A look at Santiago’s wine by the glass scene—its quirks, challenges, and why restaurants must step up their game for a better pour.

Disclaimer: Maybe this is just a “me” problem. I want to share a frustration I often experience in Chilean restaurants when ordering wine by the glass. If you’re nodding along, great, I’m not alone. If not, hopefully, this gives you a glimpse into the challenges of wine sales in restaurants in Chile, from a customer’s perspective.

First, let’s set the record straight: not every restaurant is guilty. Some establishments have superb wine programs and well-trained staff. Also, this is about Santiago; experiences may be different elsewhere. With that, here’s my rant.

The Usual Situation

Picture this: You’re at a restaurant and just want a glass of wine to enjoy with your meal. Not a whole botte—that’s too much. Maybe you’re dining solo, or maybe you’re a wine dot in a sea of beer. So, you ask about their by-the-glass options.

“For reds, we’ve got Cabernet and Carménère. For whites, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.”

I didn’t leave out any product names to keep this brand neutral, or because I’m waiting for a sponsorship—servers usually just don’t say them. Nor do they mention the wine’s region, and don’t even think about the vintage!

Yes, of course, you could ask. But why isn’t that the standard? This is Chile, a wine producing country! In some cases, they’ll present the bottle tableside, but often your glass comes pre-poured from the bar.

Recently in a local restaurant I overheard a gentleman at a neighboring table congratulating the server for presenting the bottle of the wine by the glass he had ordered. It’s so uncommon, that when done properly, it merits mentioning.

Weird Communication Breakdown. What Gives?

Part of the issue might be the high turnover rate in Chilean restaurants[i], making it tough to keep staff trained up on every item, much less the wines. Servers usually get an intro to the food menu and the basics of service, maybe even a quick overview of the wine list. But by-the-glass wines? Not always a priority. And the selection itself can be another puzzle piece—restaurants sometimes choose distributor deals because they offer bulk discounts on certain labels. Solid wines? Usually. But maybe not what the restaurant ideally wants on their list.

Couldn’t Restaurants Just Use Their Bottle List for Glass Pours?

In a perfect world, yes. But open bottles risk going bad quickly, and no one likes waste. Sure, the kitchen can use leftover wine, but only if there’s a need—otherwise, down the drain it goes. This makes it easier to lean on cheaper options for by-the-glass pours.

But this is a mistake. The wine by the glass offered by the restaurant is their house wine. What image do they want to give with it? An anonymous wine of questionable quality which might change depending on whatever deal the distributor is running that month? The house wine is an introduction to the restaurant. A preface to their wine list. It shouldn’t be an excessively expensive wine, but it should be chosen after careful consideration. And it should be good!

So, What’s the Fix?

Training—that’s the ticket—, but it takes time and money. Even so, selling by the glass is good business. Two to three glasses will usually cover the bottle’s cost, and the rest is profit. Imagine if servers, instead of offering just a varietal, could talk about a wine the way they talk about the food menu: how a Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley brings hints of peach and mineral freshness thanks to the cool coastal climate. Wine sales might just perk up if diners could feel excited about their by-the-glass options.

Also, a good wine by the glass, in my experience, will help upsell wines in a future visit. “If that’s the wine they sell by the glass, I can´t wait to see what they have by the bottle!”

What About Spoilage?

Restaurants don’t need to sell the whole bottle in a day. Several preservation methods exist that let restaurants keep wine fresh for some time, such as pumps to vacuum-seal the bottle—good for keeping wine a couple of days—or, if we want to store it longer and don’t mind spending the money, gas injectors[ii] that prevent oxygen from getting in. In those, you don’t even need to uncork the wine! This buys extra time to serve each bottle by the glass and makes it feasible to offer premium selections.

And if there’s still leftover wine?

A few creative options come to mind:

• Let the hot kitchen have fun with it, adding it to sauces and braises.
• What about the cold kitchen? Gelée and sorbet could work.
• Make a house vinegar!
• Try cocktails, like sangria.

The Last Drop

Not every restaurant is going to have a full-fledged wine-by-the-glass program, but for those that do, there’s room for improvement. Santiago is the capital of a wine-producing country. Restaurants should be upping their game here—and customers should start demanding it.

All in all, a good wine-by-the-glass experience would be a win-win: diners get more tasty options, and restaurants might find themselves pouring a few more glasses[iii]. Imagine if each pour could offer a tiny, delicious story about Chilean terroir! Santiago’s wine scene has the chance to make every glass a memorable one. Let’s make every sip count, and hey, maybe we’ll all start going for that second glass.

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Footnotes

[i] 35% in 2022.

[ii] Here I don’t mention the brand because they’re not sponsoring me. But you know who you are, Coravin. I’m talking to you. If you do want to sponsor me, call me! Hook a brother up!

[iii] Of course, more glasses = ka-ching!

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Cover Image: Wine glasses ready for service at any given restaurant. Photo by Edward Howell.