Nick Fede, Jr., Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative.

By Nick Fede, Jr., Executive Director, Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative

It is no secret that there has been a movement of consumers drifting from the wine category and there are many contributing factors to this phenomenon. Our shelves are filled with wines from around the globe, and with so many grapes, so many styles and so much nuance, exploring the wine category can be an intimidating task for even the most experienced of consumers.

There has never been more wine available for consumers and, as industry professionals, our guidance is of the utmost importance if we want the category to thrive. There is such a vast amount of wine that we have the privilege of selling in Rhode Island—and with a huge variety comes a wealth of responsibility. If we want to be able to sell this diverse array of wines, we must do our part, as a whole industry, to educate the consumer in order to drive the wine business. We must reduce consumers’ apprehension to explore and reignite the excitement around what is arguably our industry’s most romantic category.

Over the last year or so, there have been overtures from people around the industry asking the same question repeatedly, “How do we get people back into wine?” As COVID-19 restrictions persisted, consumers opted to explore newer beer and liquor options instead of wine. In my opinion, the largest reason for this choice is that beer and liquor have a much lower barrier to entry for consumers from a cost perspective. A spirits bottle, although comparable in price to premium wines, can be revisited 10-plus times after the initial purchase. Wine is a much different animal: The whole bottle must be consumed within the first few days of opening. Enjoying a bottle of wine is a moment.

Believe me, during COVID, we as an industry tried to keep consumers interested in wine. Suppliers offered virtual tastings and Zoom events, which went off with varying degrees of success. Over time, the likelihood of a consumer participating in multiple virtual wine events per month decreased; there was no way they could consume that much wine or stomach the cost repeatedly. Again, it all came down to a barrier to entry.

Due to a newly created law, we now have the opportunity as retailers to do our part to help reverse this trend. This legislative session, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a law allowing Class A retailers to host a third Grand Wine Tasting per calendar year. The law, spearheaded by Rep. Bill O’Brien and Sen. Hanna Gallo—and supported by Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative—has added the month of August to the time frame when Grand Wine Tastings are allowed. Before the law’s passage, Grand Wine Tastings were only allowed during the months of March and November. When hosting a Grand Wine Tasting, a retailer may open an unlimited amount of wine-based products during a single day of the designated month for their customers to sample.

Currently, consumers look forward to every March and November where they can visit some of their favorite liquor stores across the state and sample wines from around the world. Adding August to the tasting calendar is not only a layup, it’s a home run. Anything we can do as Class A retailers to improve the consumer experience should always be a priority. The structure of when these events happen is key. It keeps consumers mindful of exactly when to look for Grand Wine Tastings around the state and creates excitement around the events.

As a retailer, I do understand how hard it is operating a business in the current climate. I assure you, putting in the extra effort to host your customers for a Grand Wine Tasting will pay off—not only on the day of the tasting but in the months to follow. The items you choose to feature will gain exposure and traction that they may not have otherwise received.

By having a limit on when Grand Wine Tastings can occur, we can consistently deliver a high-quality product to consumers, as well as make the events something to look forward to. If these events happened every month, they would quickly lose their luster. Capping Grand Wine Tastings to three times per year is good for retailers and consumers. I hope you consider hosting a Grand Wine Tasting of your own this month!

Contact riliquoroperatorscollaborative@gmail.com to get involved.

Nick Fede Jr. serves as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative and is a third-generation liquor retailer.