Meritage's Integrated, Dynamic Wine Program
is Key to its Success
SANTA BARBARA--Mitchell Sjerven is a man on a mission.
At his new restaurant, Meritage (pronounced "mair-i-TAHJ"),
which he co-owns and operates with chef/partner Lydia Gaitan,
Sjerven ("SHOOR-vin") has established a fine dining
restaurant focusing on local fare.
His choice of this market niche was no accident. "There
are over 300 restaurants in Santa Barbara. But none, apart
from The Wine Cask, emphasizes the combination of local
produce and wines that we do," he observes.
Indeed, wine is a critical focus at Meritage: It is directly
reflected in the restaurant's name [see page 6 for an explanation
of Meritage] and featured prominently in the 48 seat restaurant.
But it is how Sjerven integrates wine into the restaurant's
merchandising and training efforts which helps to make Meritage's
wine program a model one--and the restaurant the success
it is.
MEETING THE SMALL-RESTAURANT CHALLENGE
Sjerven's challenge at Meritage has been considerable.
The restaurant has only 48 seats in the dining room, 8 at
the wine bar, and 32 outside (available only when the weather
cooperates). In addition, it has only a wine and beer license.
To attract a regular clientele--and elicit the $30+ check
average he feels he needs to survive--Sjerven knew that
good food was essential. But he also needed an interesting
selection of wines, effective merchandising tools, and an
extremely well trained staff. How he resolves these, and
other, wine program issues may provide ideas for improving
your wine sales and service.
I. WINE SELECTION
* Focus on Local Wines
From the first, Meritage focused on Santa Barbara County
wines, something few other restaurants in the area do. "I'm
amazed, still, that so many local restaurants have a wine
list that reads like one you could find in any other part
of the country." Thus Sjerven's wine focus gives the
restaurant a classic point of differentiation from that
of his competition.
* Short Wine List
Sjerven limited his wine list to two pages. Why? "I
don't want to overwhelm my customers. I want to keep it
simple for guests, so they don't have to agonize over what
to order." As a result, Sjerven reprints his list several
times a week. He admits, "I pride myself on having
a very accurate, uptodate wine list. I want a wine list
on the floor at all times that accurately reflects the wines
we have. You can't do that if you have a big book."
The short list also helps limit inventory levels and enables
Sjerven to maximize discounts on wines that he pours by
the glass.
* Special Selection Wines
For several months after opening, Sjerven listed very few
wines which cost more than $50 a bottle. But as Meritage
became established, customers began requesting higher priced
wines. So Sjerven added, then expanded, a Special Selection
section to the wine list, which includes rare and higher
priced bottlings. "Since we expanded the reserve list,
we are selling an enormous amount of expensive bottles."
As a result, Meritage's check average has climbed from $30
on opening to nearly $35 today.
* Meritage Wines
Sjerven and chef/partner Gaitan selected their restaurant
name "because we liked how it sounded", he says.
But Sjerven has utilized the wine association as a means
both of explaining the restaurant's menu ("It is a
blend of Latin, Asian, French, and American influences,
like a blending of different varietals.") and introducing
Meritage-style wines to guests. "We always feature
several by the glass," Sjerven says. He highlights
them with an asterisk on the wine list, a device which routinely
elicits questions from customers unfamiliar with the wines
and provides servers the perfect opening for their wine
sales efforts.