Wine buyers: what do they buy and what trends do they monitor?
The market is crowded, with thousands of brands, and competition to sell your wine is fierce. Added to this is a decline in consumption, making the challenge even more daunting for brands, regardless of their size or reputation.
Wine Industry Advisor interviewed four wine buyers to find out what drives their purchasing decisions, what trends they're monitoring, and what tips they have for selling their wine.
Angelo Martelli, general manager of Buy Rite Wine & Liquor (which has 50 locations in New Jersey), aims to maintain a balanced inventory that combines familiar and well-known brands with a certain level of diversification. "If customers request a certain type of wine, we contact our suppliers. We try to stock as many wine regions as possible, even though we have a limited selection of items available, based on limited shelf space and budget," says Martelli.
Fran Kysela, founder of the import company Kysela Pere Et Fils in Winchester, Virginia, purchases an average of $16 million worth of fine wines and spirits from around the world each year. “We study market trends and sales data. We're currently buying more white wines, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Picpoul. Customers want lighter, fresher wines suitable for spritzing. Low-alcohol, organic, and biodynamic wines are also popular. The dry rosé market, on the other hand, is saturated,” Kysela emphasizes.
Cary Palmer, director of food and beverage development at Link Restaurant Group, buys about $130,000 worth of wine a month for the group's six restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sauvignon Blanc sales are rising. "At Pêche Seafood Grill, our $17 a glass Sancerre sells better now than it did when it was $13. Customers prefer lighter reds over full-bodied, tannic ones because of New Orleans' warm climate," Palmer explains.
Gary's Wine & Marketplace, with four locations in New Jersey, assigns category managers to evaluate customer demand, sales data, and market trends. "We first evaluate what we currently offer and see if it fits our portfolio. Every wine we introduce must meet a current demand or need," says corporate wine director Gillian Sciaretta.
Tips for Sellers
Cary Palmer, who previously worked in retail, encourages sellers to simply show up with wines to taste. "I'm a quick taster and only need five minutes. I might not buy the wine right away, but maybe I will in the future."
Martelli emphasizes the importance of thinking more about the partnership dimension rather than focusing solely on closing a sale. "We've had many salespeople sell us wines but then stop following up. I recommend coming back a few weeks later to see how sales are going. Be there to help us sell your wines once they're on the shelves. Also, if you work with a distributor we already work with, come to the store with a representative rather than stopping by alone. This will make it easier for them to get in touch with your wines."
Sciaretta advises sellers to highlight their wine's strengths and "show how your wine fills a current need that isn't yet being met. We also look for wines and offerings that set us apart from the competition."
Categories to monitor
Sciaretta and Martelli monitor the no- and low-alcohol and organic categories, based on customer interest: "An organic certification can sometimes make the difference between a customer buying one wine and another," Martelli points out.
Buyers are also looking at wine regions that offer customers new experiences and greater accessibility. "We always look for offerings from lesser-known areas," says Sciaretta. "Our guests want competitively priced wines that guarantee quality and exceed expectations. Some examples are Paso Robles in California, Dao in Portugal, Alicante in Spain, and wines from Chile."
For his restaurants, Palmer is looking for wines produced in high-altitude areas that, he says, offer “crispness,” such as those from Jura and Savoy in France and Alto Adige in Italy, as well as wines that draw from the marine influences of the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.
Martelli offers a selection of wines from New York and New Jersey to support local producers and cites the many quality regional wines of the United States as an area of growth for sales.
One thing these buyers have in common is that they all recommend investing in personal relationships. Buyers are professionals who work hard to meet customer demand and market their products. It's advisable to respect their time, express interest, and ask how you can collaborate with them to promote their wines. Every collaboration should be nurtured and considered an opportunity for improvement.
