What exactly is a Progressive Wine List?
The Progressive Wine List is a communication tool. It allows the novice to the expert to more easily pick a wine that they will like. It lets servers more confidently recommend something to the customer without having to make guesses, even if they don't know too much about the particular item. It lets the restaurant or retailer balance the wines they have to offer on a wine list or retail shelf so even on a smaller list you have a broader flavor selection. Below is a quote from Tim Hanni MW, who was the originator and still in the forefront in using this way to communicate this customer friendly way to build a wine list:
"I have long promoted using a “Progressive Wine List” system (that also becomes a wine management and training tool), meaning that wines are listed in a progression from milder tasting to stronger tasting character. The important thing is have a wide diversity of flavor styles, pricing and attributes (regions, varieties, special characteristics) and have a balance of offerings, despite what you think does, or does not, “go with” the cuisine. Manage a great list, focus on the guest experience in a personal and individual way. That is truly what history teaches us, and the essence of hospitality.' (credit :Oregon Wine Press, 2017 interview with Tim Hanni, MW).
I've done presentations to many groups that completely changed their ability to sell more wine THAT DAY using the simple process of listing wines by light to heavy in each particular category ( could be region, varietal or simply just 'white, rose' red'). It allows anyone from the server to the customer to easily identify what they want to drink. We have even done food menus along the same outline.
I did a presentation a few years back that is the perfect example of how the progressive wine list can change the way we sell and recommend. We were presenting to one of the largest independent restaurant groups in Central Florida. The sommelier who wrote the wine list and his entire staff were in attendance. The wine list was just enormous. Every key wine region was represented. California, Oregon, Washington State and more from the US. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Spain, Italy, South America, New Zealand, Australia...just a vast book and intimidating. I asked the Somm to pick one page in his wine list to do a quick example. He wrote the list, so it was assumed that he would have the most knowledge about the list. I told him that I would take 10 minutes to take his selected page and turn it into a progressive list. I then took a $100.00 bill out of my wallet and challenged him to pick anyone in the room, and in 10 minutes I would have that person know more about that page than he did...and if I lost he got the money. He handed me a page of over 30 California Cabernets, and then selected his challenger...one of the bussers that was in service pouring water at the meeting.
I went into another room with the challenger/ busser and arranged the 30 Cabernets from light to heavy (my best shot since it was a 10 minute challenge). I then numbered them from 1 -30 so the challenger could easy understand to 1 was the mildest wine, 30 was the biggest, most strong wine. The challenger picked it up immediately and we walked back into the room to resume the presentation. The Somm had his page of the wine list and the challenger/busser had the progressive version. I asked the Somm and the challenger the same question...Out of the 30 Cabernets, which had the mildest flavor, what had the boldest flavor and what would you suggest as something in the middle. The Somm starts going through his list trying to figure out what wine was what, and suddenly and the challenger blurted 'number one is the lightest, number 30 is the heaviest and number 15 is right in the middle...and he was correct, even though he didn't even know the names of the wines.
The Somm got it...he obviously knew the challenger did NOT know as much as the he did about the actual wines, the stories, the regions: but what he the challenger did get is confidence in knowing what wine was lighter or heavier, what he could recommend if someone said' What is the smoothest (lighter) or boldest (heavy) Cabernet on the page...and imagine with some education and training in house about the list how a server could really be confident in the wine list and how they could recommend.
Wine lists are selling tools. Using a progressive wine list doesn't mean the person writing the list is limited in using any wine...it simply makes things a bit easier for the server or casual customer pick a wine with more confidence. Setting a server up to win and sell with confidence makes everyone winners.
