Wine Biz 360

Legal Seafoods' VP of Beverage Operations Sandy Block, MW, discusses how and why he became the first Master of Wine on the US east coast, and how he has used the certification in his wine industry career. Sandy also talks about how wines are selected for the Legal Seafoods beverage program, how wine "quality" should be judged, recent trends he's seen, and why the after-dinner experience is one of the biggest missed opportunities in the restaurant business. Show notes, transcript, and more...

Master Sommelier Michael Meagher explains what everyone -- trade and consumers included -- needs to know about wines under screwcap. In addition to being one of the few people in the world to hold the MS title, Michael holds a WSET Diploma, a Bachelor's degree from Harvard University, an Associate's degree from the Culinary Institute of America, and a Master's degree from the University of Adelaide in Australia -- as well as nearly 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He began...

Ever wonder how or why a wine received a gold medal at a wine competition? Ever consider becoming a wine judge? Robert Whitley, a wine journalist and director of major wine competitions, explains the ins and outs of judging wines and wine competitions, including how one becomes a wine judge, with host Joe Janish. Robert Whitley has been a nationally syndicated wine critic since 1990 and directing wine competitions for over 20 years. He currently directs the following...

Sharron McCarthy, Director of Wine Education for Banfi Vintners, shares her tips for on-premise / restaurant staff trainings with host Joe Janish in episode 6 of WineBiz 360. Sharron discusses on-premise trends such as red blends, rose, and sparkling wines, and how restaurant wine lists are expanding to include these wines. Additionally, she explains how to educate wait staff on wine and motivate them through the power of the dollar, illustrating how servers can put more cash in their...

Well-known restaurant brands such as Macaroni Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Joe's Crab Shack, and others are in distress as Americans change their dining habits. How is this affecting the wine business? Host Joe Janish speaks with Banfi Vintners' National On-Premise Account Manager Thomas Harrell, discussing US chain restaurant trends and how they're changing the strategies of selling and marketing sales to national accounts. After explaining how Thomas went from the golf course to the wine...

How do you sell 5 different Amarones? Whether they're in your bag, on your list, or sitting on a shelf, you'll learn how to sell five different styles of Amarone, using examples from the Banfi Vintners portfolio. Wine industry veterans Joe Janish and Lars Leicht also provide a quick primer on Abruzzo and the wines of Verona -- Verona, Italy, rather than Verona, New Jersey. Speaking of the Garden State, you'll also learn about red wines that have been traditionally found on red-and-white...

Joe Janish interviews Ed Joyce, who provides an overview of Nielsen data as well as the Role of Sales Development and Administration in wine sales planning and marketing strategy.

Winemaker and Master of Wine candidate Nicolas Quille discusses the process and challenges of obtaining the wine industry's highest certification

Winemaker Nicolas Quille and Joe Janish channel their inner David Byrne to answer the wine bottle's question of "how did I get here?" Starting at the source -- the winery -- Nicolas and Joe trace the route a wine bottle (or bladder) takes from supplier to retail shelf, detailing each step and potential pitfalls.