x
  • Bookmark and ShareShare
  • Earn Points
    What's this?
Why local restaurants rarely sell local wines and other local food topics
Restaurants that embrace locally sourced foods are slow to embrace local wines. Plus, Vermont comes in first in locavorism, and much more.
Fri, May 11 2012 at 1:39 PM
 4
A couples dining out

Photo: Shutterstock

With the start of seasonal farmers markets all over the nation, many of our thoughts are turning to foods produced locally. I am what I refer to on my South Jersey Locavore blog as a locavore-wannabe. I’d love to eat only local products, but it’s not going to happen. I support as much local as I can, though, and in the spring and summer, my locavorism goes into full swing.
 
I found a few items this week on the topic of local foods (and wines) that I thought I’d share with you for your weekend reading.
 
  • Local wines are an important part of the local food movement (vineyards are farms), and 1 Wine Dude asks a question that I’ve always wanted the answer to: Why do local wine and local food hate each other? In other words, why is it so rare to find local wines on the menu of a restaurant that serves locally grown and made foods?
  • Strolling of the Heifers put out a Locavore Index that ranked each state in local food availability. They used data exclusively from government sources and measured the “per-capita presence of Community-Supported Agricultural enterprises and Farmers Markets, each of which is an indication of both the availability and demand for locally-produced food.” Vermont came out on top. My state, New Jersey (the Garden State), sadly came in near the bottom at 48th.
  • Fresh local foods may seem out of the reach to those with a low income, but Philly.com says the USDA has released a $4 million grant for “states to help implement wireless technology that will allow more farmers markets to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or food stamps.”
  • Most locavores love their local farmers market. My fellow MNN food blogger, Kimi, gives her opinion on why you should buy food at the farmers market. I agree with all her reasons.
 
Enjoy your weekend! And, hey don’t forget to participate in the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive tomorrow. Whether the food you donate is local or not, it will be very much appreciated.
 

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.

You might also like:

Join the conversation

Comments: 4
Sign in with one of these accounts to add your comment.
desert_druid's picture
desert_druid May 14 2012 at 4:06 AM

In my experience, local wines have been great, and more reasonably priced than the watered-down stuff from elsewhere. My favorite NM winery (personally) is Black Mesa - about $15-$30 per bottle... I occasionally see their stuff in restaurants, but not often, and their winery is just about an hour's drive from where I live.

|
rshreeves's picture
Robin Shreeves May 14 2012 at 1:04 PM

Let me ask you - when you see their wines in a restaurant, and you're chosing to drink wine with your meal - do you order the local wine? I think it's very important for consumers who care about local wines to chose them over other wines when possible and to let the management or owner know that you appreciate seeing local wines on the menu - even if you just ask your server to pass that appreciation on to management.

|
anonymous
duhitsobvious May 13 2012 at 10:40 AM
its rather obvious why...local wines are either terrible or overpriced...and in most cases both. even if there are decent local wines they usually cost much more than comparable wines from elsewhere...perhaps you will also ask why the plates arent locally made or the waiter's shoelaces.. while food is a resource that is better when fresh wine is meant to be stored and aged. Beer on the other hand is quite often local - when there is a tap available. Wine is more comparable to coffee or chocolate...
.... More
would you expect coffee to be grown in NJ?
|
rshreeves's picture
Robin Shreeves May 14 2012 at 1:02 PM
I can really only speak about the local wines in New Jersey, and they are not terrible. Some are, of course, but there are many excellent options, and several of them are priced $13-$16 bottle retail. That's obviously not the price the restaurant would pay for them.   Yes, a glass or bottle might be more expensive than buying mass produced wines from recongizable labels, and they should be priced accordingly. Consumers have no problem patronizing farm to fork restaurants and paying more for their
.... More
food because of it. Why wouldn't they pay $1 or $2 more for locally produced wines. I know that the local beers that are served in the restaurants and bars around here are always more expensive than the Bud or Miller on tap. People accept that because of the word "craft" that has been associated with local beer. Maybe we need "craft" wines for people to pay the extra (forget I said that - someone is going to think it's actually a good idea).   As for expecting locally grown coffee or chocolate - not possible. Those crops don't grow in this climate. Grapes, however, thrive in the Outer Coastal Plain climate in South Jersey. It's perfectly reasonable for restaurants that want support our farmers to recognize that vineyards are farms and start adding local wines to menus. 
|

EDITORS' PICKS

tease weird things

line

tease cellars

line

tease fishing

Advertisement
From our sponsor

NEWSLETTER

Mother Nature. Delivered
Advertisement