Ordering your wine at a restaurant or BYO?

I had a winery owner in last night who ordered a bottle off the list. After presenting and pouring the wine for him, he politely said to me “that he would love to see his wine on our list.” I let him know that I had sold my last bottle of his right before we closed for our winter break but I look forward to supporting his winery with the future releases.

I also had another winery owner last weekend who brought a wine from their cellar but they usually order something from our list. I comped the corkage as I do with everyone ITB.

I also have another winery that visits a couple times a year but they usually bring the same wine I have on the list.

When I worked the streets, I would always order my wine from the list when I saw it available. I was wondering what others ITB do when dining at a restaurant that is a current account or one they wish to be on in the future? If you bring a bottle, do you expect the corkage to be waived because you are ITB? Do you order wine other than your off the list? Do you order your own bottle?

If they already carry my wine, I order something different off the list.

If I want them to start carrying my wine, I bring it to drink and offer the wine director/sommalier a taste.

If they don’t carry your wine, they’ll soon find out that they want it. That Match is really good stuff.

I often see ITB people ordering their own wines and the distributors religiously order from their own books. I guess they are supporting their brands but I wonder if it wouldn’t be more useful to see what the competition was up to.

I seldom order our own wine, although I would if I had an ITB guest and wanted him/her to enjoy it with dinner in which case it makes sense to support the restaurant rather than bring a bottle. I have, however, dined with friends who like to bring their older vintages of DC to the restaurant. Beware, some owners and sommeliers are annoyed by winery owners that try to taste them during dinner when they are very busy and distracted. Even if they appreciate the gesture, it’s often mentally relegated to a “later” column. And the kitchen smells, physical pressure, etc. make it hard to properly evaluate/appreciate a sample. Even if you pour a glass for him/her to take BOH, it’s going to be hot, steamy and garlicky there, and the chef and dishwasher will probably gratefully throw it down their gullets, thinking it’s a discarded wine order. You, of course, will be told that “the staff loved it”. Although it can be humbling to stand in line on Tasting Tuesdays, you really have a better shot at getting some undivided, focused attention on you and your wine.

For restaurants like Villa Creek that regularly buy our wine and have been staunch supporters for a long time, when we move on to a new vintage that we’re really excited about, we’ll drop off a bottle (during the day) with a request to share it with the whole staff–this usually gets the wine on the BTG list and enthusiastic recommendations from the waitstaff.

Some of our best restaurant placements have come through wine club members or steady buyers who frequent particular restaurants and want to see our wines on the list. If they mention it to me and I know the restaurant, I will give them a bottle of something available to our distributor, and a postcard with our distributor info, to share with the owner/sommelier. I ask them to shoot me an email after they do so with the somm’s comments, I send them a thank you, and then I alert my distributor rep to make an immediate call. Hehe. Winemakers selling directly should try to get there within days, and strike while the iron is hot. Nothing works better than having someone who is a fan of the winery and the restaurant present your wine.

Certainly. Offering a pour to a waiter or sommalier who acts interested is neither as good or nor will it replace a sales call.

“I often see ITB people ordering their own wines and the distributors religiously order from their own books.”

I have seen at least two relationships broken up because the significant other insisted on ordering the “wrong” brand of booze (meaning something that the party of the first part sells), even in front of their boss. It’s always the booze people who act like that, most wine folks want to try new stuff…

Thanks for this thread. I had always figured it was smart to order your own wine off the list, offer a taste to staff, etc, as they might not have had the opportunity to try it before.

I only occasionally BYO and only to restaurants that clearly encourage it.

I would think that the cardinal sin would be BYO’ing something that is on the list. If I were a somm or restaurant owner, that would really piss me off.

Thanks for the tips about not insisting somms try your wine. Makes a lot of sense when you think about it.

Good advice all around.

Do you guys always drop a card wherever you eat, just to let folks know you’re a customer? Or is that a bit tacky?

Nate, it’s not tacky! Especially if you leave it with a note complimenting the staff and service. However, business cards do not have a lot of impact. Consider that the wine industry is uber-competitive right now, and there are hundreds/thousands of little ‘vanity vineyard’ brands and first-time custom brands plunging into the market with no experience. Also, every purveyor of restaurant supplies and equipment, every booze distributor and visiting chef are leaving business cards. At the end of a busy weekend, a good restaurant will have a full bowl of business cards and no clear idea of what to do with them.

Here’s how I leverage a dining experience, and it works about 50% of the time (which I think is a pretty good track record). After dining, I prime my sales rep for the account by giving him/her details on what I ordered, and why I feel our wines are an exact match. I review the overall menu, suggest certain wines for the list, and ask the rep to relay my compliments for the food and service. I also send an email to the restaurant. When selling direct, follow the same model–approach the buyer as a fan of the restaurant as opposed to a customer.

Thanks, Mary. Great ideas.

I usually always dine at the bar, as that is where you can have the best conversations with the Somm and bartender. I always buy other wines off the list, and when I do buy our wine, I ask to share with anyone working the floor / bar when they come up to the bar so they become more comfortable with the wine. Seems to work pretty well and everyone is happy.

Always a good idea. The somm might be putting the wine on the list…but more times than not the floor staff are the ones who sell the wines.

Good call T-Bone. I make it a priority to spend time with winery folks but when I’m slammed, I really cannot take the time to taste samples at the table. But I do have to run to the bar to get a GnT or martini for a table and usually have a few free minutes to talk with whoever is at the bar. Some of my best conversations have come at the bar on busy nights as I need a break too.

YOU BETCHA!!!