Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/41419
Peter Granoff and Debbie Zachareas: Wow Factor Wine Merchants John Rittmaster, owner of Walnut Creek's Prima Ristorante. John Rittmaster and Sydney Paris: The Dynamic Duo At Walnut Creek's Prima Ristorante, Wine Director John and Beverage Manager Sydney make managing an extensive, expertly-crafted wine list look easy—and profitable. Boasting 1,300 wines, 30 to 50 of which are offered by the glass, Prima is also a full-service wine merchant that offers all of its selections for sale on the property, resulting in the growth of the restaurant's annual sales from $250,000 in 1994 to close to $4 million today. "Prima has been here since Walnut Creek had a NO CRUISING sign," jokes John, who is proud to represent local wineries on Prima's list but admits that the restaurant's passion lies in creating a great Italian selection, with a focus on the wonders of Piedmont. John, who has been around long enough to watch Sydney work his way up to Sommelier status from dishwasher, is all about collaborative teamwork and has one final note for fledgling professionals: "If you're in the [on- premise] wine industry and you're not involved with a great chef, you're in the wrong business." Debbie Zachareas, taken at Ferry Wine Merchant at San Francisco's Ferry Building. Peter Granoff, MS of Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant & Wine Bar and Oxbow Wine Merchant & Wine Bar. and Bo Thompson, owns two of Northern California's destination retail operations: Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco's Ferry Plaza Market Hall, which they opened in 2003, and Oxbow Wine Merchant in Napa's Oxbow Public Market, which followed in 2008. Granoff's operations set standards for service and wine selection that are truly exceptional and his approach relies on the runaway success of the company's wine bars to continually drive retail sales. "We make a point to cover all of the sweet spots by sourcing a broad selection of wines that deliver quality above and beyond their retail price." Every day, Granoff succeeds in taking customers from "over- whelmed to wowed" with a high level of customer interaction and a savvy retail strategy. By peppering the shelves at both of his high-traffic locations with recognizable brand names, as opposed to presenting customers with an entirely esoteric inventory, he creates a level of familiarity that gives his clientele a boost of confidence. "When custom- ers are confident, they are more willing to experiment." "Interesting, challenging and engaging" are the words that Peter Granoff, MS uses to describe the wine industry, and they serve as apt descriptors for Peter himself. After a 30-year restaurant industry career that began at age 12, Granoff made a visionary leap in to online wine retailing when he launched Virtual Vineyards in 1995. Today, Granoff, together with partners Debbie Zachareas 90 / the tasting panel / september 201 1