Restaurant Wine, Issue 97 (Sept/Oct 2003)

Wine Inventory Issue

Special Report: Wine program expansion is on hold in most of the restaurants in the USA for the time being. Why? Here are a few of those most responsible for this state of affairs…

Operation Profiles: We look at two successful restaurants and detail their wine programs. One of them, an upscale restaurant in Honolulu, actually operates without a wine list--and is thriving! Moreover, he carries just a few thousand dollars in wine inventory at any one time, and turns it over at least twice a month. How does he do it? Like this… This wine country wine bar offers guests only 40 wines, yet business is strong. How does this husband-and-wife team make its wine program dynamic and profitable? Details here…

Wine Reviews: Out of hundreds of wines tasted for this issue, we single out 155 which deliver top value for their respective types and prices, including: several outstanding California Sauvignon Blancs; a range of excellent USA Pinot Noirs; newly released Syrahs and Zinfandels; several remarkable values in red wine from Argentina; 11 good value Australian Shirazs; wonderful moderately priced red wines from Chile; great values from the south of France; 20 best buys from Italy; and several recommendations from New Zealand and South Africa.