Michael Merriman, director of beverage operations for California Cafe Corp., however, argues the opposite side. In addition to pointing out the unfeasibility of massive descriptive wine lists in multiunit chains, he says today's knowledgeable consumer renders such description unnecessary. We have a smart clientele. I'm not going to tell them that a wine is like honeysuckle and peaches. So based on those wine sales, we decided to put a Napa Valley Grill there.
People know their wines.
Barbara Sullivan is a Chicago-based freelance writer.