The restaurant industry is growing and thriving. According to data sourced from thousands of restaurants using the BentoBox Marketing & Commerce Platform, restaurant spending was up 6.7% in 2023 and 10,608 new restaurants opened across the United States; the industry saw restaurant openings surpass levels before the pandemic for the first time.
That doesn’t mean restaurateurs are entirely breathing easy. Most report that eateries are less profitable than pre-pandemic days, thanks to rising product and labor costs. The overall forecast for 2024 looks good, however, with the National Restaurant Association projecting over $1 trillion in restaurant sales this year for the first time in history.
One way restaurants are taking advantage of the uptick is to invest in their wine programs, rebuilding cellars that many tapped during the pandemic as a source of income while their doors were closed. After those few years spent downsizing their lists to control costs, they are seeing value in refreshing those programs.
And importantly, they are deepening the relationships they have with wineries and winemakers. From curating wine dinners to creating private wine labels, restaurants are looking to expand what they offer their customers as they lay the groundwork for continued growth.
Recognition Is Due
Restaurants that make wine a priority are what the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards program is all about. It’s the only program focused exclusively on recognizing the best in restaurant wine service. Restaurants can earn one of three levels of recognition: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and, the highest, the Grand Award.
Esta historia es de la edición August 31, 2024 de Wine Spectator.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 31, 2024 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
