Introduction
This guide proposes five areas to review in a wine list. It is not presented as a frequency study or as the results of a documented sample.
A quality wine selection also needs an appropriate structure, presentation and review process. These areas help define improvement tests, without attributing any direct effect on sales that has not been measured.
Here are five points worth checking.
Error 1: Too many wines
A list of 150 or 200 wines may warrant review, but does not in itself demonstrate confusion or higher costs. This article provides no ranking of errors by frequency or severity.
Hypothetical example: a list of 180 wines could be reviewed against sales for the period; this article provides no observed rate of wines with no sales. Wines gathering dust in the cellar. Tied-up capital that could be generating a return.
What to observe: how customers find options and what help they ask for. You cannot diagnose paralysis or predict the choice of the second-cheapest wine from the size of the list.
Review criterion: compare sales, demand and the role of each wine. Ninety days can serve as an indicative alert, not an automatic removal rule: consider ageing potential, seasonality and availability.
| Restaurant type | Illustrative list-size scenario, not a benchmark |
|---|---|
| Casual dining | 30–50 |
| Mid-range restaurant | 50–80 |
| Fine dining | 80–150 |
Review selection and clarity using data; reducing the number of wines does not guarantee more sales.
Error 2: Pricing without a rationale
Another practice you can review is using a fixed multiplier. Arithmetic examples: cost €8, price €24; cost €25, price €75. These are not results from an observed sample and do not in themselves prove an error.
Fictional example: cost €6, price €18 (x3), versus cost €35, price €105 (x3). The effect must be checked against sales, costs and demand; the multiplier alone does not determine what will sell.
What to check: a fixed multiplier tells you nothing about elasticity. The examples of €18 versus €7 and €105 versus €40 do not demonstrate what price a customer will accept. A comparison requires equivalent formats, taxes, service and context, as well as observation of perceived value.
How it should work:
| Illustrative cost, on the same tax basis | Hypothetical multiplier | Arithmetic result, not a recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| €3–6 | x3.5–x4 | €10.50–24 |
| €6–12 | x3–x3.5 | €18–42 |
| €12–20 | x2.5–x3 | €30–60 |
| €20–40 | x2–x2.5 | €40–100 |
| More than €40 | x1.8–x2.2 | Depends on the specific cost; there is no fixed band |
The smart strategy: decreasing percentage margins but increasing absolute margins. This does not imply more sales or guaranteed total profit: specific costs, units sold and other expenses are needed. A multiplier is a pricing rule, not the margin percentage.
Error 3: Lack of wines by the glass
Review whether the by-the-glass offer suits your customers and preservation capacity. This article provides no observed frequency of restaurants with an insufficient range.
Hypothetical situation: a long bottle list offers only one white and one red by the glass, or does not display that offer. Check whether this reflects a service decision or an unmet need, without assuming an error.
What to check: wine by the glass can offer an alternative to a full bottle. Ask whether it fits demand and preserve the choice of other formats or of not drinking wine; it is not the only option for everyone.
Define your target share of wine revenue from by-the-glass sales using your own data; this article provides no validated industry percentage.
What we recommend:
- Set the number of wines according to demand and preservation capacity, with no universal minimum
- As a hypothetical example, one sparkling wine, two whites, one rosé and three reds add up to seven wines, not a mandatory range
- Assess rotation frequency; 2-4 weeks is a planning example, not a universal requirement
- Calculate the glass price using defined costs, usable pours, wastage and margin; not a universal percentage of the bottle price
- Maximum visibility: the by-the-glass section should be the first thing the customer sees
Error 4: Confusing categories
Organization can influence how people navigate the list. Check its usefulness at different knowledge levels, without attributing poor design to most of the industry.
Hypothetical situation: a list is organized by designation of origin (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Rías Baixas...). Do not assume what proportion of customers knows each region; check whether they need style guidance.
A list can combine colour, country, region and price. Check whether that hierarchy guides your customers or needs an index, descriptions or another structure; combining criteria does not in itself demonstrate a problem.
What to observe: whether the customer finds what they are looking for. Someone may ask for a soft, fruity red to accompany their pasta and need guidance between Rioja and Ribera; others know those regions. Check the list's usefulness without assuming universal frustration.
What works better:
- Organize by sensory style: fresh and light, fruity and soft, intense and structured, elegant and complex
- Within each style, sort by ascending price
- Add brief descriptors that provide guidance: "ideal with meat", "perfect as an aperitif"
Error 5: Overly technical descriptions
A description may be unclear to someone who needs guidance, even if technical details are useful to other readers.
Fictional example: "Blend of Tempranillo 80% and Graciano 20%, 14 months in French oak barrels, DO Rioja Alavesa, calcareous soils". This is not a certified specification for a real bottle. It may be useful to experts, but should be accompanied by guidance for those who need it.
What to observe: whether the person understands the style and finds useful information about dishes and price. A technical description may answer real questions for some customers and need further explanation for others.
What the customer needs to know:
- What does it taste like? → "Soft red with notes of red fruit and a touch of spice"
- What does it go with? → "Ideal with grilled meat, mature cheeses or pasta with ragù"
- Is it worth it? → Sommelier highlights, ratings or simply a "recommended" icon
The rule: test the description with a non-expert and check whether they understand style, use and price, without removing useful information for those who want more detail.
The cost of these errors
These points warrant review, but this article provides no demonstrated percentage loss in sales and does not allow their effects to be added together as if they were independent.
The number of covers does not establish lost sales: consumption, prices, demand, periods and a documented comparison scenario are missing.
The wine list is not an administrative document. It is a sales tool. Like any sales tool, it needs to be designed with strategy, data and a customer focus.
How Winerim helps
With Winerim, confirm which functions and data are available to support review of these points. An uploaded list does not in itself provide sales, stock or market prices:
- Too many wines with no turnover
- Pricing out of line with the market
- Lack of wine by the glass or an insufficient programme
- Confusing structure that makes navigation difficult
- Technical descriptions that do not connect with the customer
Ask which proposals and tools are available for each need, how they are reviewed and what data they require. Automatic correction of every problem in a list is not guaranteed.
Want to know what errors your list contains?
Review the scope of the analysis and compare the results with data and context; a complete diagnosis within a fixed time is not guaranteed.