History of Riesling

[Thomas]

By "perspective" I mean to say that serving thousands of restaurant customers pales in the face of millions of actual and potential retail consumers. And they often aren't of the same breed.

Been selling wine for distribution and/or retail for fifteen years (make that sixteen--damned millennium). I am certain that what happens with regard to wine sales in so-called "fine dining" or "upscale" restaurants bears only a faint relationship to what takes place at retail shops. That is why, in part, producers sell many of their premium wines primarily to restaurants.

Re, my story: the many wineries that talk about Riesling being the best selling wine at their tasting rooms also say it is one of the most difficult wines to move off retail shelves unless you give it away at $6.00. The reason: at the tasting room they taste it and buy it based on their experience. If they do not get to a tasting room, people generally by-pass the Riesling shelf. Why is that?