How to Build a Restaurant Wine List?

Are you a professional looking to establish and enhance your wine list? Or are you simply curious to discover the rules of this art? Les Grappes outlines the requirements for creating a wine list, along with some tips to make the task easier!

Need help building your wine list? Les Grappes is here to assist you.

Essential Elements of a Wine List

First and foremost, your wine list must include several mandatory mentions: the price, sales denominations, and quantities served.

These obligations are defined in EEC Regulation No. 2392-89 of July 24, 1989, Art. 40: « the designation and presentation, as well as any advertising, must not be erroneous or likely to create confusion or mislead the persons to whom they are addressed, particularly concerning: the nature, composition, alcoholic strength by volume, color, origin or provenance, quality, grape variety, or nominal volume of the containers. »

In short, the law mandates that you must indicate:

• the exact denomination under which the wine is sold, clearly distinguishing between table wines (without geographical indication), regional wines (vins de pays), and PDOs (AOPs);
• the capacity of the bottles, preferably in centiliters; designate each bottle type by its capacity;
• net prices, service included.

These are the essential steps when creating your wine list.

Other more general but essential tips from the outset of creating your wine list: the vintage indicated on the list must match the available wine, and bottles must be opened in the consumer's presence, before their eyes (except, of course, for wine sold by the glass).

Wine List Balance

After these practical considerations, let's move on to the wines! The art of a wine list lies in its balance and complementarity. Whether it features 40 or 500 references, your list must primarily be coherent and enable the consumer to navigate it easily. This requires focusing on the interplay of complementarities within your wine list.

First, ensure your wine list offers regional complementarity by featuring both expected wines and lesser-known selections that you can introduce to your customers. While 20% of references may account for 80% of sales, it is your responsibility to promote less familiar wines and leverage diversity to pique consumer curiosity.

Also, remember to vary the grape varietals, always aiming for harmony within your list: the goal is to ensure comprehensive representation of all varietals across your wine list. Thus, for each wine type – red, white, rosé, Champagne – offer wines made from different grape varietals. Even if you only offer 3 red wines, it is crucial that these 3 wines are not of the same style or from the same varietal.

Opt for variety in wine styles. As mentioned earlier, they must be complementary: offer both light-bodied and fruity wines, as well as powerful and full-bodied ones.

Finally, you must align wine prices with the prices of dishes and menus to ensure your list is coherent. Consider offering more accessible references to complement lunch specials, for example. You can create selections with budget-friendly options, available by the glass. Alongside these, also provide a selection at a higher price point featuring wines of remarkable quality, while maintaining harmony with the rest of your list.

A Dynamic Wine List

Once your wine list is developed, it should not remain static; quite the opposite: a good wine list evolves, it is dynamic.

To perfect your wine list, do not hesitate to evolve it. For example, you can adapt it seasonally and to your dishes, by offering a specific list for spring and summer, which would feature more light-bodied and rosé wines. It can also reflect your latest discoveries: offer wines of the moment, discovery wines, or the chef's personal favorites. Present these wines to the public to encourage them to explore original or lesser-known vintages. You can add an annex to the list, present these wines on a chalkboard, or verbally.

Naturally, your wine list must also adapt to cellar inventory: if a wine is no longer available, you must indicate it on the list!

Need Assistance?

Les Grappes, the French leader in direct-from-winemaker wine distribution for professionals, simplifies direct wine purchasing from winemakers. Les Grappes centralizes orders from over 1200 winegrowers, providing a single point of contact from order placement to invoicing. We assist cafés, hotels, restaurants, and wine cellars with their wine selection, and also in creating bespoke wine lists! Based on your project, preferences, and budget, we help you select the best wines through short distribution channels. To get in touch with our team, click here!