How Wine Becomes a Profit Maker in Cocktail Bars
(c) Bar Freundschaft
Top sommelier Johannes Schellhorn (Bar Freundschaft) is the host of the KALK&KEGEL Wine-Boost Workshops at Bar Convent Berlin (14th to 16th October). In this interview, he discusses which products guests are willing to spend a lot of money on, why foresight makes a good host, and why spritzers are the ultimate discipline.
Cocktails and wine – how do they fit together?
JOHANNES SCHELLHORN: Not in the glass, but on the menu. Because you always have guests who break the mould. For the sake of hospitality and profitability, we also need to cater to these people.
Which field is more complex?
JOHANNES: In my opinion, it is easier for sommeliers to mix a simple cocktail than it is for bartenders to recommend a wine. Why? Because the taste component of wine is different from spirits. You need to know a lot more. I have been deeply involved with wine for ten years now and still learn something new every day. The world of wine is getting bigger, not smaller. The specialisation in recent years in one direction or another therefore makes perfect sense. Nevertheless, we should all keep an eye on what else the market has to offer.
At BCB, you will be hosting eight Wine-Boost Workshops with KALK&KEGEL on various topics. Do you have a favourite?
JOHANNES: I think the topic of wine will be new territory for many bartenders, so it is important to show the diversity. From a restaurateur's perspective, "Drink more" (white and red wines with good drinkability) is naturally the profit maker.
(c) Bar Freundschaft
If I want to put wines on the bar menu, how should I approach it? Is there a guideline for how many positions make sense?
JOHANNES: It depends on the bar and its size. Generally, I wouldn’t go over ten positions, which is already quite ambitious. Sparkling wine is a good option because you also need it for drinks. Champagne, Crémant, Sekt—anything with a good pull and drinkability. I’m always surprised why sparkling wine is often excluded in bars. The product is incredibly stable, and in a bar, you always have guests who are celebrating something and are willing to spend a lot of money. Sparkling wine works great by the bottle but should also be offered by the glass. If necessary, use technical aids like Coravin Sparkling to keep it fresh.
Is it advisable to get consulting?
JOHANNES: Absolutely. We are talking about a small wine list with a few positions. This is a chance for wine merchants to compile such mini-programmes properly. You probably already have a trusted wine merchant through whom you get your sherry, Madeira, and similar. Go to them and explain that you want to attract more customers and now also need wine. But you also need to bring the wine to the guest. Simply listing the wine on the menu isn’t enough. That’s why I’m a fan of sticking to a small selection like two whites, two reds, and a rosé.
One of the workshops at the BCB is about spritzers. Why is this interesting for bartenders?
JOHANNES: Spritzers are cult and a profit maker but also an absolutely difficult product—you can do so much wrong. The wine has to fit, and so does the water. If you scrimp on either, you ruin the end product. It’s like cooking. The fewer components, the better they need to be. The wine needs to be simple but good simple. It’s no use making a spritzer from a heavy, oaky Chardonnay. It tastes awful. The same goes for the water. The best product Vöslauer has brought to market in recent years is the one with the black cap. You can’t drink it pure as the carbonation hits your nose, but it’s ideal for spritzers.
The KALK&KEGEL Wine Boost Workshops at Bar Convent Berlin
KALK&KEGEL is now accelerating in terms of wine know-how in the world of cocktail bars! At "Bar Convent Berlin," the largest trade fair for the bar and drinks industry, taking place from 14th to 16th October 2024 at the "Palais Berlin" on the Berlin exhibition grounds, KALK&KEGEL will present a selection of German, Austrian, and international wines that should not be missing in any bar!
Registrations for winemakers are still possible via this link: www.kalkundkegel.com/bcb2024/
The eight Wine Boost Workshops will be led by a red-white-red sommelier star, Johannes Schellhorn from the wine bar "Freundschaft" in Berlin. Each workshop offers an hour of concentrated wine expertise on trending topics from "Lass sprudeln" (sparkling wine and PetNat), "Neue Rote Welle" (cool climate red wines), and "Rising Stars" (new names and not yet well-known winemakers) to "Riesling Rache" and "Drink more" (white and red wines with good drinkability). KALK&KEGEL publisher Michael Pöcheim-Pech says, "Progressive titles, exciting content, the best wines, and expert know-how without the blah blah – that’s what our Boost Workshop visitors can expect."
