Even in a state that boasts the second highest concentration of Master Sommeliers per capita, the wine program at Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, Colo., stands out.
Since it opened in 2004, guests flocked to the restaurant to check out the lengthy wine list compiled by master sommelier, wine director and co-owner Bobby Stuckey, who previous worked at The French Laundry and The Little Nell. Frasca’s list features more than 200 bottles, all designed to complement its food, which is inspired by the cuisine of the Friuli region of Italy.
But there’s more to success than simply offering excellent wines, he says, which is why he pays fanatical attention to details in all aspects of the business, from the wine to the food to the operations.
“Being a wine guy doesn’t qualify anyone to run a restaurant,” says Stuckey. “And the best restaurateur in the world can’t necessarily run a wine program.”
The combination of Frasca’s regional food and Stuckey’s intensive staff training have led to relatively unusual varietals such as Tokai-Friulano and Barbera each growing to 10 percent of wine sales, as have the combination of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. Last year the staff sold approximately 13,000 bottles for more than $1.1 million, which was about 35 percent of revenues.
Both wine and total sales have exceeded projections every year since Frasca first opened. When asked how he’s been able to do this even through the current economic downturn, Stuckey credited his loyal customer base as well as his carefully crafted, conservative business plan.
He also adheres to his commitment to proper service for both food and wine.
“Not only do we intensively train our staff in the fundamentals, we also take them to Friuli every year,” he says. “The region is so unknown that customers stress out over even the simplest choices. We relieve this tension by relating our personal experiences with the food and wine.”
Another way Stuckey made Frasca’s wine experience unique was by initially overspending on glassware, including decanters.
“It was a disproportionate part of our first budget, but it showed our commitment to the customer’s experience and helped define us as a serious place to wine and dine.”
Stuckey advises aspiring wine professionals to focus on experience and education, and suggests that up-and-comers be patient and not expect to become experts overnight.
“First, there’s no substitute for breadth of experience. If you’ve cut your teeth on upscale casual, spend a year working in an Italian trattoria. If you want to serve wine, become an assistant maitre d’. Second, most young enthusiasts want to be stellar master sommeliers in 18 months, but it just doesn’t work that way. Learn the entire business so you’ll be prepared for when you eventually strike out on your own.”
Up next for Stuckey is the availability of the 2008 vintage of Scarpetta, his Friulian wine label co-owned with chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, who won the 2008 James Beard award for Best Chef: Southwest.
“Last year’s growing season was wonderful,” he says. “We’re so excited about the wines. They’ll be perfect with prosciutto and other Friulian foods.”