Meininger’s International posted a thought-provoking article for wine retailers, reviewing a new report commissioned by a large German wine producer. 

The report goes on to make additional applicable suggestions, such as offering customer recommendations via shelf cards or displays covering the food or occasion with which a wine or group of wines pairs well.

I’ll take it several steps further.

Wines can be grouped by taste. Example taste categories include descriptions such as “bright and floral”, “fruit forward and crisp”, “medium bodied and slightly sweet”, and “full and robust”. Using category descriptors such as, “sassy”, “silky”, “and “luxurious” wouldn’t be out of the question either. Providing additional subcategories promoting wines as “great for a picnic”, “can’t go wrong with steak”, “a wine the girls will talk about”, “you’re having fish?”, could cement the deal. 

The Meininger’s article doesn’t quite get to what I’m suggesting, but make no mistake—it is not original to me. 

Years ago, on Denver’s Central Street near Lower Downtown, an innovative wine retailer did just this. I was knocked out when first visiting the store and complimented the owner. The store was sold a few years later, and the new owner scrapped the concept in favor of following the “tried and true”, organization by country and grape varietals. 

But the “tried and true” isn’t working anymore.

Wine sales are on a downward trend driven by multiple reasons. Aging people are drinking less, and younger generations are moving to new creative and appealing beverages. Lower and non-alcohol alternatives have become popular. Health concerns also have dented wine’s image, with the World Health Organization stating no level of alcohol consumption is safe. Multiple sources have indicated the health concerns are overstated and misrepresented. In addition, providing wind to the sails of the “no level is safe to consume” movement, much of the health concern advocacy is promoted by a neo-prohibitionist movement.

All this aside, wine is complicated to learn, and knowing how to apply it to given food or social situations can be daunting for uninformed drinkers. New and different approaches are needed in both retail and restaurant establishments, and this study is a great step forward in resetting the approach.