Lucy Feng Wu

Professor Goodlad

HMGT 2402

March 29, 2020

Wine List Analysis

For this analysis, I will be comparing a fine dining wine list and a casual dining wine list to see their similarities and difference. The restaurants I chose for this analysis are River Café and Blue Ribbon.

River Café is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Brooklyn. River Café features a classic American menu paired with one of the most outstanding wine list in the world. Some interesting details I noticed in River Café’s wine list is that the first page is the cover with the names of the Wine Director, Head Sommelier and the two Sommeliers of River Café. Also, at the bottom of each page it has a legend that indicates the level of sweetness of each wine starting with one star for slightly sweet and increasing for sweet, very sweet and extremely sweet. I noticed this list has 18 pages which is surprisingly short compared to others fine dining restaurant.

Blue Ribbon is a dining room and friendly well known for being a late night restaurant that opens from 4pm to 4am. Blue Ribbon offers brasserie seafood, American dishes and beverages to pair with the food. Looking at Blue Ribbon’s wine list, I noticed that it is very easy to read and very straightforward wine list composed of 4 pages. As for the beer and cider section of this list, it has the percentage of alcohol of each beverage besides their names.

Moving into the similarities of these two wine lists, I have noticed that both lists first section is wine by glass and both of them listed champagne and sparkling wines first, white wines second, rose wines third and red wine at last. Also, both section are very similar in format because both lists name the wine starting by the grape variety.

I have noticed more difference than similarities in this analysis. The most notable difference is the large variety of wines that fine dining restaurants wine lists have and the price are different from casual dining restaurants. Another difference is that each wine lists section of wine bottles are arranged differently. Blue Ribbon’s list separated white wines and red wines and segmented them by grape variety. On the other hand, River Café separated white wines and red wines from France and segmented them by country and grouped them according to each wines specific region and appellation.

In conclusion, fining dining and casual dining restaurants has similar format for wine list. However, fining dining has a larger selection of wines than casual dining which give them the opportunity to group wines by country, and for French wines, by region and appellation. Also, River Café wine list is suitable for people who know about wines since the section of French wines does not include their grape variety.

The two restaurant wine lists that I will be comparing is Restaurant Daniel and Roberta’s. I decided to choose these two restaurants because I have been to both of them, had some wine at Restaurant Daniel but not Roberta’s. Restaurant Daniel is a high end french cuisine based two Michelin starred restaurant, whilst Roberta’s is a pizza joint in Brooklyn. They are both wonderful restaurants in their own unique way serving what makes them special.

At first glance, the wine list that Roberta’s provides on the website shows more wines altogether than the wine list provided on the Daniel website. But having visited Daniel previously, I know that the wine list at Daniel is actually very extensive and is provided not on a menu, but in a book because of how many wines they hold. Another observation is that Roberta’s doesn’t have a cocktail and bar menu while Daniel does, and they also have beer which I don’t see on Roberta’s list. As for format of the lists, I believe Daniel’s definitely looks more classy and easy to read whereas the font on Roberta’s menu isn’t very clear to the eye making it very unappealing. 

Some similarities of both the wine lists include specifically in the champagne tab where most of the wines are labeled as NV or non-vintage, indicating that the wine is made from grapes from multiple harvests. Winemakers do this to mix and match and achieve a blend of a specific flavor and taste. Another similarity I noticed is that they order the wines in the same way from champagne to white to red. I believe restaurants do this to maintain a good order of the lists and to show consumers light to heavy options. 

Some differences I noticed as mentioned before definitely includes the format of the lists. I think Roberta’s can do a much better job at making the list look more appealing despite being a smaller restaurant than Daniel so that they can sell more wine. With the average percentage of beverage sales in restaurants being 30%, they can definitely market their extensive list of available wines better, it is without a doubt that the current list looks a bit confusing. Another difference I notice as a consumer is the prices provided online but as I have said before, I do know that Daniel has a much more extensive wine list that they provide but with what they provide and what I can work with online, Roberta’s definitely has a much higher price point overall for their wines. 

In conclusion, I believe restaurants should definitely showcase their wines well online for consumers to see. Wine is such an important part of a meal that people may want to research what the restaurant provides before going their first.

Adijatu Jalloh
Professor. Dagon
HMGT 2402
03/27/20

Wine is an alcohol beverage that took the world by storm. It is made from grape juices that has been fermented with sugar and yeast. There are hundreds of different varieties of grapes all over the world. Wine making is very serious in the market with its own rules and regulations. Wine making has been passed down through generations and studying wines can take a lifetime. Many might say that most wines test the same but this is not true. In fact all wines are differentiated by color, intensity, viscosity, and intensity.

It is hard to understand wine without learning about it first or at least doing some kind of research. Most people only know of red and white wine but it goes beyond me to say that this is not much knowledge. Only because there are thousands of red wines and thousands of white wines. It is hard to dine without understanding wines because wines can range from $12 to $1,000. Most qualities of wines are based on the aging of the wine. Wines tend to be better when they are aged longer. Almost every country makes wine. The most popular being French, Italy, and the United States (California). There are many kinds of grapes such as chenin blanc which is a white grape and merlot which is a red grape. White grapes can make both red and white wines but red grapes can only make red wines.

With wines being such an interesting topic that seems to be very important in the hospitality industry I started looking at wine lists from different restaurants. The first restaurant that stood out to me was Asiate. Asiate is a fine dining restaurant located inside the Mandarin Oriental on the 36th floor. This restaurant was very fascinating to me because I remember eating there a few months ago and the first thing that stood out to me when I walked in was the restaurant wine collection. Asiate is known for its outstanding view of the city skyline and it’s amazing visual presentations with interesting flavors. When I visited the website I learned that they have their own wine program with an award winning selection. Asiate showcases 1,200 different bottles of wine from around the world. As it says on the website the wine lists have “classic wines as well as wines from lesser-known wineries”. This wine list was very long and very well detailed out. They had wines from almost every country. Each wine had the country listed next to it. They also had champagne, sparkling wine, cocktails, and beers.

Another restaurant that had me intrigued with their wine list was The River Cafe. Located in Brooklyn the River Cafe Known for its romantic atmosphere and it’s all American cuisine is a Michelin starred restaurant. I chose this restaurant because with its menu that “complements the changing seasons” as said on their website, it is extremely important to know a thing or two about wines before dining there. The River Cafe wine program has been under the direction of Joseph DeLissio since 1977. The wine lists include some of the world’s best wines such as Chateau Petrus, Vega Sicilia, and Chateau Reyas. The River Cafe wine program has won many awards including the prestigious Diamond Wine List Award. The wine list is very well organized going from champagne & sparkling wines, to white wines, then rose, and then going down to red and fortified wines.

Wine is extremely important for the food industry because it complements a dish. A restaurant wine list can be as long as they want or as short as they proffer. It is important to learn about wines and understand what to look for when drinking wine or opening a business.

References
Laura Peruvhi (2018, September 24). Brunch With A View: Our experience at Asiate.

Brunch with a view: our experience at Asiate

Bryan Miller (2017, July 31). View From the River Café: 40 Years of Feasts and Firsts.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/dining/the-river-cafe-brooklyn.amp.html

Information

https://www.mandarinoriental.com/new-york/manhattan/fine-dining/restaurants/american-cuisine/asiate

Josefina Piñeyro

Professor. Dagorn

HMGT 2402/E553

03/27/2020

Wine list Analysis

Wine culture has been around for well over 3,000 years and as food and beverage progresses it will continue to flourish. Pairing wines with foods is a skill that isn’t easily attained and so many restaurants have their own approach when it comes to wine pairings. Factors such as acid, sugar, tannins, and level of alcohol content are taken into account and play a huge role to the pairing of a wine with a dish. Many restaurants take so much pride in creating their menus because they want the guest to not only have an unforgettable dining experience, but they want to enhance the flavors of an already delicious meal.

I will be comparing River Café which is a fine dining restaurant that is located in Brooklyn with stunning views of New York City, this romantic setting restaurant offers extensive wine list that contributes to their already beautiful and sophisticated ambiance. On the other end is P.J. Clarkes which is a casual setting restaurant that has been around since 1884 where guest will feel right at home with their warm and friendly atmosphere.

When we observe River Cafes wine list I notice that its quite lengthy, they offer a variety of sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines ranging from as low $17 to over $2,000 by bottle or by glass. River Café features grape variety such as Riesling, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, Chardonnay, etc. Something that I found interesting was their selection of historic California red wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon from 1968 Heitz Wine Celler -Napa Valley was actually made by Joe Heitz during World war 2, which is why wines that carry a story tend to be more expensive (Leve, 2019).

P.J. Clarkes wine list is simple and clean and I find that a shorter wine list is much easier to navigate and this allows guest to not feel overwhelmed. They offer your basic sparkling, red, white and rosé wines like River Café and they keep to the classics from Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gamey and more. What makes their menu stand out is options of hard liquor cocktails and beers. This separates them from River Café because characteristics of wine differ from that of other alcohol drinks, therefore they have the ability to offer their guest a little something that appeals to older people and what younger adults would gravitate towards. Something that is evident is that River café is much more meticulous with their wine list and offers the help of master sommeliers to provide guest with information on their wine selection. Both restaurants wine list provide guest with the location and producer which can give the wine more of an appeal to experienced drinkers.

Overall restaurants can offer extensive wine lists as long as a book, while others provide just a few pages’ worth. Taking into account the environment and type of service an establishment wants to offer, the wine list will differ between fine dining and causal setting environments. This aspect will contribute greatly to the wine list because the restaurant would want to create a menu that’s authenticate to what they represent.

References

Jeff, L. (2019, February 21). 1968 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard Oakville California USA Wine Review Tasting Note. Retrieved from https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=1968&wine=Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard

McClain, J., & McClain Cellars. (2019, January 26). The Culture, Tradition, and History of Wine in America. Retrieved from https://www.mcclaincellars.com/culture-tradition-history-of-wine/

P.J. Clarke’s Restaurant and Bar: Our Roots. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pjclarkes.com/our-roots/

Third Avenue

https://rivercafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rivercafe-wine-list-022720.pdf

Doing this project was interesting. I thought we had to pick and just walk into any beverage store. As, what I ended up doing, but the class received a list that made things simple. I say this because, these were likely retail stores that already went through the process of students calling and asking do conduct their interview with them. I went to three different beverage stores to ask. Two of them was by my Alma-mater. The first one I chose was Chambers Street wines and spirits and the other was a new wine and spirits store on Greenwich. They both said yes. I didn’t choose neither one of the two do conduct my interview with. I didn’t choose them due to not having enough time to go and conduct it. So, I lucked up and found one near the College, about two blocks from my job. Which I found to be very convenient. I chose York Cellars wine retail beverage store. I didn’t ask face to face, I called and asked, they were the nicest. I was very pleased with my choice. They were supper pleasant and happy to be able to help me out with my interview.

Nervously, I called York Cellars wine and spirits beverage shop located in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn, I spoke to a young lady who was very pleasant but very abrupt and short with her answers but as I continued talking to her she softened up and told me if I can make it by 2:00 pm she would be able to help me out with my interview. It was 1:15 pm. I made it by 1:30 pm ready for the interview.

The retail shop is not too far from where I work and from NYCCT. It’s walking distance. When she told me at first that, this is not a good time for me to do my interview due to it being too busy. I thought something else because it is never busy when I pass to go get my lunch every day. I just figured she did not want to be bothered. I thought she was going to brush me off and tell me to email the manager as the others did. But thankfully that did not happen.

I entered the shop and the ambiance of this store was unbelievable. I walked into a store front shop surrounded by different colorful well stocked wines, soft music playing just high enough for you to hear what is playing but low enough to hold and hear your conversation. The lights were dim enough to still be able to see the writing on a bottle of all the delicious wines displayed. Glowing candles illuminated the entire store with a hint of vanilla aroma filling the air. As I looked to my right, the young lady whom I just spoke to on the phone was at the register ready to greet me with a nice big bright smile. “Hello”.

I introduced myself and started the interview. I asked her my first question, how do you store your wine? She answered, without pause, they order their wine from a warehouse that is in New Jersey, but the import company works with the warehouse for the delivery’s. They work with five different importers that all arrive on one truck. When the wine reaches the shop, they receive them in crates already bottled. They are immediately place them out on the shelves by regions. The leftover bottles re stored in the back area of the store on shelves also by regions and kept in the cool temperature of about 64 degrees. My second question, As the expert, what is your drink of choose? As the expert, she prefers more natural type wines. As she explained, she stated that most wines have at least 70 different types of additives and as you drinking you know that it is not inoculated with lab yeast. It uses natural yeast from the earth which of course is a great and better part of the fermentation process, she added there is minimal intervention which allows nature to take its course and the grapes to do its thing naturally. Natural wine is a greater expression of the grape. Third question, how are your wines labeled on the shelves, for people that have no idea about wines? Our wines are labeled and shelved by region. Within the region we try to keep the grape variety together. We often keep two tables that are labeled and shelved by grape variety of “red” and “white” and by regions and these wines are called out “weekday warriors”. These wines are the best variety of wine the manager chose that are under the price of $17. If a person does not know what they are looking for we have a set of question we try to ask the customer to see what type of taste they are reaching for. My final question, I wanted to know how do your shop impact the community? She answered, the shop owners which was discovered is husband and wife took it over from another liquor store owner that was not doing so good. They renovated it into what it is today. The last shop was not fully stocked and did have any variety. They were not attracting the business to keep them going. Now with the cluster of choices they are big in business with a lot of commuters as customers. The area is more of a business area not residential.

However, the shop has some weaknesses that can be pointed out. The area they are in is under construction, so there is scaffolding cover their shop. It looks closed when you pass. The windows are tinted. They should have a billboard that sits on the sidewalk with their specials and times of operation. They have a billboard on the outside of the wall in addition that does not catch the eye.  I was searching online to learn some history about the shop, and I discovered they do not have their own website. They are on social media but not their own website. I am not sure if they have delivery service to their customers but having their own site would boost their fan base even higher.

In conclusion I was satisfied with my interview. The young lady was very pleasant. And very informative. She mentioned to me that she was a sommelier and worked in different restaurants around wines. She also read a lot about different types of wines, but she learned about wines by attending lots of tastings.  The environment was warm and welcoming. Going in make you feel like you want to stay for a little while. Make you feel like you can take your time and browse the shop. Buy more than one beverage. I am sure that is what their mission is. If not, it should be.

Retail Beverage Store Analysis

Nooriya Imtiaz

Professor Dagorn

HMGT 2402 E553

3/25/2020

The Retail wine store I visited is the 55th street Wine and Spirits its located on 50 W 55th St, the store is pretty small. The wine store is just down the block from the Love Sculpture, four blocks south of Central Pak and within the walking distance from Times Square. They have a great variety of domestic and international wines, and as well as a large selection of spirits. In the store, the wines and spirits were arranged along the walls and in the center of the store, which is typical for a wine shop, each of the areas of the wines was designed by the country and each of the countries is broken down into appellations and grape varieties and also the style of the wines. The customer service and organization were great. The lighting of the store was excellent because the customers could look at the wines and read labels, it is essential for a retail store and the location itself was wonderful, the employees are dedicated their time and effort to each the customers when they come in, and each customer leaves with a bottle of wine or spirits each time they visit the store.

The “Self-talker wine was a Red wine from France is Anthony’s Hill Fetter Cabernet is a Cabernet Sauvignon leads with a deep ruby hue and engaging aromas of dark berries, spice, violets, and cassis. Tasting delivers a multi-layered wine featuring supple favors of blackcurrants framed by subtler tones of mocha, caramel, and toast. Medium-firm tannins imbue structure, balance, and depth to the wine, which closes on a polished note, with a lingering finish. Red Wine from Spain is Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo it is a Saturated ruby color. The wine has a strikingly aromatic nose that offers a pungent array of fruit and herbal scents. Sweet cherry-vanilla and cola flavors coat the palate and are enlivened by juicy acidity. Sparkling wine not from France is Graham Beck Wine Brut Rose Nv Single, it is from South Africa it has Aromas of fruits, cherry raspberries and few secondary whiffs of minerality.

A lively mousse, but is amazing in mouth, with sub-tie red berry flavors enlivened by bright acidity. Brisk, yet delicate on the palate, mixed with amazing flavors of fresh berries and hints of oyster shell. Red wine from a region unknown made wine is this Red wine is from Israel, it is Barkan Class Classic Cabernet Sauvignon and it is a layer of dark berry spice and layers of oak which are supporting the soft tannins and focused acidity. They also do the delivery and wine tasting.

   Red Wine from Spain

Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo

Color: Ruby

Flavors: Sweet cherry-vanilla and cola

The wine has a strikingly aromatic nose that offers a pungent array of fruit and herbal scents. Supple tannins gain strength on the finish, which strongly repeats the floral qualities and cola.

   Aromas of raspberries, cherries and a few secondary whiffs of minerality. A lively mousse, but fine in the mouth, with subtle red berry flavors enlivened by bright acidity. Brisk, yet delicate on the palate, bursting with flavors of freshly crushed berries and hints of oyster shell.

    Layers of oak, dark berry, and spice are supported by soft tannins and focused acidity.

Good with medium flavored grilled or sauced chicken.

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the grape juices that have been fermented. Both sugar and yeast undergo fermentation, resulting in alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat. Too many, wine may all seem the same, however, wine comes in different styles depending on the grape variety. Wine is produced in many parts of the world and although, it may not seem obvious, studying wine is a long process.

Without much knowledge about the way wine is produced or identifying what the difference in style is, it is difficult having to sit at a restaurant trying to figure out what type of wine will pair of well with the meal desired. Many times, it is difficult for guests to experience fine dining, mainly because we do not know what kind of wine to be in search for. We don’t know whether we want, dry or sweet, one with high acidity or low acidity, or high in alcohol or low. We simply find ourselves dazing through the long wine list.

Looking into more about what wine is, I found myself looking through River Cafe’s list. This is a fine dining restaurant located under the Brooklyn Bridge, also known as a romantic setting, as well as a great culinary destination. As most fancy restaurants, the River Café provides its customers with a long wine list. The way the menu is set, is extremely organized because it begins listing its  wine by the glass, which include drinks like, Champagne and Sparkling wines, white and red wines, as well as Rose. It then sets off to Fortified wines, and to a variety of different wines with the vintage, bottle size, and the price. Interestingly, the wines are separated based on where they were produced. They offer wines from France that are made with grape varieties like pinot noir, or chenin blanc. They specify to Burgundy and other parts of the world such as, California, Oregon, Italy, Austria, and Spain.

Another menu that I looked over was PJ Clarke’s, located on third avenue. This restaurant offers its customers with a wonderful New York City view, and of course a decent wine list. Just like the River Café, they count on Sparkling wine, red and white wines, and Rose. They way this restaurant shares the information on their website is well organized as they separate each type of wine. When clicked, they show the type of wine sold by glass, or by bottle. Additionally, the website provides us with the vintage and where the wine comes from. For instance, it says that a glass of cabernet sauvignon comes from California and has a 2018 vintage.

These two restaurants wine lists are similar in that they enable the customer to know what wine they are drinking, by providing the name of the area in which it was produced as well as the type of grape found within the wine. Additionally, they both provide wine from similar areas like France, Italy, and California. However, the wine lists are set a bit different in that while the River Café displays the cost of each item, PJ Clarke’s list does not. Often times, owners do this in order to attract customers, and have them taste before it may seem too expensive.