he first purpose of a restaurant wine list is to inform the customer about the contents of the cellar. But there are different approaches to creating a wine list, which depend on the size and importance of the cellar and on the style of the establishment.
Wine lists may range in scope from a handwritten sheet of paper to a typewritten or printed pamphlet to a bound volume that resembles a work of literature. However simple or ambitious their design, all good wine lists have some lessons in common. They are clearly arranged, informative, easy to comprehend and free of errors in names, locations, vintages and prices. A good wine list must also be periodically updated.
Many restaurateurs revise them in the spring, when wines from the latest vintage begin to arrive, and the fall, when wines for aging are most often acquired. Lists managed by computer can be changed regularly, even reprinted daily. Some lists follow a numbering code for wines - a method that may be efficient but risks giving the list the appearance of a Chinese restaurant menu.
Whatever the system, changes in the stock of wines need to be recorded faithfully. Few restaurant experiences are more annoying to a wine lover than discovering that a favorite bottle on the list is no longer available.
