Further inspired by Hugh Macleod's idea of selling by "market disruption" (see gapingvoid.com for his words of wisdom and wonderful pithy cartoons) the following will be published this weekend in the Guernsey Press as a further provocative, hopefully thought-provoking ad for Cavalier Wines.
This really is one of my pet hates. The phrase was originally coined by a very good friend of mine who has worked in the wine trade for longer than he cares to remember. What is it and where is to be found? It is alive and well at your local restaurant or hotel, the one you go to occasionally where they have not changed the winelist since your first visit...
Mind you, it is not entirely their fault. The so-called wine merchant is also to blame. The Wine List has become a sacred tablet, wrapped up in a fake leather wallet and filled with too many wines, half of which they haven't got. When it has the supplier's name emblazoned on it, it's a good bet they haven't changed it since the flood.
I have only ever been to a handful of restaurants in my long working life that proudly change the wine list on a regular basis because they are as interested in wine as they are in food. Don?t let's forget that most restaurants make more money on the wine than they do on the food.
I know so many restaurants where The List is a meaningless bunch of names and vintages that should have gone out with ark. How much better a list of 12 well chosen wines with a simple description and the actual vintages they have in stock! Oh, by the way any Rosé more than 18 months old shouldn't be there in the first place.