VinePair Podcast Is Wine BTG Broken? If So, Can It Be Fixed?
Feb 19, 2026
A lively debate about whether wine by-the-glass still matters for wineries and restaurants. Conversations cover why BTG placements once drove discovery and why they have lost luster. They dig into pricing, smaller pours, and how cocktails and media attention have shifted diner preferences. Ideas for balancing familiar pours with adventurous selections come up as a path forward.
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Nostalgia For Train Bar Cars
- Adam Teeter recalls Michael Boyle's piece on commuter bar cars and nostalgia for social travel drinking.
- Hosts describe bar cars as social spots where commuters met strangers and unwound on the way home.
By-The-Glass Rarely Creates Lasting Discovery
- Producers overvalue by-the-glass as a discovery tool because most diners forget the wine after ordering.
- Adam Teeter and Zach Geballe argue by-the-glass rarely creates loyal customers despite volume potential.
Pricing And Offerings Eroded Wine's Appeal
- By-the-glass lost luster because prices rose while offerings became less familiar or appealing.
- Zach Geballe says higher glass prices and smaller pours pushed consumers toward cocktails.