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Don’t forget the wine list
By Janine Bolton, LEAF
March 10, 2011
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When we think about "greening" a restaurant, certain things spring to mind such as local, organic food, energy efficient equipment, and recycled take out containers. Unfortunately, a big part of the restaurant's business, and its environmental impact, is often overlooked: the wine menu. It's quite common to go to a restaurant and find a fair amount of local food on the menu, but few wine choices that weren't imported from thousands of miles away.
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Traditional wine making can involve large amounts of pesticides and chemicals, which aren't good for the earth or your customers. The energy to transport thousands of cases of wine across the world each year doesn't come without an environmental price tag. If you're concerned about your environmental impact and changing your wine menu can have a big impact, is a relatively easy change to make and can even save you money. Choosing more "sustainably produced" wines (those made with organic grapes, or bio-dynamically) or locally produced wines is one way to make a big difference. More and more wineries are perfecting their craft and making excellent wines close to home.
The wines you offer your customers are extremely important. This says a lot about your restaurant, so it's likely not something you will change overnight. Start with these tips to work towards a "greener" wine menu:
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- Think about what's most important for the atmosphere you're trying to create. Will it mean more to your clientele to see a "local" cabernet on the menu, or a particular vintage from Italy?
- Share your efforts with your customers. Highlight where the wine comes from, how the grapes are grown, and why you're featuring it. Customers will feel good knowing that you're making a difference!
- Don't be confused by the lingo. "Organic,” "Made with organic grapes,” "biodynamic" - the options can be confusing. Wine labelling and certifications is more complex than for food. Whenever possible, choose local selections first, then worry about the others. Once you establish relationships with local wineries, you're in a better place to have discussions about how the wine is made. If your wines must be imported, looking for one of the aforementioned labels is a good start. To learn more about what these terms mean, click here.
- Get to know your local wine makers. If you've got customers with picky palettes, ask local wine makers to help you find suitable alternatives or similar wines to replace, or compete with, the international favourites.
- Highlight local wines. You don't have to forgo your fancy wine list altogether. Offer your clients a choice, and highlight or offer specials on some of your local favourites to encourage people to try them.
Once you've tackled your wine list, take a look at your beer offerings. Can you offer more draught and less bottles, thereby reducing the transportation and energy needed to transport and recycle all those bottles?
About the author:
 Janine Bolton is President of LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice), a National organizationthat is dedicated to helping those in the foodservice industry reduce their environmental impact, and recognizes them for doing so.
Like many students, Janine put herself through University by working in the foodservice industry. Janine has always had a passion for the environment and was deeply bothered by the amount of waste she observed during this time. After recognizing a gap in the environmental sector, Janine set forth to develop a program that would specifically address the environmental impacts of the foodservice industry in Canada. Janine is originally from Vancouver Island, B.C., and now resides in Calgary, Alberta, where she is involved with various sustainability initiatives. Janine holds a B.Sc. in Nutritional Science from the University of Alberta, is a Registered Dietitian and a member of the College of Dietitians of Alberta.
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