in popularity as a variety – look at the New World in particular
- Tempranillo – the grape behind Rioja but available in other Spanish formats and locations too
Rosés
- Zinfandel – aka Primitivo in Italy – makes for a good alternative to the classic, crisper Provence style
- Pinot Noir, again is excellent in the pink style
Sweet Wines
I would like to include this category in this review because I feel it adds another dimension to your offering – and, not least, every outlet has a dessert (and often cheese) menu which are perfect partners. As mentioned before in blogs these wines can be poured in small measures (eg 75 (10 out) or 100ml (7.5)), have a longer storage capacity (many are also available in ½ bottles) than other wines (so less ullage), and add a sophisticated edge to your offering.
My PGW go-to House Wine Selection
This is my selection from studying the PGW list – this does not mean I feel you should serve all by the glass, but you can still showcase them as your House Wine choice by the bottle.
Don’t forget to put your House Wine banner at the top of the page saying why you have made your selection and what excites you about these wines. You can also include some food pairing suggestions here.
Sparkling
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/prosecco-vispo-allegro - BTG
spot on, ticks all the boxes fruity Prosecco with neat packaging
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/21-charmat-rose-flint-vineyard - serve BTG too in summer months
a local favourite of ours English Summer Pudding in a glass
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/blanc-de-blancs-grand-cru-brut-champagne - this is the link to Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve Brut NV Champagne (there’s an error on site) one of the finest and most elegant Brut NV in the market right now and very fairly priced
White – crisp and dry
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/21-pinot-grigio-terrazze-della-luna - BTG
worth that little bit extra here to get a cooler climate Pinot Grigio which has nice notes of orchard and citrus fruits with plenty of crispness
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/vinabade-albarino-rias-baixas - BTG too in summer months
a new edition to the PGW portfolio – and a classically styled saline and citrus burst Albariño from northwest Spain
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/joshua-sauvignon-blanc-allan-scott-estate - BTG
classic zesty, citrus, and mildly tropical and herbaceous hits all the right notes
White – spicier and fuller
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/19-ried-hohenberg-gruner-veltliner-joseph
lovely Austrian example - fresh style with some texture, white pepper spice notes and bright citrus and apple notes
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/chenin-blanc-kraal-bay
a fine South African take on their leading white grape from Swartland. Pleasantly topical with notes of baked apple and plenty of texture
Rosé
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/20-provence-rose-mimi-vin-breban – BTG
benchmark Provence - red berry and soft summer fruits
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/20-cougars-moon-blush-zinfandel
light bodied with hallmark watermelon fruit and gentle sweetness – BTG
don’t forget the Flint Vineyards sparkling rosé in the summer months
Lighter Reds – serve these cool in the summer months
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/20-valpolicella-tedeschi-lucchine
neat example from Veneto with bright cherry fruit, light tannins easy drinking
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/beaujolais-villages-les-pivoines - BTG
always a safe bet with bright summer and cherry fruit, gentle tannins – Beaujolais is back in fashion!
Fuller, Riper Reds
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/pumba-malbec - BTG
crowd pleasing ripe blackberry fruit, juicy and smooth from the superior Uco Valley district in Mendoza
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/estate-shiraz-wakefield-wines - BTG in the BBQ season
plenty of savoury dark fruits and soft spice touch of chocolate and vanilla from the cooler Clare Valley
Sweet Wine
https://petergrahamwines.com/p/dom-valcros-banyuls-rimage - BTG (50c bottle btw)
another new PGW new listing – a lightly fortified sweet red from the south of France and the Grenache grape. Notes of blackberry and cherry jam, chocolate and soft spice. A great all rounder goes with chocolate dishes and cheese as well as general desserts. Good shelf life too in the fridge
