Trade guide

How to build a restaurant wine list

A practical, no-fluff guide to structuring, pricing and designing a wine list that's easy for guests to navigate — and that actually sells.

How to build a restaurant wine list

A great wine list does two jobs: it helps guests choose with confidence, and it protects your margins. Whether you're opening a new restaurant or refreshing an existing list, here's how to build one that works — section by section.

01. Structure your list

Organise the list the way guests think — so they can find a bottle without flagging down the somm.

  • Group by style (sparkling, light white, full white, rosé, light red, full red, dessert) rather than only by region.
  • Within each group, run from lighter and lower-priced to fuller and pricier.
  • Keep 30–120 references for most restaurants; a tighter, well-chosen list beats an overwhelming one.
  • Lead each section with an approachable by-the-glass option.

02. Price and mark up bottles

Markups vary, but a few principles keep a list both profitable and fair.

  • Typical restaurant wine markup runs 2–3x wholesale, but flatten it on premium bottles so the markup is a smaller multiple.
  • Aim for a target gross margin per bottle rather than one flat multiplier across the list.
  • Use a few well-priced 'hero' bottles to build trust — guests notice value.
  • Re-check pricing whenever wholesale costs move.

03. Design a by-the-glass program

By-the-glass drives trial and higher checks, but it carries spoilage risk.

  • Offer a balanced spread: a sparkling, two whites, two reds and a rosé or dessert wine.
  • Price each glass at roughly the bottle's wholesale cost, so an open bottle pays for itself in about one glass.
  • Use preservation (Coravin, inert gas) to extend higher-end pours.
  • Rotate seasonally and track what sells.

04. Write wine descriptions that sell

A good description lowers anxiety and nudges the order — without sommelier jargon.

  • Lead with taste and feel: 'crisp, citrusy, bone dry' beats grape trivia.
  • Add a quick pairing cue: 'great with shellfish and goat cheese'.
  • Keep it to one short line per wine — scannable, not a paragraph.
  • Match the tone to your room; confident and warm, never snobbish.

05. Design and layout

Layout is part of the experience — a clean list gets read, a cluttered one gets skipped.

  • Use clear section headers and consistent fields (name, region, vintage, price).
  • Leave white space; don't cram.
  • Make the by-the-glass options visually obvious.
  • If you go digital or QR, make search and filtering effortless.

06. Keep it current

A wine list is never finished — stock changes, vintages roll over, and tastes shift.

  • Audit availability regularly so guests never order an out-of-stock bottle.
  • Update vintages and prices as they change.
  • Drop slow movers and test new pours by the glass first.
  • A digital or QR list makes updates instant — no reprints.
Tools

Make it easier

Software and data can do the heavy lifting on structure, pairings and updates.

FAQ

Restaurant wine list — FAQ

How many wines should a restaurant wine list have?
For most restaurants, 30–120 well-chosen references work best. A focused list is easier for guests to navigate and easier for you to manage than a sprawling one.
What is a typical restaurant wine markup?
Many restaurants mark up bottles 2–3x wholesale, flattening the multiple on premium wines. It's better to target a gross margin per bottle than to apply one flat multiplier across the list.
How should I price wine by the glass?
A common rule is to price each glass at roughly the bottle's wholesale cost, so the first glass covers the open bottle. Use preservation tools to reduce spoilage on higher-end pours.
How do I write good wine menu descriptions?
Lead with taste and feel, add a short pairing cue, keep it to one scannable line per wine, and match the tone to your room — confident and warm, never jargon-heavy.
How often should I update my wine list?
Audit availability and pricing regularly and update vintages as they roll over. A digital or QR wine list makes these updates instant, with no reprinting.

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