Checklist: Is your wine list profitable?
25 control points to evaluate if your wine list is optimized to sell more. Structure, prices, styles, glass wine and rotation.
The downloadable file is in English.
The most common mistakes in wine lists
Most wine lists have blind spots that directly impact sales and margins. This checklist helps you identify them.
Structure without clear criteria that confuses customer
Poorly staggered prices with sharp jumps between references
Insufficient or poorly positioned glass offering
Lack of periodic review: dead references that no one detects
What's included in the checklist
5 evaluation areas with 25 control points to diagnose your wine list.
List structure
List has clear and easy-to-understand categories
Sections follow logical order
Each category has 4-12 references
There's a highlighted recommendations section
Price distribution
Accessible entry options available (18-25€)
Highest volume bracket (25-40€) has enough options
Premium references exist that act as price anchors
Margins are staggered: higher % on entry, higher € on premium
Glass wines
Minimum 6-8 references by glass
Glass prices equal 30-40% of bottle
Glass section is visible and at beginning of list
Glass references rotate every 2-4 weeks
Rotation and updates
No references without sales in last 90 days
List is reviewed at least quarterly
Prices updated according to costs and market
Glass sold per table and average ticket measured
Who is this resource for
- Sommeliers and service managers wanting to diagnose their list
- Restaurant owners suspecting their list isn't optimized
- F&B directors of hotels and groups
- Any hospitality professional wanting a quick, structured diagnosis
When to use it
- Quarterly as routine control
- When changing season or updating list
- When wine sales don't reach restaurant potential
- Before hiring list consulting service
What this resource gives you
Detect weak points
Identify exactly which areas of your list need improvement.
Improve margins
Optimize price distribution to maximize gross margin.
Sell more wine
An optimized list increases wine sales 15% to 30%.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to complete the checklist?▾
About 15-20 minutes if you have the list in front. It's a quick, actionable diagnosis.
Do I need sales data?▾
For the rotation section, having sales data helps. The rest you can evaluate with the list and your experience.
What do I do after diagnosis?▾
Each checklist point has an associated action. If you need professional help, you can request free analysis with Winerim.
Related content
Want a complete analysis of your list?
The checklist gives you diagnosis. Winerim gives you the solution: digital list, AI recommendations and sales analytics.