Interview with Norbert Jozsa the Wine Rack West Byfleet Store Manager
Posted on Mon 13th Jul 2015 at 14:41
Each month we pose questions to people who work, live and love wine. This month we interview Norbert Jozsa from Wine Rack West Byfleet (pictured left below with Assistant Manager, Russ Blake) who tells us about Wine Rack's new look concept stores, his first impression of Stobi, why it is important to have wine knowledge and if his customers are getting more adventurous.
Read his full interview for interesting insights into Norbert's view of the wine industry, his 'top pick' Stobi wines and a little bit about himself. 
Are customers getting more adventurous when it comes to trying emerging regions? It is not an easy decision for many consumers to choose a wine they don’t know anything about, instead of the one they are familiar with. However, I definitely see an increasing number in customers, who are willing to take the risk in order to discover something new. It is our job to guide them through this journey by helping to reduce the risk of disappointment. We are able to provide them with honest recommendations by our knowledgeable staff, alongside with the tasting events we organise in-store. What was your first impression of Stobi wines? Both Vranec and Petit Verdot are amongst my favourites since the beginning. I was really impressed by the quality and authenticity of the wines. Nevertheless, both the presentation of the bottle and the label design are in line with the elegance and the high quality of the wines. What reaction have you had from customers for the Stobi Vranec and Petit Verdot? We had only positive feedbacks from our customers, highlighting the great value for money and the high quality, these wines possess. They found Vranec more accessible with its elegance and flavoursome tasting notes. Petit Verdot impressed those, who were looking for complexity and a flavour profile with multiple layers, which they found in this wine after letting it breathe for an hour or so. How important is it for your staff to have wine knowledge? Customers chose to shop in our store, because they can rely on our advice and honest recommendation on wines. This means, the wine knowledge plays a significant role in being able to maintain the quality of service, we are known for. At Wine Rack we are in a really lucky position, since the whole team has not just really good wine knowledge, but everyone knows how to communicate it to the customers, which is as important as the knowledge itself. The Wine Industry What did you think of the comments MW Justin Howard-Sneyd made at the Wine Communications Conferences when he said “They (customers) don’t want to be educated in wine, but they do like bite size pieces of information. The dinner party one liner. They are fascinated by stories about winemakers, but you have to make sure it does not feel like being educated about wine”. In my opinion, the strong wine knowledge without the ability to use it properly, can easily cause more harm than good. It means that someone with the knowledge should have the skills to read the customers, and adapt to their needs. If there is one thing that became clear to me, during the years I spent in customer facing roles, is that there are many different type of customers with different needs. Giving the right amount of information in the right tone, is the key to make wine more accessible. 
Why are high street retailers so important to a brand like Stobi? High Street retailers have the knowledge and the passion to hand-sell Stobi wines. Also, they have the willingness to treat Stobi wines respectfully, yet have the ability to drive sales in terms of volume without an aggressive discount policy. What is exciting you the most about the wine industry right now? The industry as a whole has never been more quality-focused than it is now. The Australian wine industry is one, I look out for at the moment. They realised, it is much more effective to move forward as a group rather than individuals, this way the country will be able to change the consumer’s perception from “Brand Australia” to a more quality focused image. In terms of innovation, I am really excited about Coravin. We are in the middle of testing this device, and so far I am impressed by the results. Coravin might be able to make the fine wine category more accessible. Also, it will allow restaurants and bars to create a “Fine Wines by the Glass” section on their Wine Lists, without the risk of wasting a whole bottle for only one glass. What would you like to see coming to Wine Rack in the future? Anything that’s exciting, unique and has the point of difference. About YOU What was your first alcoholic drink and how old were you? When I was 14, me and my friend decided to check out his father’s drinks cabinet. We poured a glass of his homemade plum schnapps. The liquid only touched my lips, but the burning sensation was strong enough to stop me from even thinking of alcohol for a few more years. It is clear that my passion for the industry did not start with a fairy tale-like first drink story. Are you a red, white, rose or sparkling wine man? Although I like to choose the wine to suit the occasion, for my own pleasure I would go for a full-bodied red. I am definitely a red wine man. What is the strangest thing you believed in as a child? As a child I was convinced, Batman was the bad guy in the movies. Life without wine is…….? Life without wine is just the same as life without travelling: You can of course, live without it, but you will miss out on a lot of good memories, adventures and discoveries.