What if I don't have per-reference sales data?

Start with a manual log. In one month you'll have enough data.

Who should lead the review?

The person managing the list. If nobody, the owner with Winerim data.

What if my list is small (15-20 references)?

Even better. The review will be faster (45 min) and each decision has more impact.

Does Winerim automate this review?

Yes. Winerim generates a monthly report with all 5 blocks pre-populated.

Operational guide

How to review your wine list every month without losing control

The best wine lists don't have the best wines. They're the ones reviewed with discipline. A 90-minute monthly process can transform your profitability.

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1.Why monthly reviews are essential
2.The 5 blocks of a complete monthly review
3.Block 1: Performance — what happened this month
4.Block 2: Pricing — what to adjust
5.Block 3: Rotation — what comes in, what goes out
6.Block 4: Team — what to communicate
7.Block 5: Goals — what to expect next month
8.The 90-minute meeting template

Why monthly reviews are essential

An unreviewed wine list is a degrading wine list.

Every month without review means: • Dead wines accumulate tied-up capital. • Purchase costs change without retail price adjustments. • Seasonal opportunities are missed. • The team repeats the same recommendations without knowing what works. Monthly reviews turn your list into a dynamic asset that improves every month.

Restaurants that review monthly generate 12-18% more gross margin on wine.

First Monday of each month. Block 90 minutes in your calendar.

If you lack data, start manually tracking which wines sell each week.

The 5 blocks of a complete monthly review

An effective review covers 5 areas in order: 1.

Performance: what happened with the numbers. 2. Pricing: which prices need adjusting. 3. Rotation: which references should enter or exit. 4. Team: what the floor staff needs to know. 5. Goals: what to expect next month. Estimated time: 15-20 min per block.

Always follow the same order.

Make decisions during the meeting, not after.

Document decisions in a standard template.

Block 1: Performance — what happened this month

Spend the first 20 minutes understanding what happened.

Not opinions — measurements.

Top 5 and bottom 5 references by sales.

Average wine spend per table.

% of tables ordering wine.

Glass vs bottle ratio.

References with no sale in 30 days.

Month-over-month comparison.

Block 2: Pricing — what to adjust

Pricing is the factor with the biggest margin impact and the least reviewed.

Check if any purchase costs have changed.

Calculate the real margin on your top 10 references.

Review price-ladder coherence.

Identify opportunities to raise €1-2 without affecting demand.

Glasses: recalculate retail price considering actual waste.

Is your wine list performing as it should?

We'll analyse your list and show you concrete improvement opportunities in margin, rotation and average ticket.

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Block 3: Rotation — what comes in, what goes out

The list is a living organism.

Each month should have at least one change.

Exit candidates: fewer than 3 sales in 30 days AND margin below target.

Entry candidates: is there a gap in the price ladder?

Seasonality: does next month require adjustments?

Before adding: verify it doesn't cannibalize an existing reference.

Maximum 2-3 changes per month.

Block 4: Team — what to communicate

The best list decisions are useless if the team doesn't know about them.

Which wines are new and how to describe them in 15 seconds.

What's the glass of the week.

Which wines left the list and why.

A motivating data point.

Format: 5-minute briefing before Monday service.

Block 5: Goals — what to expect next month

End the review with 3-5 concrete goals for the following month.

Average wine spend target.

Rotation target.

Glass ratio target.

Team target.

Maximum 5 goals. Less is more.

The 90-minute meeting template

Use this structure: 0:00-0:05 — Review previous month's goals 0:05-0:25 — Block 1: Performance 0:25-0:40 — Block 2: Pricing 0:40-0:55 — Block 3: Rotation 0:55-1:05 — Block 4: Team 1:05-1:15 — Block 5: Goals 1:15-1:20 — Action summary 1:20-1:30 — Buffer

Come with data prepared before the meeting.

Document everything in a standard template.

If you can't do 90 minutes, do 45: block 1 + block 3 + block 5.

Frequently asked questions

Next step

With Winerim, the monthly review prepares itself

Performance, pricing, rotation, training and goals. Winerim generates the monthly report automatically.

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