With an immense passion for the art of pairing food with wine, Marsha Wright has had different roles in which she worked closely with customers, suggesting wines to them. She was recently promoted as the wine director of DineAmic Hospitality. Marsha Wright tells Sommeliers Choice Awards about her new role in which she curates the wine programs across the different bars and restaurants under the company and educates the staff there about wines.

Why did you become a sommelier?

I have always loved the process of pairing different foods with different wines. I like the idea of taking people on a culinary journey with my pairing. As a sommelier, I get to do exactly that and also educate the customers and my staff about different wines. I get really excited when I tell the guests or my staff about the incredible journey and the hard work put in by the winemakers to make the wine in their glass.

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How do you help a customer who doesn't know anything about wine to pick a wine at your restaurant?

When I am interacting with a customer who doesn’t know much about wines, I tend to keep the questions simple. I just ask them what beverages they typically drink at home and what kind of flavor profile they are looking for in a wine, whether they prefer something sweet, dry, semi-dry, or semi-sweet. Based on their answers, I ask them some follow-up questions and recommend a wine according to their preferences while also considering the dish they have ordered. 

Image Title: Wine Director Marsha Wright

What are some of the most important skills for a sommelier? 

Recommending wines according to each customer’s tastes and preferences is a crucial part of a sommelier’s job. To make sure that their suggestions never miss the mark, sommeliers should have good conversational skills and ask pertinent questions while making sure that the guests are not intimidated by it. As a rule of thumb, it has to be a friendly exchange that makes the customer feel comfortable enough to ask the sommelier any question they may have about the wines. More importantly, a sommelier should be skilled in paring different wines with different dishes.

What qualities do you look for when hiring a sommelier?

When hiring, I look for a person who is genuine, caring, a good listener, meticulous and organized. A person can have all the credentials in the world but can they make a guest feel welcome and unintimidated? Pretentiousness has no place in this role, especially when you are dealing with guests spending their hard-earned money on an enjoyable evening or day out.

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How do you attract new customers and engage with existing ones?

We regularly host contests; they are very fun and effective for spreading the word about our restaurants and bars to potential guests and also keeping our existing ones in the loop. In fact, one of our locations, Bar Siena, collaborated with WeishFest, a local concert organizer in Chicago and conducted an Instagram contest where we gave away two gold tickets and two headliner pass add-ons for an upcoming concert.

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Image Title: Marsha Wright of DineAmic Hospitality

What methods do you use to grow net profits? 

When I purchase wines from suppliers, I establish a price range with them rather than going for a fixed price. I build the wine program accordingly while prioritizing what my consumers will like. I also make sure that I don’t buy too many bottles and overstock the inventory by only opting for wines that I am sure will sell well based on the latest trends.

How do you keep up with the latest trends?

I read a variety of magazines like The Somm Journal, Tasting Panel, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Chicago Wine Press. I also like listening to this podcast called Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider

What are the biggest faux pas that customers tend to make when ordering and drinking wine?

There is this major misconception that wine that costs around $10 won’t taste as good as a wine that is very expensive. I don’t think the price point of a wine determines its taste.

Can you share with us an example of a solid wine program?

I think a solid wine program is one in which you can find a diverse collection of wines that showcase different regions, varietals and vintages. It should also include some organic and sustainable options

What are the main things you focus on daily?

I focus on running reports and gathering numbers on wine sales to evaluate if changes, updates or edits need to be made to any of my wine programs. Then I alter the wine programs accordingly, whether adding or removing a particular bottle from the program. I also spend some time educating my staff about pairing foods and wines and teaching them ways to improve their service skills.

Header image by Marsha Wright

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