How to organise it
For most guests, the clearest order is by type first, then by region:
- Sparkling (Champagne, English sparkling, Crémant, Prosecco, Cava)
- White
- Rosé
- Red
- Fortified (sherry, port, Madeira)
- Sweet
Within each type, group by country or region: Loire, Burgundy, Rioja, Marlborough, Barossa, Napa… If you have a lot of reds, regional subgroups are essential.
The alternative: by style. If your list is short or your guests aren’t experts, group by what the wine is like: “Crisp and fresh whites”, “Rich whites”, “Light reds”, “Full-bodied reds”. It helps anyone who doesn’t know the regions.
Within each group, going from cheapest to most expensive makes choosing easier.
What to say about each wine
The essentials, in one or two lines:
- Name of the wine and producer.
- Region or appellation (if it isn’t already in the group heading).
- Grape or grapes.
- Vintage, for aged or premium wines.
An example:
Example Estate Pinot Noir 2022 — Example Vineyards · Central Otago
Red cherry, a touch of spice. With duck and lamb.
Glass and bottle, in columns
If you serve wine by the glass, use one price column per size, plus the bottle. That way guests compare at a glance. For wines you don’t pour by the glass, leave a dash.
| Wine | 125 ml | 175 ml | Bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Picpoul de Pinet | 5.50 | 7.50 | 29 |
| House red | 4.50 | 6 | 22 |
| Barolo | — | — | 75 |
Example prices in pounds. In the UK, wine by the glass is sold in 125 ml or 175 ml measures (or multiples, such as 250 ml), and in England and Wales a 125 ml glass must be available and shown on the list. In the US, one “Glass” column is usually enough, with the pour size noted once (5 or 6 oz).
If you also offer carafes or half bottles (375 ml), add a column only in the sections that have them. To set glass prices that cover the bottle, try the pour cost calculator.
Tasting notes: keep them short
A useful tasting note fits on one line: profile + what it goes with.
- “Fresh, citrusy, saline. With shellfish and white fish.”
- “Black fruit, spice, long finish. With lamb and game.”
Skip the competition jargon (“forest-floor retronasal with polished tannins”). Guests want to know whether they’ll like it and whether it goes with what they’ve ordered. If you can’t write a short, honest note, it’s better to leave it out.
A separate list or part of the menu?
- A few wines (fewer than a dozen): one more section on your menu, with glass and bottle columns.
- A long list: a separate wine list. A booklet lets you organise by region comfortably; a slim A4 looks very elegant for a medium-sized list.
Allergens in wine
- Sulphites. Practically every wine contains them above the declaration threshold. A footnote such as “All our wines contain sulphites” is clear and covers that part.
- Egg and milk. Some wines declare egg or milk on the label because of the fining agents used to clarify them. If the label says so, carry it over to your list. The same fining agents are why not every wine is vegan.
Keeping it up to date
Vintages change, wines sell out and prices go up. A wine list crossed out in biro looks careless. Review it every time you change a vintage or a supplier and reprint: with the list already made in MenuDesign, it takes minutes.
Make it in MenuDesign
The wine list template comes in the Bodega style with glass and bottle columns ready to go. Paste your list or take a photo of your current one, adjust the groups and prices and download the PDF. For a more casual wine bar, try the Ticket style too. All free, with no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Should I list wines by price?
Within each group (for example, Loire whites), going from cheapest to most expensive helps guests find their way. What doesn’t work is sorting the whole list by price without grouping by type or region.
Should I include the vintage?
For aged or premium wines, yes: guests value it. But only if you keep it up to date; a wrong vintage looks careless.
How do I show which wines are available by the glass?
With price columns for each glass size and the bottle (in the UK, ‘125 ml’, ‘175 ml’ and ‘Bottle’), with a dash where you don’t pour by the glass. In the US, a ‘Glass’ column (usually a 5 oz pour) and a ‘Bottle’ column is the norm.
Do I have to mention sulphites on the wine list?
Sulphites are one of the 14 allergens in the UK and the EU, and almost every wine contains them. A note such as ‘All our wines contain sulphites’ covers it clearly.