Due Week 6, 5% of course grade
Task
Visit a retail wine store (a suggested list is on the back of this page). Review the store set-up and analyze the benefits/drawbacks of the store. Compose an essay analyzing the store’s attributes/weaknesses.
Role and Audience
As a student studying wine you will be in the role of investigator, seeking out a better understanding of various styles of wines. Important Note: It is best to call the retail store in advance in an effort to arrange a meeting time with a manager or other store employee. Make sure to let that employee know what you are doing and why you are visiting the store. Ask permission to take photographs (many store employees will be weary of a person walking in and taking photos).
The audience of the paper is anyone interested in visiting a retail wine shop.
Format (two stages)
Stage 1, week 4: Bring to class three questions to be asked of the retail store employee/manager
Stage 2, week 6:
- Create a new post on the OpenLab for the analysis
- Minimum of four descriptive photos including at least one of each of the following: Store front, red wine display, white wine display spirits or sparkling wine display
- For each photo, explain what is portrayed in the image
- Provide a photo credit even though the expectation is that the photo is your own
- Comment on at least two other student’s posts
Expectations
This assignment will be assessed for the clarity of information communicated about wine available from various regions and how it is presented to consumers. Students should be able to analyze and interpret the attributes/weaknesses of the wine retail shop. Comparing two different retail shops is strongly suggested.
The analysis/comparison should be 250-300 words in length.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this project, students will be able to:
- recognize fermented beverages and where they are produced;
- recognize and define wine terminology;
- discuss the sale and service of alcoholic beverages
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Retail Shops to consider
Manhattan
55th Street Wine and Liquors, 50 W 55th St, 212-246-2323
Ambassador Wine and Spirits, 1020 2nd Ave at 54th St., 212-421-5078
Appellation Wine and Spirits, 156 Tenth Ave, 212-741-9474
Astor Wine and Spirits, 399 Lafayette Street, 212-674-7500
Bottle Rocket, 5 W. 19th Street, 212-929-2323
Carnegie Spirits and Wine, 849 7th Avenue, 977-3039
Chamber Street Wines, 148 Chambers Street, 212-227-1434
Crush Wine and Spirits, 53 E. 57th Street, 212-980-9463
Flatiron Wine and Spirits, 929 Broadway, 212-477-1315
Morrell and Company, Fine Wine and Spirits Merchants, Rockefeller Center, 1 Rockefeller Plaza 212-688-9370
Pasanella and Sons, 115 South Street, 212-233-8383
Sea Grape Wine Shop, 512 Hudson St, 212463-7688
Vintry Fine Wines, 230 Murray Street, 212-240-9553
Brooklyn
Gnarly Vines Wines and Spirits, 350 Myrtle Avenue, 718.797.3183
Heights Chateau, 123 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 330-0963
Slope Cellars, 436 7th Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 369-7307
Queens
Grand Wine and Liquor, 30-05 31st St, Astoria, (718) 728-2520
Hunters Point Wine and Spirits, 47-07 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, (718) 472-9463
Staten Island
Pete Milano Discount Wine & Spirits1441 Forest Ave. Staten Island
The Bronx
Mount Carmel Wines & Spirits, located in 609 E 187th st, Bronx, NY.
North End Wine & Liquor – Wine Shop in at 2509 Webster Avenue, 718-584-4100
I visited the Heights Chateau wine store on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights. First, I walked through to see how is the store organized. Then I spoke to the manager responsible for organizing the store. She said she had just reorganized the French and Italian wines by region. As you can see from my photos the shelves have signage of countries as well as “North” and “South”. The front bottles are standing up and the same bottles behind them are laid on top of each other (unless their shape doesn’t allow for stacking). I asked about luxury wines. She said they store them downstairs in the cellar which is temperature-controlled. When a customer needs a luxury wine, he/she can choose from a catalog. Out of curiosity, I asked the lady where did she learn what she knows about wine. She said she studied acting and worked at restaurants so she learned from industry professionals. I also asked if they carry one of my favorites (Mirassou Chardonnay). Unfortunately, they don’t.