2023 Outlook: Trends and Challenges Restaurants Will See
Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked experts for their thoughts on trends and challenges that will affect the restaurant industry in 2023. Counter’s director of wine, Bill Cox, was one of the experts.
Cabernet Franc continues to get hotter and hotter – both domestically and abroad. Because Cabernet Sauvignon is overplanted, winemakers have been replacing with Cab Franc, so that there’s more inventory. Consumers are realizing it’s a delicious wine with a good price point.
Etna in the mountains of Sicily is a region putting out beautiful wine, and people are starting to talk about it. East Coast Americans are growing more adventurous but still like a certain degree of brightness, and wines from Etna deliver that mouthfeel with complex fruit character and other components you don’t find in West Coast wines. Etna wines, like etna rosse, are also a great value compared to Italians DOCGs. Where a Brunello or Barola may retail for $50, an Etna is closer to $15.
– Bill Cox, Director of Wine at Counter-
