Across the network, red wine rose 17% from August to September while rosé fell 26%, dropping at three in four restaurants that pour it. Bottles grew 17% while glasses were flat. Bordeaux (+26%), Burgundy (+23%) and Piemonte (+18%) led. September’s guest wants to share a bottle of something serious. Make sure your list is ready for them.
- Red wine revenue: +17%
- Rosé revenue: −26%, down at three in four restaurants that pour it
- Wine sold by the bottle: +17%
- Wine sold by the glass: −1%
Labor Day is the real end of summer on a wine list. Business dinners return, birthday and anniversary tables come back, and guests who drank by the glass on the patio sit down and share a bottle. They reach for regions with prestige and food in mind: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Brunello. Rosé and spritzes are weather drinks; they leave with the heat.
- Lead your bottle list with Old World reds, and make sure Bordeaux and Burgundy have real mid-range options ($90–175).
- Retire extra rosé and spritz slots now rather than in November.
- Feature a Scotch or bourbon flight. Guests are already moving there.