New-wave sommeliers are finding playful ways to get guests excited (and educated) about wine.
In any restaurant with a wine program, the cellar (or basement, or closet, or milk crates shoved in a corner) can often hold hundreds, if not thousands of bottles. That can be an overwhelming selection for guests.
Historically, wine lists have stuck to a standard approach to organization—there’s sparkling, white, and red. Maybe rosé or orange. But the complex flavors and stories that go into each bottle can easily get lost in the sprawling sections. Bay Area sommeliers are finding creative ways to sell bottles—by creating dynamic lists that engage guests and, ultimately, stimulate sales.
Since launching his terrain-inspired wine list at Sons & Daughters, Beverage Director David Kolvek has tripled the number of wines he stocks at the restaurant while wine pairing revenue has increased by more than twenty-five percent. Guided by vineyard terrain, from river valleys to mountain faces, the wine list puts geography at the forefront. “I wanted it to have a focus on the sense of place, to transport you, and to be a place for discovery and exploration,” says Kolvek. As they peruse the list, guests start with wines from the American west coast—the Cascades, the Sierra Nevada—and gradually move towards the Old World, not just regionally but sub-regionally. Instead of French versus Italian, there are sections for the French, Italian, and Swiss Alps, plus a distinction of wines from the Italian peninsula and the French Mediterranean. For both red and white wines, France is split between nine different sections. “The Rhône and the Rhine rivers are not that far apart, but are so different,” says Kolvek. “Where the Rhône flows south toward the Mediterranean, producing wines of warmth and depth, the Rhine flows north through cooler regions, producing wines of verve and electricity.” No matter which direction they go, guests are able to visualize the terrain the wine came from. “I’ve found it to be helpful for novices, who maybe know a wine or two that they like, and I can help them navigate from there,” says Kolvek. “And for folks that have been drinking for decades, this is a fresh take for them. No matter the guest, they see something a little bit different.”
Beverage Director David Kolvek of Sons & Daughters | PHOTOS: ALEXANDER ZEREN
Sommelier Beyza Yildirim of Mister Jiu’s
At Mister Jiu’s, having a great cocktail menu (and a sister bar upstairs) meant that wine by-the-bottle was often overlooked. So, Sommelier Beyza Yildirim sat down with Chef Brandon Jew to formulate a new approach. “Brandon and I wanted to create something unique and specific to the culture at Mister Jiu’s,” she says. “I wanted it to be more approachable and fun for guests who don’t know much about grapes or regions.” Just as the diviners of ancient China looked to the I Ching, or The Book of Changes, for guidance, Yildirim and Jew dove into the historic text to inform their new menu. Taking inspiration and guidance from Owner Anna Chet Jew Lee’s past menus, they would use some of the book’s 64 thematic sections, or hexagrams, in place of more classic categories. Yildirim’s list has 13 sections with colors broken down by style—four sections for whites and five for reds alone—including categories like off-dry, rare varietal whites, and “offbeat” reds, each paired with a hexagram. The off-dry whites section, for example, is guided by hexagram 13: “The Tóng Rén represents the power of unity, connection, and shared vision,” and includes wines that are “an ideal match for our bold and spicy dishes.” That means Yildirim can offer an entire page of off-dry German riesling, with solid justification. “The way I buy [wine] has changed since creating this format,” she says. “I was having trouble selling riesling before, and now people are taking the recommendation.” And, the tome has become a helpful resource for the staff. “I think they feel more confident selecting things, and are more excited to recommend that people read the list,” says Yildirim.
Mister Jiu’s Sizzled Petrale Sole, Scallop-Shrimp Mousse, Wood Ear Mushrooms, Bacon, Leeks, Fermented Black Beans, Ginger, Scallions paired with Chenin Blanc, Terra Vita Vinum, Bigottiere, Loire Valley, France, 2021
Sommelier Parker Story of Burdell
For the upcoming wine list at Burdell—where Chef Geoff Davis’ soul food is accented by nostalgic retro vibes—music is the guiding force for Sommelier Parker Story. “Everyone has an answer to, ‘what kind of music do you like?’ So, what if we organize [the list] by genre and give people permission to be like, ‘I like this’ without much explanation?” Forgoing categorization by color, Story is taking inspiration for the wine menu from record crates, with sections from hip-hop to rock. “Soulful wines are oxidized, rich, and deeply barreled; rock-and-roll wines I consider percussive and crunchy; hip-hop tends to be traditional in nature, but remixed.” It’s a highly visceral and visual approach, encouraging the guest to determine the style they seek, regardless of color. For guests seeking a more traditional experience, colors are still distinguished in each section. “The last thing you want to do with wine lists is a lot of justification and explanation. I volunteer to do that anyways,” says Story. “So, for each wine I want to deliver an additional use case in terms of their relationship with the cuisine. That way, no matter what route someone takes they end up with something spectacular.”
Tips on building a wine list that works for everyone from Sommelier Thibaut Idenn of Alla Vita and Boka