Cathy Huyghe, contributor for Forbes.com, explains below how Italian producers develop business with consumers in US restaurants after a by the wine director Momofuku restaurant group, Jordan Salcito.
- Indigenous grapes: thinking indigenous grapes doesn’t necessarily means obscure grapes. Prefer Schioppettino to Sauvignon blanc or Friulano to Cabernet Franc.
- Lesser-known regions: consumers “are starting to understand that there is more to Italy than just two regions”.
- Old school production methods
- Size matters: “small grape mentality” means limited business.
- The Rosé lifestyle: “for people who maybe like the idea of a refreshing glass of wine but don’t want to have to buy into the back-story required to appreciate one of the world’s great wines”.
- Lack of pretence: Avoiding mysteriousness leads to easy business.
- Smaller, more focused wine lists: the wine just “needs to make sense with the cuisine”.
- Balanced wine lists: the trend of indigenous grapes and lesser-known regions has its limits…
- Alternative packaging: Alternative packaging (like Tetra Pak or cans) is coming into its own.
- Decrease in influence of critics: critics like different kinds of wines to
