Sommeliers & Wine Agencies

Video Transcript

"Hi Chuck Byers here for Expert Village talking to Charles Jewett of Trilogy Wines. If you could tell me, what do you base your orders on? What do you base what you order, when you order and how you order it? What information do you get from people such as sommeliers, such as restaurateurs. How do you go about that? Well there's a seasonality to the business, so we try to plan for the seasonality. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and select wines that go with the foods for those seasons. So we talk with the sommeliers about their upcoming menu that will be coming out, probably six months in advance, because it takes us that long to plan it, to have the wines to come in. So when they, now, we're talking to them about their Spring menus now. Which wines they want to serve or focus on, on their Spring menu. Which would you prefer, as far as a country that's fast becoming very popular in the sommelier field with wine? There's two countries, really, that are really taking off. Australia has taken the top spot in the market, but the up and coming country, who are pushing hard, is Chile. One of the interesting countries, that is beginning to get recognized here is Spain. I've heard of agencies, for example, like Perter Mozinsky Agency, for example, Agency ABC that imports. Ok, a wine importing agency, excuse me, that imports wine from other countries. At what point would a sommelier go to these people? That's a very good question. A sommelier, related to the industry, as an agent just be an asset. Understanding the portfolio of every single wine, and knowing where they are, what to do, what to recommend to the clientele. So basically if I was beginning a restaurant, I would initially want to consult with a wine agency to acquire some wines and that could involve a wine broker. And then you would incorporate the use of a sommelier to basically be able to sell. Not sell, the wrong word, basically be able to manage and advise staff and clientele on the wine plus make certain selections."