A WIDE SELECTION OF WINES FROM EMERGING PRODUCERS OFFERS GUESTS GOOD VALUE AT FELICE. | PHOTO COURTESY OF FELICE WINE BAR.
what the wine is, but you can change the way you talk about it.” His idea is to create a “no judgement” zone and personal moments with each guest to remove pretensions. Those old- school taste descriptors like tobacco, leather, forest floor and plum are not relatable to guests just starting out on their wine journey. Felice’s wine list also tells a good story, divided by agricultural terrains such as seaside, mountains and volcanic soil rather than red and white varietals, “and covering every taste and pocketbook,” Ferrulli said. This includes emerging producers that provide great value, along with a featured wine of the week that sells for $20 to $30 less than Felice’s average bottles. The restaurants also offer growers’ champagne and other wines cultivated by Italian farmers for very little markup. “We’ve also expanded our by-the-glass options and sell three de-alcoholized wines—a red, white and sparkling,” he added. This is in step with the Gen Z trend of zebra striping— alternating full-proof wines and cocktails with alcohol-free selections when out in a restaurant or bar. TAPPING INTO GEN Z VALUES Felice has an extensive selection of organic and biodynamic wines, and the menu goes into detail about their agricultural production. Ferrulli sees younger diners gravitating toward these wines. “The sustainability message plays a part
YOUNGER LDA* CONSUMERS ARE DRINKING MORE ___ INSTEAD OF WINE Over half (53%) of restaurant operators observe younger LDA consumers gravitating toward cocktails/mixed drinks, while 53% of bar/nightclub operators believe their patrons are consuming more ready-to-drink mixed drinks/cocktails rather than ordering wine.
in turning these consumers onto wine,” said Technomic’s Heseman, “but transparency is a selling point, too. They want to know where the wine comes from, how it’s grown and the winemaking process.” Dallas-based Sixty Vines, a wine-focused polished-casual chain, puts sustainability front and center as soon as a customer enters one of its 14 locations. Almost all the wine comes in by the keg and is served on tap, eliminating glass bottles, the energy that goes into producing
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS JULY 2025
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