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Erin Ward, beverage director at Alicart Restaurant Group, details how she chooses wines to fit with a restaurant's menu and establishing relationships...
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-- that.
-- It's -- Wednesday so we have to -- -- this is what we do around here.
And I'm thrilled to be talking -- with Aaron Ward she has this amazing title beverage director did you make it up yourself.
I know I can be a better job -- -- -- on the -- restaurant group you are beverage director of.
I'll car phones car minds a very -- Yes every Alice and of course the deli that I am -- island -- Sally of course.
Now you do drinks for all of them -- The best job in the -- only had an untreated it tastes like a lot of tasting hot right now what's it seem to me is -- beverage director for and it's kind -- and a Mexican place.
Barbecue -- It's all kind of different stuff isn't much different yes Ayman Carl -- today the focus is Italian -- and it's an Italian American restaurants I would.
We really on the -- must focus on.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- When we open -- mine's 22 years ago.
They really wanted to you know having the pressure until very authentic and be sort of like an -- feet east and on -- you know and you know my great grandmother being from -- used to put together these amazing dinners and you know she and her angry it's -- backyard -- -- and he'd be drinking that table and so what we did it -- since we don't have vineyards in the backyard.
We sourced out.
These small little vineyards in Italy to produce -- on our behalf.
So how you define them so and originally well we came up with the the -- and -- straight there.
And they traveled a team traveled down to be brits -- region.
And found council -- you know which is a cooperative winery.
And and so they pull.
Grapes from all over that little town.
And precedent for our for our housewives which took it in order to -- -- wine you can kind of you can kind of do anywhere in the -- cents which -- you can hit anywhere in the world finer region you liking you -- is -- there absolutely and you know of course people want to know that you're gonna present them in the right way and you know this -- so happy to partner up with us and represent them and -- how do you maintain quality if you're not there today well we -- down -- -- -- -- -- -- once a year to check on these vineyards -- to visit the size entities and -- taste and meet with everyone and -- the -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- to -- -- and you know talk about the next vintages and next projects.
So we serve out the maximum -- -- -- -- and these are such great value is -- 42 dollars on the line less hectic pace supported gas assets two bottles of wine and one -- and what kind of winds that and we have treading on -- -- China which -- more -- Countryside Italian wine.
And then from there -- decided to it.
You know expand the line and you know do something -- -- up so we have our current Hinds County which is a DO CG.
Designated line.
This is made Feyerick -- done much yet.
And we have a fabulous partnership with them.
They also produce just for us this five -- wind -- -- trade ever hear they had and that's about it bottles of wine.
Eight in there and what we do for big parties to that currency have such big party and and so will will open that up we'll put it on tapping well actually.
And to siphon it off right there you can tap many -- happened so we actually -- this by the -- right now.
And then when we have large -- commend me just -- -- for them at the table.
See you have your own mind now announcing it's a full line rate that -- VG there's basically everything yes yes and I -- just an added on.
The percent go which is made buys our debt and which is a famous 10% -- producer and it's just delicious OK but and then you have an excess of one analyst we did we -- -- a hundred bottles on the -- List and yeah it's it's wonderful we have all different sorts of sections that focus on southern Italian lions.
-- -- -- -- -- -- Is -- that but you competing with yourself.
Do it went right to an extent I mean we we definitely sell.
The most the most bottles are Carmine twice enthusiasm gap that amount of -- on -- -- beyond of the -- so we sell really it just.
You know it's amazing the volume that we do.
And with the -- -- Chianti.
It's amazing to isn't because it's a private label people wanna just feel part of the -- experience absolutely and you know they you know we we -- so focused on quality that people are really know that when they order these -- They're really gonna be blown away by and you get the most bang for your buck tabs so it's still.
Is it do you thing the recession has been part of the reason why those winds have done so well because they are so economical.
Absolutely and right now people are just not you know.
Going for those high end wines and and it that they kind of trot along but -- That the value -- -- really the category that we see the most volume and these just say hit the mark with the quality.
With the price point.
And we have a lot of large scripts that come -- we really focus on in groups of six or more -- said these are perfect clients.
To accommodate a group events -- interesting though that you're not seeing this -- in -- selling.
Right yes absolutely I mean there there selling but at a much slower rate yeah.
And is it changing -- not and I you know I -- -- reminds camera actually felt it.
Actually some really -- that you're sales are going up.
Absolutely we really didn't feel it and which is pretty tremendous.
I know that a lot of a lot of folks really struggled.
And we -- at such a great price point -- to value driven restaurant that.
It is you know we're really maintained great success in their session at the notion of -- house wine house -- -- all works with the package to mean I think it's.
I think more people should do it to -- to go to a restaurant yeah you wanna drink their house -- absolutely absolutely makes the most sense in minutes it's representative of what they want right.
Are you putting any money absolutely.
-- and that yes.
-- big bottle I can't believe you -- that thing I know it's amazing.
And we sell these at all the restaurants.
New York New Jersey me -- eight bottles that's about eight bottles and man on how much that bottles that bottle on the list if you're by the entire thing -- 245.
Dollars so anybody into renting out the violent -- you don't have to buy the whole thing because we also -- by the glass which is great.
So -- -- but then again by the 'cause this well for eight bottles and that's a bargain it's a bargained into huge bargains have.
Yeah I think it one insisting -- half the week.
Yeah Aaron Ward you are terrific every eligible drive this I think it's so I love this notion that you have a wine you love enough.
To which any month absolutely and clearly you sound more so than the other -- that says something that -- even down to DC yet CR and a my gosh.
You and you'll have to come it's amazing down there as you realignment senators yeah exactly the reactionaries she's awesome beverage director and -- -- in the world ala carte restaurant group.
Again Carmine to get -- is Virgil Zanardi Steiner of course thank you so thank you so --
