Ep 082: Evaluating Restaurant Wine Lists

A big thanks to Tony H for this topic. Here was his question:

• Could you one day explore the issue of wine lists?
• Where do restaurant wine lists come from?  I would like to think that someone sits down with the menu and thinks through what wines might go well with the dishes, but that’s probably naïve.  I suspect most restaurants buy a package deal from a distributor to supply a standardized list and the wines?
• If you were going to design a wine list, how would you go about doing it?
• What is it about a wine list that tips you off as to whether it has been put together by people who know what they’re doing?
• Where do wine list prices come from?

I use my experience as a restaurant marketer for the big hulking winery to shed some light on the inside industry dirt. We talk about what to look for in a list and in a good restaurant (via wine) and then I give you some great tips from the book (almost done!). 

Hope you enjoy this one! Look forward to the feedback (and other great service stories if you have them).

And from the Shameless Commerce Division: If you are a restaurateur and need some help with your wine list, email me at [email protected] to see how we can work together to get you a balanced list!