VinePair Podcast Do We Need More Bottle Shots on Social?
Nov 10, 2025
The hosts dive into the debate over sommeliers posting photos of sold bottles on social media. Is it savvy marketing or just pretentious elitism? They explore how these posts can either attract or alienate casual wine drinkers. Discussions revolve around the importance of context and storytelling behind each bottle to engage customers more effectively. Plus, they share practical tips for making social media posts educational rather than exclusive, wrapping everything up with a dash of humor about martini culture.
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Bottle Lineups Without Context Alienate
- Posting rows of opened bottles without context feels like peacocking and can alienate potential guests.
- Adam Teeter and Zach Geballe argue that wine bars must explain why bottles matter to avoid elitism and confusion.
Content Limits Drive Bottle-Shot Reliance
- Wine bars face a content problem because many wines look similar on camera and food photos push them into 'restaurant' territory.
- Adam suggests this constraint drives the bottle-shot trend but requires better storytelling to work.
Posts Mostly Preach To The Choir
- Bottle pan posts mainly reach existing wine-curious or wealthy audiences, not newcomers.
- Zach and Adam note these posts rarely expand the customer base without explanatory storytelling.