Build back better

Ten years ago, building a landmark wine list was an act of sheer joy – a tome of discovery where prestige, depth and margin could coexist with relative ease. But those days are long gone. Chronic inflation in established regions – not least Burgundy – combined with shifting consumer priorities and macroeconomic pressures have shifted the dial. Today, wine programmes must work harder to win guests over, as sommeliers rethink everything from sourcing and pricing to storytelling and training.  There is no single panacea, of course, for designing a profit-making list. But clear patterns are emerging as sommeliers navigate an increasingly cost-sensitive customer base.

So where does this leave the great and the good of fine wine? The escalating cost of blue-chip labels makes it difficult to position these wines in a way that retains commercial viability without alienating guests. Yet removing this segment of the list altogether is rarely an option – particularly in London's five-star hotels.

“For me, balance is the key. A wine list needs to include the classics and the great names, but it also needs personality,” says Imre Somogyi, head sommelier at The Connaught in London. This duality – prestige alongside discovery – has become a commercial necessity, as wine programmes cater both to a shrinking pool of high-spending customers and a far broader base of price-conscious diners, requiring a highly considered and intelligent buying strategy.

“A list should showcase unique regions and carefully curated wines - real gems that you can trust and proudly serve to your guests,” he adds. “I strongly believe that one of the most important elements is building strong relationships with producers and suppliers, where trust and support go both ways. These relationships often allow you to find wines that offer real value.”

Creating an 'honest' list
The word that most frequently arises during conversations with sommeliers is “transparency” - the idea that guests are not only more price sensitive, but more informed and, as a consequence, less tolerant of perceived opportunism.

According to Agustina Basilico Miara, head of drinks at Toklas: “The current cost environment has definitely made us more thoughtful about how we build the list, but for me the list has to feel honest. Guests are very aware of pricing at the moment, so transparency and balance are key.”

Miara has responded by rethinking how margin is distributed, eschewing an approach that prioritises a small number of high-margin lines.

“Rather than pushing margins on a few bottles, we try to build a list where value is spread across different sections,” she explains, adding that “it often means working closely with importers and smaller producers, looking for wines that deliver real character and sense of place but aren’t tied to the price expectations of the most famous appellations.”

Of course, this paradigm has significant implications for list architecture. The mid-range tier – long neglected in favour of the “second cheapest on list bottle” and the prestige end – has become a critical engine of profitability, particularly when sourcing wines from less-established regions.

“Lesser-known regions have become incredibly important tools. Areas like the Jura, parts of central Italy, or smaller Spanish appellations offer wines with strong identity that can still sit at approachable prices,” agrees Miara.

“Producers are just as important as regions. When you find growers who are farming thoughtfully and making wines with a clear point of view, those bottles often resonate with guests once the story is shared. The key is never to present them as 'alternatives' to classic regions, but simply as exciting wines in their own right.”

This is a highly effective and astute strategy. By removing the implication that these wines are stand-ins for more famous names, sommeliers are reframing discovery as desirable, rather than a compromise.

Meanwhile, Akub sommelier Anna Patrowicz has built an entire wine programme around a singular identity. “We are the only restaurant in the UK and Europe that has an extensive selection of rarely-seen-before Palestinian wines with a strong focus on grape varieties native to Palestine and rare old vintages that show the level of winemaking,” she explains.

The restaurant imports all its inventory through the sister company, Nabeeth Wine and Spirits, providing a level of supply chain control that delivers both margin protection and pricing consistency.  But how does Patrowicz tempt guests out of their comfort zone towards an extremely esoteric and little-known region?

“The importance of training our team across the board was always a key tool of communicating with our guests, emphasising the storytelling but also the core wine knowledge of the team,” she replies.

“Some of our rare vintages are also made with classic grape varieties, although in a different yet familiar flavour profile for the guests who feel more comfortable with classic appellations, it allows us to offer the discovery of Palestinian terroirs while reassuring the guest with a choice that is familiar to them.”

Rotation and education
The importance of by-the-glass programmes is another central pillar in this conversation. A dynamic selection of individual pours satisfies many criteria: it encourages exploration, drives sustainable margins and caters to a growing moderation trend, albeit with the ever-present issue of  wastage. “A dynamic by-the-glass programme can also drive both guest engagement and revenue,” says  Imre Somogyi.

Agustina Basilico Miara agrees, noting that the key to maintaining interest and generating consistent returns lies in constant evolution.  “For the by-the-glass programmes, rotation is one of the most important strategies. Keeping the offer dynamic allows us to show a broader range of styles and keeps both the team and our regular guests engaged."

Meanwhile, technology has expanded what's possible – and commercially viable – on the restaurant floor. “Coravin has also allowed us to bring more ambitious bottles on to the glass list without the pressure of committing to opening them fully, which creates space to introduce guests to wines they might not otherwise order by the bottle,” she adds.

But perhaps the most important evolution lies in the way staff approach premiumisation. In a more cautious and price-sensitive market, traditional upselling techniques have become less effective, sommeliers report. Instead, the emphasis has shifted towards dialogue and consultation rather than hard selling.

“We spend a lot of time tasting together and building a shared language around the wines so the team feels confident guiding guests through the list,” says Miara.

“The goal is always to make recommendations feel like a conversation rather than a sale. When a guest feels that you’re genuinely trying to find the right bottle for their table, they’re far more open to exploring something new or stepping up slightly in price”

At Akub, Patrowicz tries to give suggestions that “fit rather than try to upscale as such; with fascinating stories behind wines we offer and exciting styles that rarely have been experienced, the choices are attractive on all levels of spending.”

Of course, none of this is especially new - a list built on transparency, identity and strong mid-tier value is hardly earth shattering. Yet in today's climate, these principles have taken on renewed urgency. Stripped of easy margins and a more forgiving customer base, sommeliers are being challenged like never before. It's do or die.