How to choose wine at a restaurant?
Quick answer
Scan the wine list for appellations you recognise, ask the sommelier for advice by sharing your budget and dish, and lean toward the second-cheapest wine on the list.
Detailed answer
Restaurant wine lists can feel overwhelming — some carry over 500 references. A Cornell University study (2023) found that 47% of diners pick their wine in under 90 seconds, often defaulting to the second-cheapest option.
The best strategy is to talk to the sommelier or server. Share three things: your dish, your colour preference, and your budget ("around €30-40" is enough). A good sommelier will steer you to the best value on the list.
Watch out for markups: restaurants typically apply a 2.5x to 4x multiplier on purchase price. The most recognisable wines (Sancerre, Chablis, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) tend to carry the highest margins. Look instead for lesser-known appellations — Cairanne, Faugères, Fronton — where pricing is more reasonable.
Wine by the glass is a great way to explore without commitment. More and more restaurants now offer 10-20 wines by the glass thanks to modern preservation systems (Coravin, etc.).
And never feel embarrassed about ordering the cheapest wine — any serious restaurant makes sure every bottle on the list is worth drinking, regardless of price.
5 tips for wine at a restaurant
- Share your budget with the sommelier — no shame in that
- Target lesser-known appellations for better value
- Use wine by the glass to explore
- Skip the big-name wines (highest markups)
- Ask the sommelier to match wine to your dish