Raise a Glass to Consolidated Restaurant Operation's, Bill Watson, VP of Marketing

I am from Fort Wayne, Indiana -- a "drive-through" town in the agricultural-industrial heartland. Hard-working, understated and overlooked.

My aim was to be a newspaperman. I loved the chaos of newspapering. The hospitality industry was my meal ticket for finishing college. I tried to leave the hospitality business a few times, but I have always been drawn back to restaurant culture.

I joined Consolidated Restaurants Operations (CRO) 21 years ago.

Many of my prior roles required juggling lots of business units with varied priorities. I learned that I thrive on that kind of chaotic complexity. CRO has the same complexity. Our portfolio spans seven brands including a classic diner, 80-year-old family dining Tex-Mex cafes, polished casual Mexican restaurants, and fine dining steakhouses. Average checks range from $17.50 to $143.00.

We listen to our guests, many of whom are very knowledgeable about wine. Our wine partners are very good at recommending selections that fit our restaurants. In our steakhouses, we have sommeliers and wine department managers who provide very smart recommendations.

Our product mix guides us initially. We look at what sells by varietal and price tier. Competitors' lists and partners' portfolios are examined for opportunities to fill voids. We cull our lists so that laggards are deleted annually. New placement opportunities are made available first to our current partners.

Comprehensive changes are made annually. While we might want to make updates more frequently, we recognize that our wine partners and staff need continuity.

Texas, where we have the greatest concentration of restaurants, is all about wine from California. Our Florida restaurants sell a more balanced range of wines from Italy, France, Spain, and California.

Our wine mandates are the same in all locations. We do expect our restaurants to expand offerings that match local demand.

Rosé, Malbec and bubbles are nascent, driven by younger diners -- very important to us longer term.

The classics, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, are immensely important to us in our steakhouses. We have had some success with wine cocktails that use red wine.

Our staff need to know the details of our beverage offerings just as they need information about our culinary offerings. Timely information always engages our staff and really, they are our primary customers doing the front-line work. They really engage with our customers and are highly regarded by our regulars.

We are seeing more younger customers who are looking for wines formerly missing or underrepresented on wine lists. All customers are much savvier about fair prices for wine and the qualities and reputations of lesser-known wines.

These trends have prompted us to broaden our selections and to price wines mindful of our guests' expectations.

Pinot Noir. The range of great Pinot Noir is astonishing. Many are as full-bodied as Cabernet Sauvignons.

The challenge of juggling a wide range of businesses with different customers and competitors.

The challenge of juggling a wide range of business with different customers and competitors.

Wine at the family dinner table. Cocktails sipped by my parents. Bock beer with turkey dinner at Thanksgiving.

Yes. We were always allowed to sip wine with holiday dinners.

Lundy's Seafood Restaurant in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn with my brothers. We devoured seafood and managed to trip up a server with a full tray. Epic!

Pinot Noir and sautéed chicken thighs roasted with shallots, Dijon and cherry tomatoes in Sauvignon Blanc.

I have. I have been to Provence, Loire, Tuscany, Alsace, Mittlerhein, Rhone Valley, The Napa and Sonoma, Upstate New York, Virginia and North Fork of Long Island.

Too numerous to list here. At the top of the list -- New Zealand.

You are very welcome. It was a pleasure.