Master Sommelier Carlos Santos goes behind the scenes of building a $1.5 million restaurant wine list for a new Byron Bay venue created by chef Shannon Bennett.
From $35,000 magnums to $40 best-selling wines, we break down how sommeliers curate world-class wine lists, negotiate rare allocations, and balance prestige bottles with everyday drinkers.
You’ll learn:
• How a Master Sommelier builds a wine list from scratch
• Why some wines sell more than others
• The hardest wines to source in Australia
• How trade tastings and supplier relationships work
• Why Australian wine is dominating restaurant lists
• How price psychology shapes customer orders
If you love wine, restaurants, or the behind-the-scenes world of hospitality, this episode is for you.
Wine we drank: Artomana Txakolina
‘Xarmant’ Txakoli 2024
Recorded at our new Collins Street studio by SESSION in PROGRESS.
SPONSORS
Grays.com
https://www.grays.com/search/wine
RIEDEL
https://www.riedel.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller
(Australians use code: GOTSOMME New Zealand: GOTSOMMENZ at check out for 20% off)
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 $1.5 million wine list reveal
01:30 Building a wine list from scratch
05:10 Choosing wines for Byron Bay diners
08:20 Hardest wines to source
12:00 Back vintages and vertical tastings
16:40 Why $40 wines outsell $1,000 wines
19:30 The $35,000 bottle
22:00 Trade tastings & negotiation secrets
25:00 Supporting Australian wineries
Welcome to Got Somme, the ultimate wine podcast where Master Sommeliers and wine experts share their tips, blind tasting challenges, and insider knowledge from vineyards around the world. Whether you’re a wine beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we explore everything from wine education and wine tasting techniques to sparkling wines, red vs white, and the best wines under $30.
Subscribe for weekly episodes and join us as we taste, learn, and uncover the stories behind your favourite wines. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their wine knowledge, discover new wine regions, or just enjoy a fun, educational chat about wine.
11 Comments
You guys are a real asset particularly to the Australian wine drinking community providing excellent information on the abundance of quality wines available. Keep up the great work. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
What about a wine list with a $1000 budget 😂
Great presentation guys. Congratulations all round! More specific info please on Spanish wine tasted?
bah-goin? lol sorry, I had to. 🤣
ZAMN what happend to your hand? you okay?
Looks and sounds like a faboulous Wine List 🙂 Love the emphasis on whites & verticals. Congrats Carlos!!! And congrats on the new studio Angus!! Cheers guys!
The prices are nuts imo or is that normal in Australia?
Great video fellas!
🔥🔥
Fun episode and congrats on the amazing wine list. One point to differ with you though—the couple in their 50’s being old😊—I’d bet you’d be surprised at the demographics of your listeners! Thanks for all of the great content. I always learn a lot from you. Cheers.
In our world (wineworld) chris hemsworth is unimportant, talk to me about you 2 guys, Peter K, Pat, MOW, MS….. who cares about celebrities who know little about wine.