The World's 50 Best Vineyards list has sparked controversy in the wine industry, with many critics arguing that it prioritizes luxury and tourism over quality and authenticity.
How to Build a Smarter Wine Program: Looking Beyond Big Names
The wine list is often an afterthought in bar programs focused on spirits and cocktails, but this is a missed opportunity. A well-curated wine program adds revenue, attracts a different category of guest, and signals the kind of thoughtfulness that elevates a bar's entire reputation.
You do not need to be a sommelier to build a strong wine program. You need to know how to evaluate wine for quality, story, and value -- and to look beyond the recognizable labels that every guest has already tried.
Why Big Names Are a Trap
Mass-market wine brands are recognizable precisely because they have spent enormously on marketing. That recognition comes at a cost: the actual quality-per-dollar in many familiar, heavily advertised labels is lower than what you can find at similar or lower price points from producers with less advertising budget.
The guest who orders a glass of a major Napa Cabernet because they have seen the label a hundred times is not being served well if a structurally similar, more characterful wine at the same price point is available. Your job as a wine buyer or program builder is to find that wine.
The other problem with big brands: They are generic. When every bar in town pours the same four or five labels, your program says nothing distinctive about your establishment.
How to Evaluate Wine for Quality, Story, and Value
When tasting a wine for potential inclusion in your program, use three criteria:
1. Quality (Does it taste good?)
This sounds obvious, but be rigorous. Is the wine balanced -- do acidity, tannin, fruit, and alcohol exist in harmony? Is it clean, with no off aromas (vinegar, wet cardboard, excess sulfur)? Does it have length -- does the flavor linger meaningfully after you swallow?
2. Story (Does it have something to say?)
The best wines have context that makes them interesting to discuss. Is the producer doing something distinctive -- unusual grape varieties, a particular region, a commitment to organic or biodynamic farming, a family history worth telling? Guests who try an unfamiliar wine because of a compelling story are more likely to feel rewarded by the experience.
3. Value (Does the price make sense?)
Price is not the same as value. A $60 bottle with the quality and character of a $90 bottle is exceptional value. A $25 bottle that drinks thin and forgettable is poor value regardless of the price. Evaluate the wine on its merits first, then assess what the market demands for comparable quality.
Finding Small-Batch Producers
Small-batch and independent producers are where the most interesting wine discoveries happen. Here is how to find them:
Work your distributors. Every distributor has a book full of small producers that do not get attention because the sales team focuses on moving volume. Ask specifically: "What small or family-owned producers do you represent that I might not have heard of?" Schedule regular tasting appointments. Bring specific questions.
Attend trade tastings. Most major markets host regular distributor portfolio tastings where you can taste dozens of wines in an afternoon. These are invaluable for discovering producers and building relationships with reps who can help you source unusual bottles.
Read the trade press with discernment. Wine publications review thousands of bottles annually. Pay attention to lower-profile regions and grape varieties -- Jura, Beaujolais, Finger Lakes, Southern Italy, Galicia. These are where quality-to-price ratios tend to be most favorable because demand has not yet caught up to quality.
Talk to other bar and restaurant professionals. The hospitality community shares good finds freely. A wine director at a respected restaurant nearby is often happy to discuss what they are excited about.
Curating a Distinctive Wine List
A distinctive wine program does not require a large list. It requires a curated one.
Practical principles:
- Offer by the glass thoughtfully. Your by-the-glass program should be designed to drive discovery. Include one or two options guests have never heard of alongside more approachable selections.
- Balance regions and styles. A list that spans old and new world, red and white, still and sparkling -- without overwhelming the guest -- serves the broadest range of preferences.
- Rotate regularly. Change at least one or two by-the-glass selections each season. This rewards returning guests and keeps the program from going stale.
- Know every bottle. You cannot sell what you do not understand. Taste everything on the list and be able to describe each wine in two or three accessible sentences.
Training Your Team
The wine knowledge required to serve a distinctive program has to be shared across the whole team.
Schedule brief tastings when new wines join the list. Give staff a consistent framework for describing wines: origin, grape variety, dominant flavors, and the food or occasion it fits. Role-play wine recommendations so staff can deliver them comfortably under pressure.
A bartender who says "We have a really interesting Sicilian red from a small family producer -- it's earthy and medium-bodied, great with our charcuterie" is more effective than one who just reads the label.
Building a smart wine program is a skill that takes time to develop, and it starts with genuine curiosity about what is in the glass. At ABC Bartending College, our programs cover spirits, cocktails, and the beverage fundamentals that prepare you for any professional bar role. Find a school near you and invest in your knowledge.
