Not so long ago (let’s say 2019), wine programs were thriving. From the simple to the elaborate, from trendy labels to obscure regions, wine-loving patrons were in their element. Then came the pandemic and wine programs went by the wayside as restaurants focused on survival and lists were pared down to the basics.
Although it’s been a few years, the restaurant industry has struggled to reestablish those glory days. Economic woes, increased health concerns, tariffs, and changing demographics have all contributed to a global decrease in wine consumption.
But just because the landscape has changed is no excuse for a lackluster wine list. Stop stagnating! There are plenty of innovative and simple ways to get the spark back. We checked in with some of the industry’s noted wine professionals for their insights into building a winning wine program.
Finding the Balance
We are in an era of selective buying, and as such, wine isn’t the easy sell it once was. People will spend money, but they are putting far more thought into their choices. Wine directors today face a more challenging task of having to work harder to engage customers.
Ryan Robinson is an advanced sommelier-CMS, WSET diploma, and WSET educator who specializes in designing successful wine programs. He says, “There is comfort in familiarity. You need big names because that’s what your guests want, and we are in the business of hospitality; but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative alongside those. I always have a hidden gem in each menu category. A wine with a story, a wine that invites the unsuspected.”
The iconic Fore Street restaurant in Portland, Maine is well-known for its stellar wine program. Wine Curator Kelly Nelson notes, “We have a very diverse customer base. It’s all about balance. Lean too far into esoteric, you alienate many of your guests. Lean too far into the classics, you’re playing it too safe for adventurous diners. For example, by the bottle we have a beautiful, chilled red from Hungary featuring Kadarka, an indigenous grape varietal. Our guests can try something new without breaking the bank and can pair it with meat or seafood.”
Katie Hubbard is the wine director at Pammy’s, a popular New American restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She uses the familiar as a gateway to experimentation. She says, “There’s certainly an element of comfort when it comes to helping a guest choose a wine. That’s why we use familiarity as a jumping off point. If you like sauvignon blanc… maybe you’ll like Friulano! The world of wine can be wildly esoteric, so a lot of choice is driven by what is digestible, what can feel familiar without being monotonous or redundant.”
Clean & Simple
The days of the 20-page bound wine book are in the past. Wine drinkers prefer clean and well-organized menus rather than overly long and heavy on the “TMI.”
Robinson says, “Make your wine list work for you. Put thought into its layout and use it as a tool to help your staff engage with guests. I most always construct lists in a progressive format. Display your list from lightest in body to heaviest. Start with sparkling, then white selections, followed by rosé & orange as a single category. Yes, add an orange wine! There are fresh, vibrant options that will spark uniqueness to your list, such as the Côté Mas Orange Vin de France. Finish with red selections and then add your sweet wine offerings at the end.”
Suzanne Hays is the beverage director and assistant director of operations for Row 34, a well-known New England seafood restaurant and oyster bar with five locations throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She says, “Simplification and value have been the guiding light to driving sales. Leaning into tiered pricing and a variety of styles and regions allows guests to feel more comfortable opting into what suits them best. We offer a combination of wines BTG (by-the-glass) that are both familiar and esoteric. This gives people the opportunity to be adventurous, or fall into their favorite comfort style, all at friendly price points. Premium selections are always there for those that want to ball out. By presenting guests with options at either spectrum, it makes the wine list a much easier place to navigate.”
As to where guests are gravitating, she notes, “Familiar regions like Sancerre, or varietals, like Chardonnay, are almost always at the top. Lighter-bodied, crisp white wines have been at a steady incline. It's fun to see varietals like vermentino, assyrtiko, and pinot grigio rising to the top.”
Glass Pour Gold
Glass pours offer exponential opportunities, but this is where so many establishments get it wrong with uninspired selections. Add a little pizzazz!
Robinson comments, “All too often, a wine-by-the-glass program is an afterthought, filled with the same big names that are stacked in the endcaps of any local wine shop. However, it is where most of your guests interact with your wine program. It’s the entry point, the first impression. It’s part of your identity and what can set you apart from the restaurant, bar, or lounge down the road. And yet, it’s often treated like an afterthought. A new season is your excuse to re-energize that space.”
Nelson at Fore Street says, “Our glass pour program is the driving force behind our wine list sales. My goal is to provide the general public with the most popular quality single varietal wines: pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon. Amongst those, I pepper in wines with various weights, dynamic blends, and esoteric origins. I always organize the wines in each category by order of weight. Adding a Janodet Chenas Gamay as our lightest red glass pour gives guests a burgundy by the glass without a steep price point. We offer a medium bodied Colpetrone Umbrian Rosso blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon, which guests love.”
Don’t overlook the potential that sparkling wine offers. Robinson asserts, “If you’re not offering at least one sparkling option BTG, you’re leaving money on the table. Period. Sparkling wine isn’t just for celebrations anymore. Prosecco works, but rotate in alternatives: crémant, cava, franciacorta, even pét-nat if your audience is open to it.”
Too often, restaurants fail to routinely rotate the glass pour list. It’s such a letdown for customers to constantly see the same old selections on the wine list. Robinson agrees, “Guests notice when the BTG list never changes, even if they don’t consciously say it out loud. Regulars get bored. Staff get complacent. I highly recommend featuring two or three wines by the glass that rotate weekly. This will continually give your staff something to talk about table side, and it is a good way to test wine from a new country or from a different grape variety.”
Engaged & Educated Staff
An engaged, enthusiastic, and educated server will always sell more wine. Period. Robinson says, “Over the last few years, restauranteurs have seen a decline in skilled professional service staff. This is especially true since the Covid years, where many skilled servers switched industries. Leverage your wine distributors and wine suppliers for education opportunities. Invest in the knowledge of your staff. Dedicate a person to take responsibility of the wine program…adding it to the endless duties of a floor manager is a fast way to downgrade your program.”
Hubbard at Pammy’s comments, “Staff education is one of the foundational tenets of the culture at Pammy’s. We host wine class for the staff every single week. Together, we taste new wines as they come on, hone our focus on titillating regions and winemakers who care for the earth, and are constantly experiencing the alchemy of food and wine together. We’ll do comparative tastings, blind tastings, deep dives into unique regions or producers. We’re obsessed with learning about wine together so that we can best represent our program.”
Half Bottle Benefits
Many restaurants avoid half bottles, but they really do offer substantial benefits.
For Kelly Nelson at Fore Street, they are an integral part of the program. She comments, “Half bottles are the Swiss Army knife for a wine program. I teach the waitstaff how to use these bottles to both drive their sales and give the guest a personal bottle option without the commitment of too much volume. For example, we have Huia, a Marlborough Valley Sauvignon Blanc by the glass. Many guests ask about a sauvignon blanc from France instead. Our staff can point out the half bottle of Domaine Moreux ‘Les Bouffants’ Sancerre Blanc. This not only pleases the guest, but it also gives them the flexibility to choose a different wine when progressing into the rest of their meal.”
Low Alc = High Sales
Whether it’s for health reasons or because someone is sober curious, there’s no denying the “no/low” movement has power, especially with younger drinkers. Embrace it! Wines such as Muscadet and Vinho Verde are naturally low in sugar and have lower ABVs. Create a section dedicated to low-alcohol wines featuring options such as Vinho Verde, Muscadet, prosecco, riesling, Brachetto, and more. Include both ABV and calorie information. A recent study published by the New Wine Market Council study found that many consumers are under the impression that all wine has high sugar or unnecessary additives. Providing them with actual wine facts can counter this misinformation.
Today’s Wine Drinker
There’s a marked shift in who is drinking wine today. The 2025 U.S. Wine Consumer Benchmark Segmentation Survey published by The New Wine Market Council in December, found that 31% of wine drinkers are now millennials, surpassing baby boomers at 26%, whose share has dropped significantly from 32% in 2023. Gen Z’s share also climbed from 9% to 14%, despite only half the cohort currently being of legal drinking age.
According to the study, while boomers prefer big, bold reds and Gen X appears to enjoy all styles, millennials and Gen Z have different tastes. Findings show that merlot, pinot noir, chardonnay, muscat, rosé, and sweet rosé are popular with millennials, while Gen Z prefers grenache, chardonnay, muscat, rosé and sweet rosé. Both younger generations drink more sparkling wine than boomers, with Gen Z favoring U.S.-made sparkling while millennials opt for Prosecco. Both cohorts drink more champagne and cava than older generations. This means you’ll need to tailor your wine program to fit the palates of your new drinkers.
3 TIPS TO ENTICE WINE LOVERS
Create flights featuring 1/2 pours of 3-4 different wine selections.
- Menu callouts are incredibly effective: “Goes great with the Yellowfin,” “Staff favorite,” or, “Hidden gem,” all pique the curiosity.
- Run weekly glass specials of a wine usually only available by the bottle. This gives both guests and staff an opportunity to taste something new.
Is wine the easy sell it once was? No. But it will always endure. With a little effort and creativity, you can revitalize your wine program into something that will both intrigue and impress your guests…and keep them coming back for more.
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