Today I'm going to talk about Bokumo wine.
It's been a little over six months since Bokumo Wine opened. Although I'm still a beginner in online shopping, I've gradually come to understand what kind of items are popular.
However, sometimes things that I thought would be popular turn out to be less popular than I expected, and sometimes things that I thought "I might as well put this in stock" turn out to be surprisingly popular.
I think there is a big difference between introducing wine to someone face-to-face at a restaurant and having someone far away choose wine by mail order. There is still a lot of research to be done.
Someday, I hope to combine these two and have a wine shop with a wine bar where customers can choose wine while tasting. I would like to have a huge mail-order warehouse in the back yard and ship the wines from there.
If I were to do it, I would like to have a suburban street-front shop like a cellar door in New Zealand. And if there was a restaurant next door, and we could have a course of mussels, king salmon, lamb, beef, and pavlova, paired with sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot, Syrah, and sweet Riesling, that would be the best. My imagination is expanding.
However, the reality is still quite a ways off.
Our mission to increase the number of New Zealand wine fans has just begun. We want to make New Zealand wine, which is still a niche product, a little more mainstream. If we were a band, we would like to become popular enough to tour nationwide and be invited to large festivals.
To do this, we need to steadily repeat the process of properly analyzing needs and moving on to the next step.
First of all, you need to know what kind of New Zealand wines are popular right now.
So today, I'd like to take a look at the sales ranking of Bokumo Wine after its renewal.
It's great that you can get this kind of data right away when ordering online.
Now let's start with third place.
3rd place
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2021
I see. That's how it feels.
It is probably the most famous New Zealand wine brand and is credited with helping New Zealand wine take flight around the world.
The regular price is ¥4,257, which is not cheap, so I thought it would be difficult to make it into the top rankings, but thanks to its outstanding name recognition, it made it into the top 3. Speaking of which, many people have requested this wine as a gift.
Personally, I think the fact that the vintage is 2021 is also an appealing point. It has a super fresh citrus and herb aroma that is unique to young wines. I'm sure you will be very satisfied.
▶ Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2021
2nd place
Invivo x Sarah Jessica Parker Sauvignon Blanc 2020
This wine was created in collaboration between a New Zealand winery and American actress Sarah Jessica Parker.
I think the story goes like this: "Is this a collaboration product with a famous wine-loving person? That sounds appealing," you buy it, and then you think, "The flavor is really catchy too! I'll definitely buy it again."
At the wine bar Bokumo, we ask customers about their preferences, then we explain and present two or three wines to them so they can choose. When we serve this wine, there is a high probability that the customer will order it. It is also popular for mail order, so I realized once again that the entry point to wine is important. People want wines that are "a little appealing."
Also, the regular price of 2,750 yen makes it relatively affordable among New Zealand wines, and I think the stylish labels are also reasons for its popularity.
▶ Invivo x Sarah Jessica Parker Sauvignon Blanc 2020
and···
1st place
Sommelier's Selection Set 13,000 yen
If you're thinking, "Hey, I just suddenly started talking about rankings, and this is what I wanted to say? What a self-serving boast!", you're right. The best-selling product was a set where I, Iwasu, chose recommended wines based on customer requests.
▶ Sommelier's Selection Set 13,000 yen
But, this is not to brag about how popular I am. Rather, the important point is that for many customers, NZ wine is an "unfamiliar item" and they think "it's better to leave it to someone who knows."
When you don't know something, you need a guide. Like when you want to buy a computer, ask a knowledgeable store clerk, or when you want to send flowers, ask a florist.
New Zealand wines seem to be attractive, but it's hard to choose them. There were a lot of people who made simple requests, such as more white wine or one bottle of a slightly stronger red wine, and then wanted the rest to be put together nicely.
And what's great is that although it's only been about a month since we started this set, some people have already been buying it again. Some people write in the message section, "Iwasu-san's selection last time was the best!" and I think to myself, "You're the best for writing something like that!!!" as I put together the set with a grin on my face...huh? Am I bragging?
...I'm bragging, isn't I? Sorry, my desire for approval just leaked out.
No, actually what I want to say is not, "We've gotten a lot of omakase orders, yay!", but rather, "We've learned a lesson that we need to make it easier for customers to choose!"
What kind of description would make it easy for you to choose? What kind of options would make it fun to choose? You need to think carefully about these things and improve the content of your page!
I am definitely not trying to emphasize that "The sommelier's choice is very popular" or "Mr. Iwasu's selection last time was the best!"
...But "the best" is a phrase you don't hear very often in life. Gufufu, I'm so happy.
But wait a minute. Maybe some of you are thinking, "What? I shouldn't have ordered it as it was. It didn't suit my taste at all."
That's right. The best-selling product means that the denominator is large. There's a good chance that not everyone thinks it's good.
In a restaurant, you can tell from the customer's facial expression that "Oh, I guess I made a mistake," but with mail order, you can't see their face. Naturally, it's much more common to not get a reaction. Some people may be grumbling, "Iwasu's selection isn't that great."
When I think about that, my spine suddenly straightens up. This is no time to bask in the afterglow of "it was the best."
After this, we will decide the contents of the chef's choice set again today. We will take our time to choose carefully so that we can meet your requests! Be careful not to get complacent!
This week's pairing
This week, the chef and I went to Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, to look at plates we would like to use after the renovation.
It is the town where pottery originated. There were so many good shops and so many good dishes that it was hard to choose, but the chef and I fell in love with the lineup of the wholesale store we visited last, so we decided to use it. However, it seems that the kiln is not operating well due to the effects of COVID-19, so it may take another 1-2 months for the delivery. Of course, we will wait.
Speaking of Seto, there is a local delicacy called "Seto Yakisoba." I had never tried it before, so I ordered some takeout from a restaurant that is said to be popular among locals.
Oh, so that's what it's like. The base is soy sauce. The ingredients are just pork, cabbage, and pickled ginger. It seems that the traditional way to make it is to use the sweet and spicy broth from boiling the pork.
It looks strong visually, but it's not that strong in flavor. The umami and sweetness of the pork really comes through.
We both finished it in no time. We ordered extra meat and a large portion, which was just right. It was delicious.
In the car on the way home.
"What wine would go well with that yakisoba?"
"Well, that sweet taste is probably Muscat Bailey A, which has a slightly sweet taste."
Of course, since we were in a car, we couldn't pair it with wine, but simulating pairings in our heads was a game that was legally permitted.
"Also, maybe a Gamay or a light Pinot would be good?"
"I see, that might be good!"
It's even more fun if you do it together.
I think this pairing of Seto Yakisoba with New Zealand wine is probably a world first, but if you want a good match with New Zealand wine, this is it.
Seyfried Zweigelt 2014
It has a little less acidity than Pino and a compact flavor. It doesn't have a strong fruit flavor, so I think it goes well with soy sauce.
I'm going to pick up the dishes I ordered next time, so I'll take some takeaway home and try them together.
