Gnarly Vines vs Heights Chateau

On March 13^th, I visited two wine retail shops with a group of friends who are also studying wine. We decided to visit two different retail shops. The first retail shop is called Gnarly Vines, located at 3241, 350 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn NY 11205. Afterward, we went to Heights Chateau, located at 123 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201. We called a few days ahead of time and asked if it was possible for their employees to take some time to answer our questions.  At the end of the day, it was needless to say which shop is better in terms of customer service, number of wine varietals, and amount of wine knowledge the employees possess.

Gnarly Vines

Upon arriving at Gnarly Wines, the employee had forgotten that we’ve called and didn’t relay the message to the manager therefore we couldn’t really ask many questions. The employee answered a few questions and briefly described the shop. According to the employee, Gnarly Wines opened approximately 10 years ago but the interiors looked old, dusty, and maybe vintage. What kind of wines do customers usually purchase? Customers usually ask for recommendations but rosè and sparkling wi nes are popular. They also prefer inexpensive wines. Any marketing strategy or up selling techniques used?  No.

Some Sake selections from Gnarly Vines (Please don’t mind Jessie)

As the very first time visiting a wine retail shop, it wasn’t a pleasant experience because one of the employees, possibly manager, seemed rude; wasn’t even looking at us when we talked and ignored us later on. Although, no customers were present at the time, the employee had to help others with managing the inventory. We didn’t ask any more questions because they looked busy and it seemed as if they didn’t want to talk with us; possibly due to us not being customers. What’s good about Gnarly Vines is that majority of the wines has an extremely descriptive label attached to the shelves.

Heights Chateau

Heights Chateau was established in 1986 and has received the Award of Distinction from Zagat Survey. The one who answered my phone call and answered our questions was Dave.

What makes this shop different from other shops?

There are 3 tasting events weekly; a time when the owner, manager, employees, and customers gather and do different tastings.

Among those that have been tasted, what do the employees and manager prefer?

Most of them, including Dave, prefer whiskey and bourbon.

2015 Crozes-Hermitage (Cotes du Rhone AOC)

Any other marketing techniques used for attracting customers?

Promotions and discounts.

Why or what makes customer wants to purchase wine here?

Frequent customers or buyers praised the store for good and fair pricing. These customers spread word to others and this attracts even more people to come.

What wines do your customers usually purchase?

Young buyers prefer American wines and spirits meanwhile the elder ones prefer French wines that are sweet and full of tannins.

Wines from a region that we haven’t learned: Portugal Wine – Vinho Verde DOC produced by Casal Garcia

Overall, I had an amazing experience visiting Heights Chateau because of the number of alcoholic beverages offered and services provided.  Additionally, this retail shop sells many wines from different countries across the world: France, Italy, Germany, USA, South Africa, Chile, Portugal, Argentina, Greece, New Zealand, and many more. Most of the employees are knowledgeable with wines and other alcoholic beverages. There are even wines from regions that we’ve studied from class. For example, there’s Alsace, Rhone Valley, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, and Mosel.

Sparkling Wine – 2013, Blanc De Noirs

The 2015er Riesling we tasted in class

A Closer Look – Descriptive labels attached to the shelves in Gnarly Vines