Submitted by: Lia Contesso

Wine lists are a fundamental part of any restaurant s offer that are however often left to the intuition of the owner or created in a rush. The degree of importance of a wine list will change depending on the type of establishment: a family restaurant or one that only serves lunch in an industrial area will probably manage with a representation of the main types of wine in the same range of price as the food being served. In the case of a restaurant or a hotel, on the contrary, the time dedicated to creating the wine list should be at least the same dedicated to creating the dishes menu.

Whether you own a small bar or you manage a five star hotel restaurant, it is a good idea to stop and think over your wine list: are the wines on the list cohesive with the food I am serving? Do they bring out the best of every item of food on the menu or is something missing? As a rule of thumb, every item of the menu should have at least one wine associated, one that emphasizes the flavors and textures of the dish. Make sure you offer a wide range of varieties as well as prices and origins. If you are located in an area that has a tradition in winemaking, it is probably a good idea to have a special selection of local wines. Include sweet wines for dessert, champagnes and some liquors.

If you don t have the budget or means to get a sommelier as most high quality restaurants and hotels do, you can start by getting advice from your trusted wine supplier. Providers will be able to tell you which are the most requested brands by establishments of your same category and the ones with higher rotation, i.e. the ones that need to be refilled the most often and are therefore the most popular among clients. Once you have gone through the first badges of wines provided by your wine supplier, you can refine your selection by getting feedback from your diners and looking at the brands that have sold the most. This will help you enormously in determining the wines that work best with your food.

Make it easy for your customers to choose the wine: create a wine list with a sufficient but not excessive number of items and organize them based on origin, category or type of grape (chardonnay, merlot, cavernet etc.) and on the portions you are serving: bottles or glasses. Some restaurants can find serving wine by the glass a very profitable alternative if wine is an important aspect for most diners coming in since the price per liter is higher and many people prefer to have the choice of changing wines with every dish. Train your staff on the wines you are proposing so that they can be of help to doubtful customers and to those with little or no knowledge of which wines work best with certain types of food.

Start with a recommendation of wines from a professional and trusted supplier, wines that bring out the best of your food offer and present several alternatives in terms of price and type of wine. The comments and feedback of your clients and staff will help you build as time goes by the perfect wine list for your restaurant.

About the Author: Article written by Alba L with support from

guarnier.it/

Source:

isnare.com

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