The 3 Mandatory Details on Your Wine List

Your wine list is an essential element of your customer relationship. Beyond its design and marketing aspects, the wine list, much like other menus, must display mandatory information.

Need help creating your wine list? Les Grappes can assist you.

The 3 Mandatory Details

According to EEC Regulation No. 2392-89 of July 24, 1989, Art. 40, only three elements must mandatorily appear on your wine list: the legal sales designation, the quantity served, and the price.

« The designation and presentation, as well as any advertising, must not be erroneous or liable 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 the nominal volume of the containers. »

1. The Legal Sales Denomination

This refers to the exact designation of the wine as it is sold and presented on the bottle or invoice. Therefore, be careful not to designate it solely by its grape variety or the estate name; the appellation must be clearly specified, as applicable:

• AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) or AOC (Controlled Designation of Origin), along with the name of the appellation
• IGP (Protected Geographical Indication, formerly "vin de pays") along with the name of the protected indication
• If there is no geographical indication (formerly "vin de table"), provide the legal denomination (wine, sparkling wine, carbonated sparkling wine, etc.) followed by the origin stated on the label. For example: "vin de France", "sparkling wine from the European Community", etc.

2. The Quantity Served

The quantity must be indicated in centiliters (cl) and must match the volume stated on the bottle (typically 75 cl). This mention is also mandatory for wine sold by the glass, in pitchers, or carafes.

If you offer your wine in multiple containers, you must specify the capacity for each.

The container (except for bottles) must specifically indicate the volume capacity via an engraved mark. For bottles, the capacity is indicated on the bottle itself, and it must always be opened in the presence of the consumer.

3. The Price

The net price, service included, must be indicated in euros and clearly, without any erasures or anything that could lead to a misunderstanding of the amount.

Optional Mentions and Their Obligations

Optional mentions refer to all additional information that can be added about the wine and its characteristics. Please note, these mentions must be justifiable to your customers with supporting documentation (label, invoice...). These may include the following elements:

• The estate name
• The cuvée name
• The brand name
• The vintage (note: if you indicate a wine's vintage on your menu, you must be able to supply it to your customers. If it is unavailable, it is mandatory to clearly state this on your menu; otherwise, it could be considered a misleading commercial practice. The same applies if a bottle is no longer available due to depleted stock).
• The grape variety
• The production method (organic, biodynamic...)
• Any medals or awards received by the cuvée
• The alcohol content...

The purpose of this regulation concerning wine lists is to offer customers maximum transparency regarding the wine they are about to consume. For restaurateurs, this transparency helps ensure a professional and reassuring image with customers by preventing unpleasant surprises.

It's then up to you to ensure your wine list is attractive and entices customers to order wine: make it a genuine marketing tool for your restaurant! Also, don't hesitate to seek advice and examples of successful wine lists if you struggle to build your own and select your wines.