Ideal number of wines by restaurant type
Size your list according to venue type, average spend and guest profile.
What this reference helps you decide
The ideal number of references is not universal: it depends on the type of restaurant, its positioning, the expected rotation and the team's training capacity. This benchmark sets indicative ranges based on industry practice.
How to use it
Analysis based on common practice in the hospitality sector in Spain and Europe. It considers variables such as cuisine type, average spend, cellar capacity, guest profile and rotation frequency. These are not absolute figures but ranges to adapt to each context.
Key points
Casual restaurant / bistro
Between 20 and 40 references is usually enough. Prioritise readability and fast rotation.
Fine-dining restaurant
Between 80 and 200+ references, with depth in regions and vintages. The wine list is part of the experience.
Hotel with several outlets
Each outlet needs its own tailored selection. A central pool of 100–300 references is distributed across outlets.
Wine shop / wine bar
50 to 120 references with high rotation and a strong by-the-glass offer.
Restaurant chain
15 to 30 references focused on standardisation, staff training and cost control.
Recommended next steps
Measure the current situation with consistent data.
Choose one operational change and assign an owner.
Review sales, margin, stock and service impact after four weeks.