98 Chat. St. Jean SB, La Petite Etoile, Foul or Fabulous?

[Randy Caparoso]

Sorry, foodie. But there are no respectable restaurants that I know of that lists scores on wine lists. Such things are non-factors in restaurant points of sales. We have 17 restaurants in two countries and 7 states in which our people are recommending wines to thousands of people every night -- and since we run cutting-edge lists, these are mostly wines people have never heard of, let alone are aware of their scores or reviews. But still it is the same -- in whites, they prefer the fuller, softer, creamier, finer textured qualities that are derived from such things as barrel and malolactic fermentation over wines that are light, crisply acidic, lightly or nonoaked. Don't get me wrong. We encourage our guests to try lots of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling; but we still sell boatloads of Chardonnay. So what is a restaurateur to do? Walk around and tell people that they're all wrong? That they MUST enjoy Sancerre more than barrel fermented Fume Blanc?

The fact is -- whether you want to recognize it or not -- the current consumer taste is for heavier, well oaked stuff. Maybe not ten years from now, but it's a fact of life today. Whatever they decide, it won't because of what writers, assorted experts, or even what retailers and restaurants tell them. All we can ever do is endeavor to guide and influence them. But in the end, consumers will always go according to their own tastes and preferences, whatever that might be. This is MY world!


[This message has been edited by Randy Caparoso (edited 03-30-2000).]