How to Create a Wine List
A wine list is an important part of any restaurant's menu. Determining which wines to put on the list can be as simple as choosing the wines you like the most, or as difficult as making sure the wine pairs seamlessly with the food being served. You will want to make sure you have the best-tasting wines your restaurant can afford, but remember, just because a wine is expensive doesn't mean it tastes better than a bottle half its price. Spend time tasting all kinds of wines--red, white and sparkling -- before setting your wine list in stone. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine the kinds of wine you want to sell. You can keep your list simple by using wines from across the country--or world--without dividing them up, or you can decide to sell wines from different regions. Whichever you choose, make sure you have a wide variety. Discuss with a sommelier if you need expert input.
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Create a budget. Once you know how much you want to spend on a bottle of wine, and how much profit you expect to be able to make, you'll be able to decide what kind of wine to sell.
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Taste many wines. Gather some friends or employees--especially your bartenders and servers--and discuss the pros and cons of each type of wine. Make sure you have the standards, such as pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, pinot grigio and zinfandel. Merlot, syrah, meritage and vinho verde are also popular in restaurants.
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Pair the wines with food on your menu. Even if you don't want to list a suggested pairing on your menu, you should know what wine is best with what dish, just in case a patron asks.
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Purchase your wine. Ideally, you will have more than one label of each type of wine you have on your list. Some of the cheaper wines can be offered by the glass, while some of the more expensive wines can be offered for sale by the bottle.
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Tips & Warnings
If you only like certain wines, find someone who likes the kinds of wine you don't. By doing this, you will make sure your list will be well-rounded.
Be careful of costs. Whether money is a concern for you or not, you don't want to waste money on wine that won't sell. If the wine is cheap, make sure it tastes good, otherwise you might not sell any of it. If the wine is too expensive, it also might not sell, which would be a waste of money for you, as the bottle would sit in your storage area.
References
- Photo Credit red wine pouring down from a wine bottle image by mashe from Fotolia.com
