When it comes to running a profitable hospitality business, every drop counts—literally. Wine wastage is one of the most overlooked drains on profit in bars, restaurants, and cellar doors. But once you know how to track it, and what to do about it, you can turn lost revenue into serious gains.
What Is Wine Wastage?
Wine wastage refers to any wine that’s bought, but not sold. It might be a few leftover glasses from a bottle that oxidised before it was finished, staff over-pouring, spoilage due to poor storage, or even wine poured for tastings that weren’t accounted for properly.
While it may seem negligible day-to-day, over the course of a year, wine wastage can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in lost profit—especially if you're running a by-the-glass program.
Why You Should Track Wine Wastage
Most businesses don't actually track their wastage, assuming it's just part of running a business. We'd love to help you change that – 10% is a conservative wastage figure, and we'll show you below how that can mean tens of thousands of dollars each year literally down the drain.
Tracking your wine wastage gives you visibility over exactly where you might be leaking revenue. It also empowers your team to become more accountable, helps you price your wine list more effectively, and gives you the numbers you need to make smarter decisions about your wine service.
What to Do: Track Wastage for One Month
We recommend you start by tracking wine wastage across a full month. Here’s how:
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Measure everything – Keep a record of how many bottles were opened and how many glasses were sold. Any discrepancy = wastage.
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Account for tastings or comps – If staff are pouring for guests as part of the experience, make sure it’s documented and intentional.
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Note down any spoilage – Bottles left open too long or improperly stored should be recorded. (Remember if the bottle is fairly new and is already corked/off, you are likely able to return this to your distributor for a replacement or refund – just keep the bottle, and let them know as soon as possible.)
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Track overpours – A standard glass is 150ml. Anything more = lost profit.
At the end of the month, calculate your total wine wastage in millilitres or bottles, and multiply that by your average glass price. This gives you a dollar figure for wastage.
You might be surprised – most venues lose $500 to $1,000+ per month in wine wastage. Let’s break it down with this example:
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8 wines available by the glass
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Each bottle yields ~5 standard pours
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You go through 80 bottles/week (10 per wine)
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That’s 400 glasses per week
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Average glass price: $15
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A conservative 10% wastage (from spoilage, overpouring, or staff error) = 40 glasses/week lost
That’s $600/week in lost revenue—or over $2,400/month if it’s consistent.
That's $28,800 each year in wine wastage.
And that’s money that could be going straight to your bottom line.
How Enomatic Eliminates Wine Wastage
This is where technology can pay for itself. enomatic wine serving systems are purpose-built to eliminate common causes of wine wastage:
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Precise portion control ensures every pour is exact—no more over-pours.
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Inert gas preservation keeps wine fresh for up to 30 days, so you can sell the full bottle, not just the first few glasses.
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Temperature control prevents spoilage from poor storage.
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Inventory tracking allows you to keep an eye on exactly what’s being poured and when.
By switching to an enomatic system, many venues recover those tens of thousands in lost profit annually—and the system pays itself off faster than you'd think.
Want to See How Much You Could Save?
We’ve created a free pricing strategy spreadsheet to help you:
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Track your average wastage
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Calculate weekly gross profit
