How to Make a Proper Wine List for a Restaurant
A proper wine list should include plenty of details and be easy to navigate. It can contain numerous varieties, prices, and descriptors, so it is important to know how to decide what to include and what to leave out. A short description might help customers who are looking for wine without having to read the entire description. The wine list should be organized in a way that customers can easily find the wine they are looking.
Organize your wine list by grape type
If you have a long list of wines, break it down by grape variety. While wines made from the same grape variety are similar in flavor and aroma, they aren’t the same. French Syrah is very different from Australian Shiraz. Pinot Noir from Oregon is different from Pinot Noir in Burgundy, and California Chardonnay is different. Chardonnay may taste different from Chardonnay in the same region, but you’ll get it.
It makes it easier for your server and wine expert to choose wines that suit specific tastes. This can be especially useful if you don’t have one on staff. A quick guide to the grape types in wine can help your servers answer guests’ queries. This guide does not replace proper training but can help increase the confidence of your server.
Organizing your wine list by price
There is no one-size-fits-all way to organize a wine list, but there are guidelines to follow. There are two main ways to organize a wine list: by price and by flavor profile. Customers may be tempted to buy the cheapest wines on their wine lists, but this may not be a wise decision. Your wine list can be organized by flavor profile to reflect the true price range and encourage customers to spend more on high-margin wines.
Once you have determined your price range, organize and price your wine list. This is especially helpful for older wines. As a general rule, more expensive wines tend to age better than cheaper ones, so arranging your wine list by price will help you know where to find your library and ready-to-drink selections. For a more elaborate wine list, consider presenting all your wines in descending price ranges.
Organizing your wine list by temperature
If you collect fine wines, organizing your wine list by temperature can be a great way to keep track of your collection and to help you find what you’re looking for more quickly. Your wine list can be divided by price, varietal within each color and temperature. The cheaper wines should be kept closer to the front, where you can easily access them when you need them. The more expensive wines should be stored further back until they are ready to be served.
You may also want to organize your wine list by sorting your bottles. This is especially useful if you’re new to collecting wine. For example, you might prefer to group French wines by region than by price. The reason for grouping wines by type is that you may only have a handful of each type in your cellar. This method is great for those who want to explore a variety of styles, as well as those from new world producers.
Keeping your wine list up to date
If you own a restaurant, it can be difficult to keep your wine list current. There are so many styles and varieties of wine, and customers’ tastes and preferences change frequently. It is important to keep your restaurant’s wine list current in order to keep it fresh and appealing to your guests. Here are some tips to keep your wine list current:
To make it easy to identify wines in a large collection, you can organize your collection by vintage. This helps you keep track of optimal drinking windows as similar wines reach optimal drinking window dates at similar times. If bottles are stored horizontally it is difficult for you to label them with the year or vintage. Use wine tags to write down relevant information, such as varietals, countries, and vintages. Different colored tags can be used for different bottles to help you distinguish the vintages of the wines.