Club wine programs aren’t just “fringy” events anymore.
Hawaii’s Kaanapali Golf Course had everything—36 professional-caliber holes, panoramic views of the Maui coastline, romantic sunsets, and proximity to 10 luxury resort hotels filled with honeymooners and other vacationing couples. But after about 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., there was usually one thing missing from this postcard-perfect picture: Golfers.
That was until last April, when Kaanapali General Manager Ed Kageyama, PGA Head Golf Professional Scott Ashworth, and Sales and Marketing Manager Melissa Ludwig uncorked a package that has turned late afternoons into tee time for a growing number of resort visitors and local couples. Since its introduction, Kaanapali has sold a daily average of two to five “Wine & Nine” packages for two (which includes a keepsake cooler filled with wine, cheese and serving accessories), priced between $160 and $185.
“We’ve noticed that about half the time, only one of the two individuals actually plays, while the other either drives the cart or simply relaxes and enjoys the scenery,” Ludwig says. “It’s a great way for a golfer and non-golfing ‘significant other’ to spend an afternoon together doing something they both enjoy—and at the end, have a front-row seat for a spectacular sunset.”
The Wine & Nine concept takes a different— yet also highly successful—spin at The Medallion Club in Westerville, Ohio. Once a year, the club’s Rookery Nine course is transformed into a huge wine-tasting venue (see “scorecard,”), as players, fortified with palate-cleansing bottles of water and stashes of cheese and crackers, sample the specialties of various vendors stationed at the tee boxes at each hole. A lavish hors d’oeuvres spread follows.
Open to both golf and social club members (guest fees are also waived), Medallion’s version of Wine & Nine drew 36 couples (at $60 apiece) last year and, according to General Manager Chad Bucci, there has been a waiting list for the past two. To avoid disappointing members, the club is considering expanding the event to two of its courses this year.
Admission to the annual Wine & Nine is also included as a perk for members of Medallion’s Wine Club, which is currently in its third year and has grown from its original membership of 22 to close to 40. The $400 fee for the Wine Club (the brainchild of Food and Beverage Director Gary Hershey) includes a gourmet wine dinner, a bottle of a specially selected “wine of the month” along with an explanatory newsletter, plus a 20% discount off of each bottle of wine and 10% off each entrée purchased by members at the club’s grill throughout the year.
Even Medallion’s golf shop has become a successful wine-selling venue. During last year’s Member/Guest Tournament weekend alone, the shop sold six cases of wine, and the club is able to easily sell any “onesies or twosies” that might remain from an opened case. By the List Maintaining an extensive list of good local wines available at a wide range of prices (including some i n t r i g u i n g l y obscure labels for more adventurous oenophiles) has helped Winchester Country Club in Meadow Vista, Calif. increase both bythe- glass and bottle sales, reports Food and Beverage Director/Executive Chef David Hill.
“Once the wine aficionados among your members learn to trust you, they’ll often ask you to pick out a bottle that you think they’ll like,” Hill says.
About nine times a year,Winchester also hosts wine tastings, with food pairings and discounts on case purchases (the club’s mark-up is a modest 10%). “In addition to the regulars who have always come, we’re attracting an increasing number of members who view the wine tastings as a good time to show off the club to their friends and have a good time,” Hill observes.
Wines showcased at the tastings are also featured on the dining room’s by-the-glass menu, to give other members an opportunity to enjoy them. “In general, by-the-glass sales of more expensive wines have grown dramatically,” Hill says. “Instead of simply asking for a generic Chardonnay, more members are specifying particular labels.”
Tavistock Country Club in Haddonfield, N.J., uses a multi-tiered approach to offer members a wide variety of high-value, by-the-glass options, at a range of prices. Presently, about 50% of the club’s sales are from the “House” red, white and zinfandel selections ($3 to $3.50 a glass).The other 50% is split between the “Premium” ($5 to $7.50) and the most recently created “Cellar Select” (up to $15) tiers. According to General Manager George Wolf, club wine sales across the categories have increased by 30% since the introduction of the “Cellar Select” tier about three years ago.
One reason for the growing popularity of the by-the-glass option, Wolf believes, is that wine drinkers enjoy creating their own “flights,” allowing them to savor a different wine with every course. While three tiers of by-the-glass offerings means opening more bottles,Wolf insists that making sure all of the wines are served at their peak is no problem at all at Tavistock. In fact, he says, sales are so brisk that the club has outgrown its need for its wine preservation system.
Tavistock’s by-the-bottle program has also benefitted from the addition of an extra tier. Like many fine wine destinations with extensive cellars, the club has a multiple-page captain’s book, listing selections by type, geographic origin, and vintage. A few years ago, the club created a one-page, user-friendly list of about 40 selections, organized from lightest- to fullest-bodied, with suggested food pairings.
The number of wine sales from the abbreviated list now outpaces those from the captain’s list by a margin of fourto- one, Wolf notes. “Remove the intimidation factor and you’ll sell more wine,” he explains. “We’ve found this list to be particularly helpful for members who want to make the transition from premium wine by the glass to full bottles.”
Branching Out
As part of an “extensive second-century program,” including a physical renovation and membership category additions (see “A More Perfect Union,” C&RB, August, 2005), The Union Club in Cleveland, Ohio has taken some major steps to position itself as a wine destination for both its traditional and new members.
“Eight-and-a-half years ago, the list at The Union Club was made up almost exclusively of California a
nd French wines,” says Beverage Manager Peter Badal. “Now we’re constantly broadening the spectrum and looking for new options to offer to our members.”
Members have another equally compelling reason— price—to purchase their wine at the club, adds Badal. Union Club members can buy bottles at prices just $10 over the Ohio state-minimum retail—a real value when compared to the usual restaurant mark-ups.
Wine dinners, which The Union Club limits to about four a year to retain their “special event” cachet, usually spike carry-out sales, according to Badal. At one recent dinner,members bought around 15 cases of the featured wines.
A much newer development has been The Union Club’s by-the-glass program, introduced about two years ago and credited by Badal for a 40% leap in wine sales. “We’ve always offered a wide spectrum of varietals— which we’ve simply described as ‘house wines’—by the glass, without reference to any particular producers or labels,” he says. “Then we decided to insert a card in the wine menu listing four to six specific reds, and the same number of whites, that we think are an exceptional value or that may be available to us in limited quantities.
“The wines on that card change at least every three weeks, and sometimes more often, depending on what I find—I generally taste between 15 to 50 wines a week, so there’s always something new and exciting,” he explains.
Although the house wine selections change less frequently, vigilance is still the key to even the most basic level of a club’s wine program, Badal cautions. “Wines can differ, sometimes dramatically, from vintage to vintage, so you want to continually taste for quality and consistency,” he says.
As a value-added service for members who routinely purchase bottles from the club, Badal keeps their individual preference profiles in a special file, so he can alert them about any particularly exciting finds. A number of members will also ask Badal to hunt down particular wines for them.
“Let’s say a member calls and asks me to be on the lookout for a good French Chardonnay,” he explains. “I call when I find it—and the next time that member visits the club, it magically appears in the trunk of his car.
“That’s the kind of service our members have come to expect.”
Here are some sample menus from wine events at The Union Club in Cleveland, a city club that has been very successful in its wine program under the watchful eye of Peter Badal, Beverage Manager. These menus were designed as a joint effort between Badal and Executive Chef Matt Fife. Other staff members, of course, also lent a hand with the preparation and tasting.
Menu 1:
Apertif: Principessa Periante
First Course: Roasted Vegetable Terrine with 18-Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar and Parmesan-Reggiano Conundrum, White Table Wine
Second Course: Seared Diver Scallop with Truffle served with Saffron Fettuccine and Mushroom Reduction Eberle, Viogner
Third Course: Beef Cheek Ravioli with Wild Mushroom chutney and Glace de Viande Jaufers, Mouvedre
Fourth Course: Grilled Venison Chop with Blueberry Mashed Potatoes and Wild Berry Pan Sauce Earthquake, Petite Syrah
Fifth Course: Baked Camembert with Sautéed Apple Debonne Vineyards, Vidal Ice Wine
Menu 2:
Apertif: Ravenhurst Champagne Cellars, LaTerre Riche Champagne
First Course: Deconstructed Salad with Chef’s Garden Micro Greens, Concord Grape Focaccia and Venison Confit Harpersfield Winery, Vin Gris deCahmberein
Second Course: Gougeonetes of Lake Erie Walleye with Corn Fritter, Chorizo Stuffed Squash Blossom and Pepper Coulis Harpersfield Winery, St. Vincent Chardonnay
Third Course: Shady Hill Farms Loin of Lamb with Roasted Organic Ohio Vegetables and a Pinot Noir Wine Reduction Harpersfield Winery, Grand River Pinot Noir
Fourth Course: Cashew Goat Cheese with Aged Basalmic Vinegar, Honeycomb and Peppercorns Valley Vineyards, Mead
Fifth Course: Apple almond Tart with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Almond Brittle Laurello Vineyards, “Sweet Genevieve” Ice Wine
Summing It Up
• “Wine and nine” golf programs are proving to be great ways to increase rounds and at the same time bring together a club or resort’s golf playing and non-playing segments.
• Clubs are proving they can not only take the lead in satisfying members’ and guests’ increasing interest in learning more about wines, but in many cases serve as their best source for buying hard-to-find wines and local vintages at reasonable prices.
• Wine tastings and events are often embraced by members as the best opportunity to show off their club to guests (and potential new members).
Good to the Last Drop
When pouring wine by the glass, consistent freshness becomes a critical issue that can make or break any program. Beyond preventing excessive oxygenation that can quickly deaden the flavor and bouquet of even the most prized vintages, the challenge is further complicated when trying to maintain the bubbly personality of champagnes and other sparkling selections.
The good news is clubs and resort properties can now choose from among many commercial-grade wine preservation systems that are effective, yet economical to operate. Perhaps the easiest to use is a reusable, stopper based system that can create a vacuum to “reseal” bottles of still wines. And with the change of a nozzle, these systems convert to carbon dioxide injection for champagnes and other sparklers.
Such systems—which can range in price from around $2,500 to $3,200—can help wine stay fresh for up to three weeks. And the number of bottles they can preserve is virtually unlimited, requiring only a separate stopper for each bottle.
Stopper-based preservation systems also make it feasible for more clubs to offer “bottle service” to their members. Described as an “increasingly popular option” by one wine preservation specialist, this service allows members to keep a bottle of their personal favorite virtually on tap at the club.
Another way to encourage more wine sales, in addition to offering a wider selection of wines by the glass, is added flexibility in available pour sizes. Members interested in food pairings might welcome the opportunity to order a half-glass pour with each course, as a full glass with each of three or more courses is simply more than many wish to consume in a single sitting. Promote this option by suggesting various pairings on the menu. And at the bar, try using tasting flights as a low-pressure way to encourage members and guests to explore your wine list.—MO-T
Just a Taste
The Medallion Club in Westerville, Ohio, served this menu at one of its recent wine dinners.
Appetizer Scallops drizzled with raspberry-cinnamon vinaigrette Served with: Tav
el Jaboulet Rose
Soup Butternut squash Served with: Joseph Phelps Ovation
Salad Baby field greens tossed with stone-ground mustard and rosemary vinaigrette, julienne apples, crumbled feta cheese, and roasted red peppers Served with: Benziger Pinot Noir Intermezzo Peach
Entrée Nut-crusted halibut served with Island relish and ginger beurre blanc Cranberry thyme risotto and fresh vegetable Served with: Simi Reserve Cabernet
Dessert Fondue, miniature pastries and assorted cheeses Served with: Firelands Ice Wine and Nickel & Nickel Syrah
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