There has never been a better time to become a wine consumer in Minnesota.
There are no Yin and Yang moments for local wine fans, with contradictions that have emerged and have been going on for a long time.
The main contrast involves the suburbs. While restaurants in major cities have hosted various and dynamic deals for much of the century, most suburban restaurants remain mired in a more predictable and traditional mindset. Wines made from Asshrtiko and Blaufrankisch grapes, or from Slovenia and Uruguay, are far more likely to be dumped in Minneapolis than in Minnetonka.
Some of the firmer suburbs (Wayzata, Lilydale, White Bear Lake) have exceptions, with restaurants such as Bellecour, I Nonni and Acqua. But all suburban dwellers deserve at least the opportunity to taste the grigio pinot and pinot noirs more interesting than the old ones that dominate so many wine lists.
This is especially true because suburban shops have increased their play strongly. Stellar choices can be found not only in the Big Ten chain and in most munis, but in individual outlets such as Cotroneo, Cheers and Wine Shop. It seems reasonable that some of these stores are associated with nearby restaurants to set consumption options with promotions "if you like, this is available in this shop".
As it turns out, retailers throughout the city are struggling to find out how to deal not only with the giant Total Wine & More, but also with grocery stores that open large wine emporiums (Hy-Vee, Whole Foods) and small (Cub, Target).
That is good news for many consumers, who can make a single purchase at a supermarket and for those who are more interested in getting a price friendly with alcohol and beer in total, and they are fine with the choice of wine that is dominant by home brands.
At the same time, family stores often fight, and sometimes close, while muni and other chains struggle to compete, often with more conservative inventory.
The good news is that these traders often improve their play in customer service (with more employee training) and prices (Minnesota has some of the highest margins for wine in the country, or do so until new city kids modify the game). Discount stores like Morelli, G-Will and Liquor Boy also seem to be growing rapidly.
Better yet, shops that focus on wine in this city seem to have worked well. These places, including France 44, Thomas, Solo Wine, Surdyk, South Lyndale, Little Wine Shoppe, Stinson, Zipp, North Loop, Wine Thieves and the suburban companies mentioned earlier have very knowledgeable staff.
They also use a variety of interesting wines from lesser-known regions. We began to see bottles from places like the Canary Islands, and at least two local importers brought some interesting wine from the Republic of Georgia. Actually, they are almost out of new areas to be tapped; I do not expect to live long enough so that climate change to bring us riesling from Greenland.