5 Wine Consumption Trends in Restaurants

Wine consumption has been steadily declining in recent years, particularly in restaurants. This gives us an opportunity to examine emerging trends and analyze the new challenges facing wine service in restaurants.

Wine Consumption in Restaurants: A Review

Half of all French people consider restaurants their favorite place to eat. And many of them drink wine when they go out to eat! Despite this, there has been a decline in wine consumption, particularly in restaurants. This can be attributed to several factors.

First of all, wine is not automatically offered to customers, unlike water—even bottled water. Similarly, we are seeing fewer and fewer “meal and wine” packages being offered, which used to be appealing and helped promote wines.

Furthermore, the standard bottle size—75 cl—is becoming obsolete due to current trends toward wine by the glass and is no longer meeting consumer needs. Single consumers rarely order a full bottle of wine.

Finally, wine prices remain high in restaurants, largely due to the markups applied by restaurant owners. The value for money isn’t always there, and wine prices don’t always align with the prices of the dishes. If you’d like to learn more, we’ve written an article on how to set fair prices on your wine list.

Nevertheless, new dining trends are emerging. You, as restaurant owners, should therefore view these as opportunities that will allow you to bounce back and revitalize wine consumption in your restaurant.

Five Trends in Wine Consumption at Restaurants

Wine by the glass

While the 750-ml bottle tends to put customers off, ordering wine by the glass seems to be the solution! This way, consumption is more controlled and reduced, and people feel like they’re drinking less. It therefore involves less risk and encourages moderate drinking. This practice also allows people to sample several wines without having to finish an entire bottle. Plus, the price can be attractive to consumers.

This practice has become so widespread that a recent study found that two-thirds of customers at cafés, restaurants, and hotels prefer wine by the glass rather than by the bottle. This trend is more pronounced among younger generations, 77% of whom prefer wine by the glass, while 32% of those over 50 express a preference for wine by the bottle.

“Buying local”

It is also worth noting the trend toward local consumption in restaurants. Regional wines, produced from local terroirs, are highly sought after. We see the same phenomenon as with other agricultural products: just as with the dishes served by restaurateurs, wine must come from the region and reflect its richness and local characteristics.

This trend is particularly prevalent in wine-growing regions: the aim is to promote the region, and for consumers, it’s an invitation to celebrate and (re)discover the region.

Discovery and Innovation

In addition to the trend of “buying local,” unique wines are also in high demand! Indeed, they spark interest and curiosity because they come from small terroirs and are produced under lesser-known appellations. Discovering these wines is made easier by the practice of selling wine by the glass.

This is a chance for restaurant owners to get creative while offering new wines that will intrigue and delight their customers. Perfect for those who love to explore!

Wine as an aperitif

The trend toward after-work gatherings and pre-dinner drinks makes it a great time to serve wine in the early evening. These small orders can be boosted by offering wine by the glass. The idea is to offer a pre-dinner drink at the restaurant with a charcuterie board and a glass of wine—just like at home, but with a more "gourmet" twist.

This trend helps boost sales and celebrates wine as an aperitif.

Power consumption and colors

When it comes to wine colors, people tend to prefer white and rosé wines, which are better suited as aperitifs. Red wine, however, remains very popular!

In fact, despite all the "Bordeaux bashing," this region remains the favorite for no less than half of all French people—just like Burgundy and Champagne! They are closely followed by wines from the Rhône, Alsace, and Languedoc.

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!