BITS & BOBS

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Stan The Wine Man

From here on out, I’m going to focus very seriously on this blog. I’ve checked out how many people are reading my articles and if I had a big ego, it would most certainly be deflated. This piece has helped me to have some consistency in my writing. However, I must remember that my readers expect more from me than random thoughts. Education is key and I must concentrate on writing some meaningful articles that are educational. I’m not talking stuffy content; I’m talking about interesting and informative material. I will finish my Rose’ article this week and go from there. The wine world is so complex and layered. That’s why there are copious books and articles about it. I would love to simplify the subject so that even the wine newbie can feel comfortable talking about wine.

I often offer myself up for auction, for organizations that are trying to raise money. The event that is auctioned is a private tasting for up to eight people with Stan The Wine Man. I’ve done several over the years and they have all been a blast. Recently I did one of these events and there were seven teachers in the group. Some still working and some retired. They have been friends for years and get together whenever they can. It so happens that this year they decided to come visit their friend in the San Juan Islands. That friend, knowing they were coming up, bid on me at a fundraiser and won the event. I had a great time with the group, educating and helping them understand the wines they were presented. The presentation was “What is the wine in your glass worth.” They tasted five wines in the blind format and had to decide which wines were the less expensive and which wines demanded a higher price. Of course, I never make it easy, so they had to work at it. Needless to say they all had fun and learned a little more about the wine world.

I’ve been running a series on my YouTube channel featuring three wines from each varietal or category that are my top sellers at the store for under twenty dollars. They have been well received, but I was shocked to see how many viewed the one featuring Pinot Noir! Four thousand six hundred views as of today. That’s insane! What I’ve learned from that is the subject matter is most important. Obviously, Pinot Noir under twenty bucks piqued many people’s interest. The others have only garnered just over one hundred views each. One has to really think about how to present the subject matter. The title is important of course, but most important is the content. I have many episodes that have thousands of views, so I look back to see what it is about them that draws people to watch. However, someone I have great respect for said, one is better than none. I am grateful to have people out there who enjoy what I am doing on YouTube. Next on the docket is refreshing white wines to beat the heat. How will that one do? I will find out. If you have any suggestions, email them to me and I will try to include them in upcoming episodes.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Stan The Wine Man

I was disappointed with myself when I missed last week’s segment. It’s one of the first times I put a run ahead of an article. For some reason, I felt a need to get out there and hit the road. I know it’s not the end of the world to miss a self-appointed writing assignment, but I love running and writing equally. I chose running (if you can call it that) last week. However, I’m back at it and happy to be in front of my computer banging away at the keyboard.

Another Fourth Of July has come and gone. What a crazy week it was! When you have a holiday like the Fourth and the weather couldn’t have been better, it’s a recipe for big crowds and lots of business. In case you were not aware, sunny days on a holiday are hard on the restaurants. Many people stock up for picnics rather than go to a restaurant to eat. I’m sure they were busy, but not nearly as much if it had rained. However, as the sun fades away, dinner time is busier for the eating establishments than lunch. Don’t worry about them, I’m sure they were busy enough for their staffs.

Wine sales are interesting when the suns shines and it’s warm outside. As you might suspect, red wine sales slow down quite a bit and Rose’ and white wine sales go through the roof. As for myself, I was glad to see Rose’ fly out the door. I have plenty of it at the store in anticipation of Rose’ season. It took awhile for the sun to come out on a consistent basis, but we finally got there. The top categories in white wine sales this year were… Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and of course, Chardonnay, although Chardonnay brought up the rear.

Rose’ is a funny wine for a couple reasons. Number one, is the idea that it shouldn’t be drunk unless it’s warm outside. Really? I’m not kidding you. If it’s not warm, Rose’ comes to a stop. Now, to be fair, there are people like me who don’t give a rat’s ass what the weathers like. We drink Rose’ year-round. Number two. If Rose’ isn’t a light salmon color, it doesn’t sell as well. This is interesting, because some of the best Rose’ out there is darker in color. Rose’ from Tavel or Bandol tend to be a darker hue. It could be that they are a bit more expensive than many of the others, but let me tell you that they are more complex, they are dry and they are simply memorable in most cases. If you are one of those people that insists that your Rose’ has to be light in color, I challenge you to at least give one of the aforementioned Rose’s a try. You might disagree with me, but that’s okay. At least you won’t be in the dark about darker Rose’.

I’m working on an article about Rose’ and putting out a YouTube video featuring some of my personal go-to Rose’s for this year. Make sure to check it out, it should be available to watch soon. Also on my channel “Stan The Wine Man TV” I’ve been doing a series on the top-selling wines under twenty bucks in each category of wines. For instance, I’ve covered Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. It’s very interesting for me to see what it is about a wine that brings people back for more. Check them out if you get a chance.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on June 24, 2024 by Stan The Wine Man

In my line of work, there are a lot of important decisions to make. How much wine to purchase to get the department through a week of sales without ordering too much or not enough. Making sure there is enough help in the department to get the things that need to be done, done and at the same time not neglecting our customers. Even though we run a two man show, I’m fortunate that my trusty assistant Scott, understands what is needed to run a successful department. He has developed into a solid wine steward and is very good with customers. Heading into the busiest time of the year, it is nice to know that we have things covered. It’s not to say that a third person would not be greatly appreciated. However, at this stage in the game, it is obvious that we will go through another summer as the dynamic duo.

Another important element to my job, is making sure we keep prices down for our customers. I’m always on the lookout for great deals and wines that punch over their weight class for the money. I’ve developed a reputation for doing just that and I plan on making sure I continue to deliver. Recently, I’ve been informed that one of our main suppliers plans on increasing their charge on wines that are not ordered in full case lots. They refer to this as a split case charge. This company is going to raise this charge to three dollars for each bottle in the split case. This is a ridiculous increase. It could raise the retail price of a bottle by almost two dollars. This is a huge company that can afford to supply us without such a charge. Because of this, I am removing from the shelves many of their wines that I only buy by the bottle (not cases). There are other suppliers out there that would love to have the business and do not add a split case fee. And, if they do, it’s certainly not that high. This may mean that one of the wines that you buy from our department will not be there for you. I hope you understand that I don’t want you to pay more than you should. I will search out worthy replacements that I’m sure you will enjoy at a lower cost.

I’m getting serious about writing an article entitled “The Rose’ Enigma” which will dig into the mystery as to why many people only buy Rose’ when the sun comes out. I’ve observed this enigma for many years and it’s about time I address it in an article. It will be out soon, I hope you enjoy it.

On my YouTube channel, I am continuing to review the top selling wines in my department that roll in at under twenty bucks. I’ve covered Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. They have been very popular episodes. Upcoming, I will review my top selling Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons under the twenty-dollar price point. I’m super pumped about this, because I’ve discovered a few gems as I’ve gone along. I hope you find some as well. I really want to understand what brings people back to the same wine over and over again. I’m starting to catch on.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Stan The Wine Man

We are about to embark on another summer in the San Juan Islands. For Scott and I, it means about ten weeks of close your eyes and get it done. In our wine department it isn’t just about the volume of customers who pass through the store. It is a physical job as well. Schlepping cases of wine and booze from the back room or top shelf into stock as the popular items fly off the shelves. Neither Scott nor I are spring chickens, although we are both quite capable of keeping up with the demand. In a lot of ways, it’s an exhilarating time of year. We both love to sell wine, beer and booze. I often refer to us as the vice squad. Of course, we would love to have a third person for the summer. Someone who would like to join the party and learn a bit about wine along the way. We’ve had a few bites, but nothing has come to fruition. It’s tough in the San Juans with the lack of rentals available and the competition from other businesses who are also trying to get enough help for the summer. However, the beat goes on and we are prepared to tackle the summer as the dynamic duo once again.

My YouTube channel is at a bit of a standstill right now. I have 1025 subscribers, which I am very excited about. Now, the challenge is to get the viewers to spend just a bit more time watching the episodes. Of course, that requires some serious thought on my part. What is it that people are interested in watching? How can I keep my viewers engaged? I want to change things up a bit, but I need some suggestions. I have a good friend who insists I keep my episodes down to around ten minutes. It makes some sense, as the attention span of most, is quite short when it comes to YouTube. I know I need to teach myself how to make more interesting thumbnails, which are the pictures that give a preview to what is coming out on my channel. Clever thumbnails catch people’s attention. The fact that I’ve never put much into that and still have over a thousand subscribers, convinces me that better thumbnails will only attract more people. I’m dedicated to making my channel informative and entertaining. I want to thank all of you who watch what I’m doing on YouTube on a regular basis and make comments. It keeps my creative juices flowing.

I’m working on an article about Rose’, it will be called “The Rose’ Enigma.” I’m fascinated by the buying habits of my customers, particularly when it comes to buying pink wine. Why does the sun have to come out before people buy Rose’? I know that is not true of all of you, but it is true for the majority of wine shoppers. I will go into some depth on my thoughts about this wine phenomenon. I’m certainly not the only wine person to give this subject some ink, but I have somewhat of an advantage being on the retail side of things. I hope you get a chance to read it.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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