Wine culture is taking hold among the U.S. middle class. More and more people are seeking to enjoy a lifestyle enriched by the finer things in life. At the same time, people are intimidated by the world of wine. Even those with higher educations don’t know where to start. To many, simple scores posted on the shelves next to wine bottles are not enough. Market research conducted by redwinebuzz.com during our development, showed that many people learned by the trial and error process at their local supermarket. This process does not make for informed buying decisions or satisfaction with wines purchased.
Enter the wine bar. Although they vary to some degree, wine bars offer two essential components of the wine experience: on-site wine consumption and wine retail. The two are paired, allowing customers to sample what they are buying. At one end of the spectrum are wine bars that focus on a sit-down wine experience. From a business point of view, the core of income for these establishments is on-site consumption of wine, sometimes accompanied by food – either in the form of small appetizers or larger offerings. On the other end of the spectrum are wine retailers who offer regular wine tasting of current selections in inventory. As a matter of fact, most specialized wine retailers offer tasting events to promote their stocked wines. These events are a good way to find out what’s in the bottle prior to buying. However, many specialty wine retailers are aimed at wine drinkers with knowledge and experience and so may not necessarily be receptive or responsive to the neophyte.
There is a current trend to create beginner-friendly establishments designed to remove the mystery and intimidation of wine. These places are becoming more common and offer a down to earth atmosphere as well as wine tasting and wine education programs. This month, we will look at two establishments in Irvine. Symposium Wine Bar is focused on serving wine, offering retail of wines poured as well as educational events. WineStyles Irvine is a retailer of affordable wines and offers regular wine tasting and education.
A sit-down wine experience.
You enter Symposium Wine Bar through an all-glass façade under a polished aluminum awning with a red sign in art-deco font announcing the name of the establishment. The entry is small and constitutes the retail part of Symposium. The selection of wines available for sale is displayed on shelves next to the register. It is separated from the actual bar by a curtain of polished chains giving an illusion of chain mail. It is not uncommon to encounter Don Katz, founder and owner sitting in this area, greeting patrons.
Don, mild mannered but confident and witty, enjoys a degree of celebrity status among his regulars. He has a good business sense and a realistic assessment of his clientele. He has been described as opinionated in past press. “I wish I could work for someone else, but I do know what I like and it’s important for me to have a say how things should look and be done”, he says.
Don has reason for his confidence in his opinions. His Curriculum Vitae spans years of experience in the food and restaurant field since sixteen years of age. It was his plan to make a career in the restaurant business. He worked in a number of prominent restaurants. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management at San Francisco State University and went on to New York University, where he began a Masters Degree Program in Food Studies.
His studies were cut short in early September of 2001. He developed meningitis and fell into a coma. When he awoke from the coma (during which the attacks on the World Trade Center occurred) several weeks later, he was blind and paralyzed. He has recovered his mobility but not his sight. Nonetheless, he remains driven and determined. He developed Symposium after his recovery. He also recently sat for the CWP (Certified Wine Professional) exam administered by the Culinary Institute of America.
The bar has been open 19 months having opened the day after thanksgiving 2004. “I needed a job. I had a general business concept but I didn’t know I’d open up a wine bar”, he says. “This is the only business I know. It’s exactly what I did before but now I do it a little differently”.
Having a well-defined concept and strong opinions has been instrumental to developing Symposium. “I wanted to make this place all about the wine bar experience and a less about retail. I wanted this place to be casual, where people come to enjoy wine, conversation and some munchies. I also wanted to introduce a new way of looking at wine.”
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The bar area itself is spacious with seating for 50 including at the bar. The décor is swanky with comfy chairs arranged around tables and tall barstools at the bar. The lighting is subdued and the color scheme is darker to create a relaxed, lounge feel. |
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The clientele tends to be composed of people in their late 20s up to those in their early 50s. Through the course of our visit we saw groups of various sizes, couples on dates and friends sitting around tables or aggregating at the bar as classic blues flowed form the speakers. The crowd picked up after 8pm as it generally does. Some people were obvious regulars, familiar and comfortable with Don and the staff. Others were there to relax or enjoy a bit of romance over some wine. Don has a very good sense of what the public wants: “Typical patrons don’t come to the bar to do wine tasting. They want to get a get a good glass of wine and not get gouged for a lousy glass of wine”.
The globe-spanning lineup of wines – all priced under $100 - is organized into fun themed categories. Don created these categories to make them more understandable and approachable to beginners. “The wines are categorized by intensity of flavor instead of varietal, region or style”. The selection is modest, as Don wants to “keep the wine list focused, under 70 wines. Beyond that it gets too much to manage for me and too much to assimilate for the patrons” he says.
Don has chosen to pick lesser known selections: “I can’t compete with the large retailers, but I want to bring my patrons wines not commonly available in Orange County which are good values”
The wines are offered by the glass or in flights (3 selections with some trait in common) with fun and sometimes provocative names. ”I want to create names with essential references: such as a personality type or a woman’s body. This makes the lists more enjoyable and easier to navigate. I usually start out with an idea in my head: regions, price points, style. This allows the guest to try wine they might not otherwise get to taste unless they paid for a whole glass.”
The flights change every so often: “I get bored.” Don says. ”The regulars also want some change. Next week, I am introducing seven new wines and the flights also introduce the wines I carry so that is another reason why the flights change.” Don makes great wine selections so that any of wines offered is bound to be a great experience. Asked about his best value wine, Don quickly names the Nichols Pinot Noir, which we enjoyed as part of the ‘Mouth Watering’ flight of summer reds. (2001 Nichols Pinot Noir - Edna Valley, 2003 Capay Valley Vineyards Tempranillo – North Coast and 2001 Vina Robles Estate Syrah - Paso Robles). His best kept secret is the Marquis Phillips Sarah’s Blend (Australia) and the most unknown wine in his bar is Philip Stanley Petit Syrah (Dry Creek Valley, North Coast).
Accompanying the wine selection is a list of munchies. Symposium does not offer entrees. This is a wine bar and it is not set up to make entrees. Don didn’t want to open a restaurant: “Too much food takes away focus from the wine. I pick items for the menu which are neutral enough to go with any selection from the wine list.” We enjoyed the ‘Meet your Cheese’ tray and the ‘Hot Stuff’ tray of baked mushroom, cheese and chive tarts selections.
The staff at Symposium is attentive. The service is good and you don’t feel like you are being neglected. There is one full-time bartender: James, who sports a handlebar moustache. Don says: “He knows more about wine than me! He’s sarcastic and knowledgeable. A very good fit”. Symposium also has a part-time barback/server and a part time server on weekends. Don is very selective about his staff. They are scrutinized during selection: He gives them a pop quiz. “I ask them about their last memorable dining experience, to name two reds and two whites. I ask them what they know about terroir, what they know about regions, varietals and styles. I want them to be people who think about what they eat and drink.”
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Symposium has a full and varied calendar of events. At the core, are wine classes the aim of which is to “get people to increase their understanding of wine and the vocabulary of wine” Don explains. “I start with a basic system of tasting: color, legs or tears, nose, taste, mouth feel and finish. The key is to make it fun. I get the patrons immersed in the concepts of wine by presenting different concepts: sweetness, oak, tannins and terroir”. When asked how he feels about his role as a teacher he says: “Wine is intimidating for many. I want to make them feel comfortable and make wine fun and accessible”. He says that his blindness does not intimidate his patrons nor does it stand in the way of connecting with people. “I even teach them about blindness”. We asked him how having strong opinions plays in teaching people about wine. He is adamant that his opinions do not sway the people he teaches. “I guide people to develop their palate. I don’t subscribe to or promote any wine dogma.” The proof is in the pudding. Many people trust his choices with confidence and return as regulars. |
SYMPOSIUM is located at 2963 Michelson Dr., Suite. B, (in the Park Place center at the corner of Michelson Dr. and Jamboree Rd.) in Irvine. It is open Monday thru Thursday: 5 P.M.-Midnight; Friday and Saturday: 5 and is closed on Sundays
A wine wine cellar in your neighborhood.
A hybrid between a wine retailer and a wine bar, WineStyles is more of a place to sample wines in a fun atmosphere and then buy some wine to enjoy at home rather than hang out in a wine lounge or bar.
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Most of WineStyles Irvine’s layout is dedicated to retail with shelves made to mimic a Mediterranean wine cellar. Wines are organized by flavor profile. A large sign above explains each profile and every offering has additional information provided next to it. An island in the middle of the retail area displays gift baskets, wine accessories, wine-themed board games, t-shirts and other items are also displayed through out the store. The portion of the store dedicated to wine tasting is simple but roomy with a long bar, a table with chairs and plenty of standing room. It resembles a tasting room in any winery you might visit. The ambiance is down to earth with the feel of a local bar. A friendly crowd made up of regulars and newcomers tends to be lively. A tray of cheese and crackers is always laid out for the wine tasting events. Peaked gothic type arches open up the walls between the tasting area and the rest of the store. |
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“This is a great place for novices and connoisseurs alike”, says Phillip Murphy, the proprietor. “The benefit of coming to WineStyles Irvine is the simplicity. It’s easy and not intimidating or confusing. We lay our wines out by flavor profile which allows people to look at these sections and match their tastes based on the descriptions of what’s in the bottle. The more advanced wine drinkers warm up to the wine style paradigm once they see our selection.” The clientele typically consists of educated people in their mid-20s to mid-50s. During our visit a bachelorette party came in for an evening of fun.
WineStyles, founded in Manhattan Beach in 2002 by Brigitte Baker is one of the fastest growing franchises in the nation. Brigitte’s aim was to "create an “inviting buying experience that demystifies the selection of wine”. Currently there are 120 WineStyles franchises in the US and a few other countries. Correctly pointing out that selecting purely by varietal or region may not lead the buyer to the same kind of wine, Wine styles has created several flavor categories, or wine styles.: 'Crisp', 'Silky', 'Rich', 'Bubbly', 'Fruity' 'Mellow', 'Bold' and 'Nectar'.
The wine selection is extensive (between 100 and 150) and covers regions around the world. Most wines are in the $10-$25 range, with 30% of the selection priced over $25. According to Phillip Murphy, Central Coast wines represent 10% of his inventory. This includes the 2002 Pear Valley Syrah, from Paso Robles – an exclusive to WineStyles Irvine and among this month’s rated wines.
We spoke with Phillip to get to know him and his store better. A wine lover at heart, he says his wine background is “is more personal than professional”. An affable man, he came to WineStyles through his passion for wine: “I was working on an exit strategy from corporate America. I was in telecom at the time. I decided to make some changes in my life and move in a direction towards something I could bring my kids into eventually. I found WineStyles on entrepreneur.com. It was a perfect merger of passion and business. At that time it was brand new. There were no stores when I came on board and I was one of the pioneers of the company. I thought this is such a great way of retailing wine. They brought a structure and methodology to the table that gave me a game plan for getting started”
WineStyles is not necessarily a cookie-cutter retailer. We asked Phillip how WineStyles Irvine is unique from the Costa Mesa and Lake Forrest locations: “We’re all autonomous in our buying decisions although we work off a master list and we do also work together to increase buying power. At WineStyles Irvine, we also taste all the wines we buy which includes wines not on the master list.” Phillip went on to say that what distinguishes Irvine the most is out lay out: “A lot of retail locations are long and narrow. Wine Styles Irvine has a better arrangement to allow for retail space and a tasting area.”
Going beyond retail and wine tasting, WineStyles Irvine offers a number of services. They provide and deliver gift baskets (prepared in partnership with other food establishments) to local corporations. The store also hosts functions for corporations and recently companies such as: Merrill Lynch, Raymond James, Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise and many others have used WineStyles Irvine for their functions.
WineStyles Irvine also provides wine education. They offer educational series for companies of all sizes. “We recently conducted an educational series for a local law firm. We will also be starting a wine studies program for consumers, businesses, and restaurant servers. We will be utilizing the KAPLAN facility next door for this. Their classroom is just beautiful and perfect for what we are doing.”
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The staff at WineStyles Irvine includes Phillip – who wears many hats, Jim French – whose past experience at the Wine Club makes him valuable both as a buyer and as a pourer, Tony Marino - a very knowledgeable 25 year member of the Orange County Wine Society, and Jennifer Rouse whose experience wine knowledge developed from her experience as a wine captain at several notable Orange County restaurants as well as her husband who spent ten years with Wine Warehouse, a local wine distributor. There is also addition staff in the retail section. |
WineStyles Irvine is always offering interesting events. There are themed wine tastings Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Some events are larger with live music. There are also special events like their recent “Girls Night Out”. They often pair wine tasting with other offerings such as jewelry and lifestyle products. In addition, wine makers make visits to the store to talk about their wines.
WineStyles is an ideal neighborhood place for the beginner to sample wines and explore the world of wine. Their philosophy of bringing the wine country to you and opens up the horizons to neophytes and the more advanced.
WineStyles Irvine is Located at 2646 Dupont Dr., Suite C-20 (in the Jamboree Promenade at the corner of Jamboree Rd. and Dupont Dr., between the Daily Grill and Melting Pot Restaurants) in Irvine. They are open from 11:00 A.M to 6 P.M. Mondays, 11:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M. Tuesdays through Fridays, Noon to 8:00 P.M. Saturdays and Noon to 5:00 P.M. Sundays.
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Wine reviews
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