New Study Shows Why Wine Tasting Notes Are Important
The Drinks Business recently detailed a study commissioned by wine subscription service taste4. The study sought out the top 10 wine terms that consumers are most confused and put-off by. The 2,000 consumers surveyed gave insight into the way many wine drinkers approach buying a bottle. While some of the terms on the list may be surprising, like “tart,” “legs,” or, “nose”, the take-away message of the survey is something very familiar to us at Uncorkd.
Wine Terms Don’t Always Make Sense To Consumers
It seems the heady terms used by sommeliers and wine aficionados get lost in translation for the average wine consumer. Taste4’s results also confirmed the gospel that Uncorkd has been preaching for a few years now: wine descriptions are really important for consumers. Restaurant operators should be very aware of how wines are presented and marketed on their menu. Restaurants that don’t offer descriptions on their wine list are missing out on a great opportunity to upsell. According to the survey’s results, 25% of consumers find buying a bottle of wine intimidating, and 45% tend to stick to the same grape when buying bottles in a wine shop or liquor store. These numbers reflect the same behavior trends of consumers in restaurants that Uncorkd found in our 2015 Survey of Alcoholic Beverage Preferences in Restaurants, and echo the research we used to create our Definitive Guide to Increasing Wine Sales.
Why You Should Add Tasting Notes To Your Beverage List
Wine descriptions on restaurant lists are paramount to helping increase wine sales. Customers are much more likely to try a new varietal when tasting notes are available. They’re also much more comfortable purchasing a higher priced bottle than they might normally buy, if they gain a better understanding of the wine they’re considering. Restaurants can use well trained staff to help sell wine, but your program should be anchored by quality and informative menu descriptions.
“The way we drink wine has become more casual…people want to learn more about wine and discover new tastes without being confused when buying it…” said Tom Laithwaite of taste4.
At Uncorkd, we try and help restaurants make their wine lists more approachable. Guests can enjoy themselves more if they aren’t intimated by a long list filled with wines they’ve never tasted from regions they couldn’t place on a map. We try and make it possible for casual wine drinkers to learn something new while they drink something they wouldn’t have normally considered. Information like quality tasting notes, attractive images, and producer information, all help bridge the gap between a diner and their new favorite wine.
A Solution To The Problem of Adding Tasting Notes To Menus
Many restaurants don’t offer descriptions because of restrictions on menu space and the effort that goes into compiling tasting notes for all their drinks. The cost of re-printing text laden menus can be sky high for independent operators and prevents them from doing more with their menu. This is why Uncorkd has benefitted so many of our customers. Those reoccurring concerns are eliminated when using digital menus.
Uncorkd’s iPad wine and beverage menus can be edited instantly, and create a practical and efficient way for restaurants to offer guests the information they want. This desire for more information isn’t limited to just wine. The boom of the craft beer market and the reemergence of premium spirits both benefit from educating customers on their products. It seems that everyday a new brewery opens or a new whiskey is released. iPad menu apps are advantageous because they’re flexible, easily updated, and can act as signposts for products that are new to customers.
Taste4’s study revealed how important wine descriptions are for consumers. The language you use to describe your wine can be the difference between selling a bottle and that same bottle staying stowed away in a wine bin. And it’s even harder to sell wine with no descriptions at all.
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