Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/759645
86 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016/2017 { wine economics } A GREAT WINE LIST IS A BIT LIKE A GREAT dance playlist. It mixes clas- sics with new beats, funk with experimental pop. There are beloved oldies plus mysteries to discover. And it's all danceable, all drinkable. But a truly great wine list must be both drinkable and profitable. How should a wine director adjust the mix to assure success while also winning guests' hearts? Start with the big picture, says Geoff Kruth, MS, Wine Director at Farmhouse Inn and COO of the Guild of Sommeliers. "You should think of the average customer and the average staff member in that restaurant. Those things have to match. If you hire some consultant to put an obscure wine list together, with a staff that doesn't know how to sell it and a customer base that's not interested, you're wasting time and money." June Rodil, MS, Beverage Director for seven different properties in Austin, agrees. "I think you've got to look at the concept and goals of the restaurant as a whole," she says. At June's, a wine bar, her list turns frequently. It's made to be hand-sold. At Perla's, a busy oyster bar with no floor somm, the mix must be based on easygoing standards. Pricing must match the concept, too. It can't float too high in casual neighborhood bistros with repeat guests. Fine dining? Resor t hotel? PHOTO: REBECCA PEPLINKSI A TRULY GREAT WINE LIST SHOULD BE DRINKABLE & PROFITABLE It's All in the Mix by Meg Houston Maker June Rodil, MS oversees restaurant wine lists for several venues in Austin. Here she is at June's All Day, the newest restaurant from McGuire Moorman Hospitality. PHOTO: KIRK WEDDLE