Wine and storytelling have long gone hand in hand, though securing sales through compelling narration isn't always guaranteed.
Regardless of how enticing the tale – or the animation of its raconteur – a few additional elements come into play, specifically those surrounding price point and customer personality.
Wine-Searcher spoke with seven industry professionals to gauge how much storytelling ultimately helps close the deal, both from consumer-facing and trade-facing standpoints; unsurprisingly, the keys to winning over each audience aren't necessarily the same.
Storytelling on the floor
For curious wine drinkers, a great story can set a bottle apart amongst a sea of options, though the anecdote's success is greatly dependent on the consumer's mentality.
Clay Fox, wine director at Restaurant R'evolution in New Orleans, often segments his customers into a few main categories, including the comfort seeker, the educated, and the truly curious.
"For the people who purchase wine mostly based on comfort, the story matters very little," he says, affirming that these customers will almost always lean into something familiar. Equally, Fox states the same for the connoisseur, who will invariably buy what they already know – or in other cases, simply stick to flashy and/or recognizable names.
However, the story begins to hold weight with the curious guest, whose genuine interest is the defining factor.
"This is an open-minded person who loves wine and is looking for something they can connect with," Fox says. In terms of demographic, Fox most commonly finds this type of drinker amongst younger consumers, especially those with a bit of disposable income. "If you can tell them an anecdote about the winemaker, the place, or the why, they're much more likely to take the leap," he says.
Similarly, Ian Smedley, wine director at New York-based COQODAQ, finds that narrative can help emphasize a wine's singularity tableside, though the customer's mentality undoubtedly comes into play.
"We're in an era where everyone's wine knowledge is up across the board (digital information accessibility abounds), so there is a split between those who choose based on what they know versus those who want to have a conversation and let us guide them," Smedley says.
Femi Oyediran, co-owner of Graft Wine Shop in Charleston, agrees.
"Stories are incredibly important, but just as important is knowing how and when to tell them," he says, revealing that storytelling only works when done with finesse. "The real skill is awareness: knowing which details matter in the moment, how to relate them efficiently, and when to let the wine speak for itself. Stories are powerful, but timing and restraint are the real sauce."
Tales and sales
Alison Matera, general manager of Riverside Wine and Spirits in Tennessee, states that all customers shop and interrelate differently, though nailing down those who'll be interested in a narrative is pretty obvious.
"In my experience, a fun story about the wine humanizes the product, as people remember people far more than the typicality of a certain wine," she says.
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