Not only should tasting notes tell your customer what they can expect to taste, but also why they should buy it – and even pay more for it.
Here’s how our Customer Marketing Manager Nicola Farley approaches it.
Tone of voice
“Before writing your tasting notes, think about your venue, your guests and brand tone of voice. Do they need to be serious, comprehensive and vinous, or can they be cheeky, playful and fun?”
How long is too long?
Nicola believes that three words to describe a wine can sometimes be all you need. “However, if your guests are going to pay a little more for a bottle it bodes well to give them a compelling reason why. If you have room and feel it’s appropriate, select a few interesting bottles to write an extended tasting note on and add an interesting story about the producer or the wine itself.”
Categorise
“If tasting notes are too much for your venue and not necessary, think about having top line tasting notes by grouping wines into categories, for example ‘Fresh & Crisp’ and ‘Big & Juicy’. Or simply categorise by country and region, making it easy for someone to navigate the list,” she says.
Perfect pairs
Assisting customers in picking the perfect food and wine pairing will enhance their experience and Nicola believes that this reduces their feeling of risk when trying something new. “Remember, you can also put wine recommendations on your food menu to tempt customers with the ideal glass of wine for that dish,” she says.
Enticing and tempting
“Using appealing words to describe the flavours in the wine will make your customers want to drink it,” Nicola says. “Your tasting notes should be more tempting as you move up in terms of price. If your cheapest wine sounds the most alluring, guests may not explore the list any further.”
All Bar One ensures that their tasting notes are relevant and engaging. Wine category manager for owners Mitchells & Butlers, Lydia Worsey, explains, “Our tasting notes help nudge a guest’s decision from being a price-led one to being more about what they will enjoy drinking, ultimately enhancing their wine experience at All Bar One. It can also encourage guests to get out of their comfort zone and try something different on the wine list!”