I know enough about wine to usually find my way around a restaurant wine list. But when Meg and I were handed a list filled with unfamiliar Spanish wines, I wondered if ChatGPT could help. I took a picture of the wine list, asked it to find the best values and started asking questions. What happened changed the way I'll probably choose wine at restaurants from now on.
Fast Answer
Yes, AI can help you choose wine from a restaurant wine list. Photograph the list, ask for the best values, then add the food menu and ask which wines work best with what you're ordering. It worked surprisingly well for us, but I would use AI as another source of information, not a replacement for a good sommelier.
An Unfamiliar Wine List at Finca Spanish Restaurant
My wife, Meg, and I recently went to Finca in Salt Lake City for dinner. Finca specializes in Spanish food, so naturally the wine list leans heavily toward Spanish wines.
I know a fair amount about wine, especially French and American wines and some Italian, but I wasn’t familiar with many of the wines on this list. Normally, I’d look at what we were thinking about eating, talk it over with Meg and go from there.
But as I looked through the list, I had another thought: Could AI help me find the best value wine?
Restaurant wine prices have gotten crazy. I remember when the markups years ago seemed high, but some of today’s prices are on another level. I’ve even written about restaurant wine markups before.
So I pulled out my phone, took a picture of the wine list and sent it to ChatGPT.
Meg looked at me with a little skepticism. She’s not quite as sold on AI as I am.
I had never tried anything like this before. I just wanted to see what ChatGPT would come up with.
Can AI Find a Value Wine?
“Tell me the best value wine on this list.”
Cune Crianza 2021 — $50
ChatGPT called that markup “quite reasonable by restaurant standards.”
Really? A $15 bottle of wine for $50 is reasonable?
Apparently restaurant wine pricing has changed even more than I realized.
Then I Checked the Whites
I took another photo and asked the same question about the white wines.
Finca Reboreda “A Telleira” Godello 2024
ChatGPT described it as having lime, white peach and floral notes, with some salinity and crisp acidity, but enough body that it wouldn't be a thin white.
Now that looked like a restaurant markup I could live with.
I mostly drink Chardonnay and, as far as I know, I'd never had Godello. Meg was familiar with wines from Ribeiro, so we were both interested.
At this point, we had a wine that looked interesting, but we hadn’t decided based on the wine alone. Meg and I talked about what we actually wanted to eat.
I would not determine what I eat based on the wine, just the opposite. Once we knew what we wanted, I took a picture of the menu and added that to my conversation with ChatGPT.
“Based on what we're planning to order, which of the value wines would work best with the entire meal?”
AI's Pick: A Telleira Godello
The Godello was still the best choice. Its crisp acidity would work with the Finca salad and gambas, while it had enough body for the pinchos morunos and albondigas.
That sealed it. We ordered the A Telleira Godello.
First Sip of Godello
As far as I know, this was my first time drinking Godello. I mostly drink Chardonnay, so the first sip told me right away it was different.
It was lighter than Chardonnay, with a deliciously crisp feel, light fruitiness and great acidity.
Different was good.
More importantly, it worked with everything we ordered. Nothing felt out of place with the salad, gambas, pinchos or albondigas. I wouldn’t say one pairing stood out above the others. The wine just carried comfortably through the meal.
By the end of dinner, I was glad we had tried something new. I also made a mental note to look for Godello, and this bottle in particular, the next time I’m at the wine shop.
What Surprised Me About Using AI
What surprised me most wasn’t that ChatGPT could recommend a wine. It was how much information it could give me about wines I knew very little about.
And I could take my time with it.
When you’re talking with a sommelier at the table, they may give you several recommendations and explain each one. That’s helpful, but I don’t always remember everything they just told me. There’s also a little pressure to make a decision while they’re standing there waiting.
With ChatGPT, there was none of that. I could read the recommendations, show them to Meg, go back and reread something and ask another question.
We could actually talk about the choices before deciding.
How I'll Use AI to Pick Wine Next Time
After trying this once, I'd change the order a little the next time I'm looking at an unfamiliar wine list.
- Photograph the wine list. I'll start by giving ChatGPT the entire list rather than trying to type in individual wines.
- Ask for the best values. If we already know we want red or white, I'll narrow the question to that.
- Check the restaurant markup. If ChatGPT doesn't include typical retail prices, I'll ask. I will always want to know the value wines on the list because it's a great learning experience.
- Decide what we want to eat. I would not determine what I eat based on the wine, just the opposite.
- Add a photo of the menu. Once we know what we're ordering, I'll ask which of the value wines works best across those dishes.
AI or a Sommelier?
I don’t think ChatGPT replaces a good sommelier. If a restaurant has one, I’ll still ask for their recommendations. They know the restaurant’s wine cellar; they’ve tasted the wines, and they know the food coming out of the kitchen. But I might use ChatGPT a little differently now.| Sommelier | AI |
|---|---|
| Has actually tasted the wine | Can research many wines quickly |
| Knows the restaurant’s cellar | Can compare restaurant and retail prices |
| Knows the chef’s food | Can analyze a photographed menu |
| Knows which bottles are drinking well now | Lets me reread everything and ask follow-up questions |
| Gives me firsthand experience | Gives Meg and me time to discuss the choices |
Don't Hand Your Wine Decision Completely Over to AI
ChatGPT was incredibly helpful, but I wouldn't assume everything it tells me is correct. It can misread a wine list, confuse vintages, find outdated retail prices or simply make a recommendation I don't agree with.
I look at it as another source of information, not the final word. A good sommelier has actually tasted the wines and knows what's in the cellar. And ultimately, Meg and I are the ones drinking the wine.