How to Order off a Wine List Like a Pro

Wine lists can be intimidating.

Whether it’s an unfamiliar grape (Müller-Thurgau, anyone?), an unappealing flavor-profile description (forest floor, tar and leather—delicious), or the name of a tiny but mighty grape-growing region that’s nearly impossible to pronounce (hello, Montrachet), you’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed. We’ve all been in the high-stress situation of selecting a great wine that will not only appeal to the group, but one that will also impress. 

Here are tips from sommeliers on how to navigate the most-daunting lineups like a wine expert.

How To Read a Wine List

Sommeliers and beverage directors choose to organize their wine selections in many different ways. Restaurants generally have wines by the glass followed by bottles listed by grape variety, style and color, geographic location and price.

Style & Color

The beginning of a wine list typically starts with sparkling wines, which includes bottles of Champagne, Prosecco or any other bubbly, depending on the establishment’s concept. The sparkling wine category is likely followed by light-bodied then fuller-bodied white wines—like Sauvignon Blanc and a California Chardonnay, respectively. Rosé wines will occasionally have their own section.

“As wines progress from white to red, lighter to fuller, the menu at the establishment likely follows a similar pattern—lighter, delicate courses with more subtle, nuanced flavors followed by fuller, fattier or more satisfying mid-courses and entrees,” says Certified Sommelier Lauren Windham. “Staying mindful of these parallels is especially helpful for food and wine pairings. For example, if you decide to start your meal with fresh oysters, you’ll likely find sensible wine pairings towards the top of the list—like champagne and muscadet.”

As you continue down the list, you’ll notice the same pattern for reds, graduating from light to full-bodied—Pinot Noir all the way to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Country

While there are hundreds of countries that produce wine, eight countries are responsible for approximately 77% of production according to Forbes. Widely-known countries include Italy, France, Spain, the United States of America, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Chile and Germany. The countries represented on a wine list will typically be dependent on the concept of the restaurant and can lead to fun wine and food pairings. 

Region

Countries that grow grapes have microclimates and growing regions throughout, each boasting their own unique wine style. Because of this, bottles on a list may be subcategorized into these growing regions and subregions. For example, “Napa Valley” might appear under “California.”

Price

Even if wine lists are arranged by style and color, grape, country and growing region, bottles are typically arranged from less-expensive bottles (and in most cases, more readily available) at the beginning to more-expensive (and rare) selections towards the end.

“There are so many ways to organize bottles of wine on a list and it’s really dependent on the concept of the restaurant,” says Sommelier Eduardo Porto Carreiro, who is also Vice President of Beverage for Rocket Farm Restaurants in Atlanta. “I prefer to organize bottles in order of intensity, from the most restrained and elegant at the top of the list to the richer, fuller and bolder wines towards the bottom. This is a convention that is widely used.”

Also, if you see a wine list that’s not in order of price point, it’s a safe assumption that the person who put together that wine list is thinking along those same lines and listing the bottles in order of intensity, Eduardo says.

What To Say When Asking For Help

Even if you know what you’re looking for, it can be difficult to convey that message to the server or sommelier unless you’re familiar with common wine descriptors. In short, help them help you. 

Here are two helpful tips from Master Sommelier Candidate and Hospitality & Events Manager at DuMOL Jill Davis:

1. Don’t be afraid to tell the sommelier what you actually like. They’re there to help you order a bottle or find your new favorite wine pairing. And if you don’t know exactly what you like, your sommelier should be able to guide you.
2. Ask to taste anything by the glass! This can help navigate you to the right bottle of wine.

Ultimately, a sommelier’s goal is to share their passion for wine with you. Restaurant wine lists and sommeliers are not aiming to intimidate or confuse, but to guide you towards a bottle that you will love. If you approach wine lists with an open mind but have a general idea of what you enjoy, you will undoubtedly feel excited and confident about the bottle you’ve selected—or the one that you’ve trusted them to select for you.