What if my average check varies a lot between lunch and dinner?

Consider a slightly different list or, at minimum, different glass selections. If dinner runs 40% higher, premium wines will sell more at night.

Should I include wines I know are great but don't sell?

A wine that doesn't sell isn't 'good' for your list, however excellent it may be objectively. Give it 3 months with active recommendation. If it still doesn't work, replace it.

How do I know if I have too many references?

If more than 25% of your list hasn't sold in 30 days, you have too many. Trim and focus.

Can Winerim help me define my assortment?

Yes. Winerim analyses your average check, guest profile and historical performance to suggest the ideal list composition.

Strategic guide

How to choose your wine assortment by average check and restaurant type

There's no perfect wine list. There's the perfect list for your restaurant. Assortment should reflect who dines in your room, how much they spend and what they expect.

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1.Why assortment depends on average check
2.4 restaurant profiles and their ideal assortment
3.Framework: from average check to price ladder
4.How many references per price tier
5.Common assortment composition mistakes
6.Assortment validation checklist

Why assortment depends on average check

The average check is the most reliable indicator of your guests' spending power and expectations.

A diner spending €25 per person doesn't expect the same as one spending €80. If your average check is €30 and you list wines at €60, those wines won't sell — not because they're bad, but because they cost twice what your guest spends on the entire meal. Rule of thumb: your best-selling wine should cost between 30% and 50% of your per-person average check. That's the price sweet spot where most guests feel comfortable.

Average check €25-35/person → best-seller between €8-16 (glass €4-6).

Average check €40-60/person → best-seller between €18-28 (glass €6-10).

Average check €70+/person → best-seller between €25-40 (glass €8-14).

If your best-seller isn't in that range, your assortment is misaligned with your audience.

4 restaurant profiles and their ideal assortment

Not all restaurants with the same average check need the same assortment.

Cuisine type, location and guest profile also matter.

Casual dining / gastrobar (check €20-35): 15-25 references, 60% reds, glass focus, max 2 price tiers, nothing above €35/bottle. Guests want simplicity.

Chef-driven restaurant (check €40-65): 30-50 references, white/red balance, 3 price tiers, premium glass as lever, small-producer wines for differentiation.

Fine dining (check €70+): 60-120+ references, depth by region/style, list as experience, minimum 4 price tiers, pairing suggestions, iconic wines as aspirational anchors.

Hotel / resort (variable check): dual list — simplified for casual outlet and in-depth for the gastronomic. Minibar and room service need separate curation.

Framework: from average check to price ladder

The price ladder is the distribution of your wines by retail-price tiers.

A well-designed assortment has a clear ladder that guides the guest from accessible to premium. How to build it: 1. Calculate your sweet spot (30-50% of average check). 2. Define 3-4 price tiers: • Entry: 60-70% of sweet spot → for price-sensitive guests. • Sweet spot: the range where you expect 50% of sales. • Premium: 150-200% of sweet spot → for special occasions. • Aspirational (optional): 300%+ of sweet spot → 2-3 iconic references. 3. Distribute references: concentrate on the sweet spot, fewer at extremes. Example for €45 average check: • Entry: €14-18 (5 references) • Sweet spot: €20-28 (12 references) • Premium: €32-45 (6 references) • Aspirational: €55-90 (3 references) • Total: 26 well-distributed references.

50-60% of your references should sit in the sweet-spot tier.

The entry tier exists so guests don't feel forced. Don't eliminate it.

Aspirational references don't need to sell much. Their job is to anchor the perceived value of your list.

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How many references per price tier

More references doesn't mean a better list.

It means more management complexity, more tied-up stock and harder decisions for the guest. Rule of thumb by venue type: • Casual / gastrobar: 15-25 total references • Mid-range restaurant: 25-45 references • Gastronomic restaurant: 40-80 references • Fine dining with cellar: 80-150+ references Within each price tier: • Entry tier: 3-5 references (few but good) • Sweet spot: 8-15 references (highest concentration) • Premium: 4-8 references • Aspirational: 2-4 references Key criterion: every reference must have a reason to be there. If you can't explain in one sentence why a wine is on your list, it probably shouldn't be.

If you have more than 5 by-the-glass options, you're managing too much waste.

Every reference you add dilutes attention from the rest. More is not better.

Check: if any tier has over 40% of references with no sale in 30 days, you have too many.

Common assortment composition mistakes

These are the most common mistakes we see in assortment composition, regardless of restaurant type.

Ego assortment: choosing wines the owner or sommelier likes instead of wines suited to the guest. Your list is not a personal collection.

Price gap: nothing between €18 and €35 when your sweet spot is right there. The guest goes for the cheapest option or skips wine entirely.

Redundancy: 4 Ribera del Duero Crianza in the same price range. They don't compete with competitors — they compete with each other.

No glass option: a restaurant with a €30 average check offering bottles only. The guest doesn't want to commit to €25 of wine.

Static list: the same assortment for 12 months. No seasonality, no novelty, no reason for guests to explore.

Assortment validation checklist

Before finalizing your list, run this 8-point checklist to validate balance.

✓ Is your best-seller in the sweet-spot price tier (30-50% of average check)?

✓ Do you have at least 2 glass options in the entry tier?

✓ Does each price tier have enough options without redundancies?

✓ Have fewer than 20% of references gone unsold for 60+ days?

✓ Is there at least 1 white and 1 red per price tier?

✓ Are aspirational references recognizable to your audience?

✓ Can you explain in one sentence why each wine is on the list?

✓ Is the total number of references manageable for your team and storage?

Frequently asked questions

Next step

Winerim tells you exactly which wines your list needs

Assortment analysis, price ladder, gap and redundancy detection. All based on real data from your restaurant.