Working front of house in a restaurant or wine bar is often an exercise in navigating expectations. This is especially true at The Four Horsemen, a wine-focused restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Each night, all kinds of guests walk in looking for all kinds of experiences. Regulars, who stop by on a weeknight for a glass of wine and a snack, are looking for a convenient, local bar. Tourists, who made their reservation a month in advance, see the Michelin-starred kitchen and the James Beard Award-winning wine list, and are looking to be blown away. Add to this tableau a parade of industry workers, businessmen, suburban families, and local partygoers, and you’ll get a sense of the dining room on an average night.
As a server at The Four Horseman, I’ve found that recommending bottles for such a diverse menagerie requires a deft touch. Over my last five years of service, one wine sales strategy in particular has emerged as something of a house style.
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The Four Horseman’s Signature Wine Sales Strategy
The strategy, which is often referred to as a “lineup,” has been especially helpful to servers trying to navigate diverse tastes. It was brought to The Four Horsemen by servers who picked up the technique while working previous restaurant jobs in New York City. In short, when working with a bottle-curious table, servers will present a lineup of bottles to the table (typically three, give or take) to compare and contrast.
Compared to the traditional method of bringing back a single pick from the cellar, or floating a few choices by pointing to the list alone, a lineup has many advantages.
Here’s one example: Last month, on a bustling Sunday night, a group of four came in to celebrate a birthday. When it was time to order drinks, everyone deferred to the birthday girl. She turned to me and said, “I was here a couple months ago, and you guys poured me a white [wine] that I loved.” After a pause, she continued: “I don’t remember the name, but I remember that our server said it had nutty notes like toasted sesame seeds. Do you think you could recommend something similar?”
From these descriptions, her friends were incredulous, but down to play along. They came from all kinds of backgrounds, with all levels of familiarity to wine. Addressing the group, I said, “How about I grab a few options from the cellar, and we can discuss them together?” Still skeptical, they agreed. I handed off maintenance of my section to support staff and left the floor.
So, what exactly was I looking for? A special occasion white that’s exciting enough for industry pros, but still approachable enough for casual wine drinkers. But there were a lot of unanswered questions: What’s their price range? How many bottles will they drink? Are they going to crush this as an aperitif, or should I think about a preemptive pairing?
If this was their only bottle for the night, I would probably offer something more structured, something that rewards a long decant and slow sips. On the other hand, if this bottle was going to be the first of many, we’d need to find something that’s electric right out of the gate.
In moments like these, a lineup is your best friend.
How the Wine Lineup Unfolds
Soon, I was back at the table with three bottles. They’re arranged in order, I explained, from freshest to richest.
The first was Enric Soler ‘Improvisacio’ 2022. It has notes of pineapple and Granny Smith apple, with ripping acidity and a seashell-like salinity. Though not as powerful as Soler’s tête de cuvée Nun, it’s just as mineral-driven, and much more approachable upon opening, which allows for some flexibility with timing. It’s a perfect pairing for crudos and salads at the start of the meal. It was listed for $136 per bottle.
Next up was Scar of the Sea ‘Rancho Tepusquet Solera’ NV. Building off of the Soler, this bottle offers something with a bit more texture and depth, with notes of Marcona almond, iodine, and Meyer lemon. If they drank it slowly, it could take them deeper into the menu as it pairs well with cooked fish and white meat dishes. In terms of current-release, old-vine Chardonnay, the Rancho Tepusquet is a better option than many white Burgundies. Because of their use of the solera method, even without any bottle age the Rancho Tepusquet is deep, mature, and 100 percent ready to drink. While it was a bit more expensive than the Improvisacio at $162, it was still a fantastic value.
Last up was an oxidative Jura, in the form of Tournelle ‘Savagnin de Voile’ 2016. In the context of The Four Horsemen, it’s a safe bet that this guest was served something Jurassic last time. Rich and nutty, with notes of hazelnut, curry, and beeswax, Savagnin de Voile checked all her tasting-note boxes, and at $170 per bottle, it didn’t come with the vin jaune price tag. However, as a caveat for the rest of the party, I was quick to mention that this was an adventurous bottle: “Don’t expect any fruit in the glass,” I cautioned. “This is a beautiful wine, but not a crowd-pleaser. It is a very specific key for a very specific lock.” If everyone was open to a bit of an adventure, it could be perfect.
Once I’d introduced everything, with as much information about the winemaking as I could remember, I listed off the prices and told them, “I’ll circle back in a few minutes, after you debate amongst yourselves.” Meanwhile, I made the rounds to catch up on my other tables.
Which Bottle Did They Choose?
There’s a lot at stake when recommending a wine. An unpopular bottle can sour the mood; a perfect pairing can set the night on fire. Meanwhile, expectations are unpredictable. Servers and sommeliers have to walk between raindrops, but it’s important not to take on all the responsibility for a guest’s enjoyment. A server can convince a guest to buy a bottle, but they cannot convince them to enjoy it. All you can do is share your enthusiasm—if you’re excited about something, maybe they will get excited in turn.
When offering a table multiple bottles, the pressure of persuasion is lower. Instead of “selling” a single wine, the list is narrowed down to just a few relevant options. Instead of trying to read the guest’s mind, you can just educate the guest. At the end of the day, they should feel like they are in control of their experience. All a server has to do is put the ball on the tee, and cheer when they hit a home run.
My table opted for Scar of the Sea. From the first sip, they couldn’t stop raving. As I poured it around, they were sweet enough to thank me. “I didn’t do anything—you should be thanking the winemaker!” I demurred.
The food came out, the conversation grew lively, and I faded into the background, until, eventually, there was no more Chardonnay. They asked for a new bottle, but since they were all talking amongst themselves, enjoying the food and company, I was hesitant to impose with another lineup. “Do you want me to bring just one bottle? Or should I come back with another lineup?” I asked. “A lineup,” they nearly shouted. “We had so much fun the last time!”
Dispatch
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Josh Daube is a cultural critic based in Queens. His essays and criticism have appeared in PIN-UP Magazine, Tiny Mix Tapes, and The Waves. He also has worked in the wine industry at a number of Michelin starred, James Beard-award winning restaurants from NYC to NOLA.
