Carta dei vini: cos’è, come crearla, consigli ed esempi

The wine list is defined as the printed or digital menu of bottles available in a restaurant, bar or wine shop. It should reflect the establishment's identity while remaining attractive, legible and easy to navigate. Selection should account for the clientele, style of the venue and food programme.

Structure and information

A logical tasting sequence begins with sparkling and white wines, moves through rosé and red, and ends with sweet or dessert wines. Further divisions may be based on provenance, region or country. Essential information includes the producer, wine name, designation, vintage, vineyard, bottling information, alcohol level, traceability and price.

Typography should be simple and readable, with consistent spacing and a restrained layout. The producer may be set in bold and the wine in italics; vintage and grape composition should be clearly identified.

Selection and service

The range should be neither so large that it complicates stock management nor so narrow that it fails to meet guests' needs. Every listed wine should remain available. Local wines and quality-focused smaller estates are encouraged, and the selection should correspond to the food and season: lighter wines for warm weather and fuller wines for autumn and winter.

Staff require a working knowledge of wine, food pairing, opening and service. Common mistakes include an imbalanced number of bottles, excessive written explanation and inadequate employee training. The article illustrates selection with Cerasuolo, Merlot rosé, Pecorino, Montepulciano and Cococciola from Tenuta Ulisse, then relates the winery's range to its family identity, Abruzzo varieties, sustainability and vineyard-specific approach.