Wine lovers, rejoice: London has officially been named the city with the most restaurants featured in The Coravin Guide, the world’s first digital directory dedicated entirely to wine-by-the-glass menus.
Launching on 30th September, the guide marks a new chapter in the way people enjoy wine, reflecting a major shift away from ordering bottles and towards a more flexible, exploratory way of drinking. According to new research by Coravin – the global leader in wine-by-the-glass systems – half of wine drinkers now prefer ordering wine by the glass compared to just a couple of years ago.
A New Era of Wine Drinking
For decades, ordering wine in restaurants was synonymous with choosing a bottle – often the trusty “house white” or “house red.” But today’s drinkers are demanding more choice and less commitment. By-the-glass drinking allows people to dip into multiple styles of wine during a meal, rather than sticking with the same bottle all evening.
Many venues support this shift with a wine preserver to keep opened bottles fresh and ensure consistent quality by the glass.
The motivations behind this trend vary by generation. Younger drinkers, especially Gen Z, are the most adventurous: 43% say they prefer ordering by the glass because it allows them to try different wines, expanding their knowledge and palate. Millennials also lean into this approach, with 40% saying it lets them match different wines with each course, turning dining into a more tailored experience.
Interestingly, it’s not just the younger generations driving the trend. Baby Boomers are embracing wine-by-the-glass for lifestyle and health reasons, with 41% citing moderation as their main motivation. For them, a single glass of something exceptional beats overindulgence.
Quality Over Quantity
This shift isn’t about spending less – in fact, it’s the opposite. Coravin’s research found that consumers are increasingly willing to splash out on high-quality wines when they don’t have to commit to a bottle. Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents said they would pay over £20 for a single glass, while more than a third (35%) admit they regularly spend between £16 and £20 per pour.
For preservation technology that helps venues protect premium wines once opened, see https://bermar.co.uk/.
As for which wines are winning? Red remains the firm favourite, with 69% choosing it as their top pick by the glass. However, sparkling and rosé are carving out strong followings among younger drinkers, proving especially popular with Gen Z and Millennials.
Enter The Coravin Guide
To meet this growing appetite for discovery, Coravin has launched The Coravin Guide – the first and only global digital directory dedicated to wine-by-the-glass menus. London, unsurprisingly, leads the way, with more featured venues than any other city.
The guide is designed to make it easier than ever to find great by-the-glass lists, whether you’re after a casual glass at your local bar or an elevated dining experience paired by expert sommeliers. Each venue is recognised through a tiering system:
- One Glass: 20–40 wines by the glass
- Two Glasses: 41–60 wines by the glass
- Three Glasses: Over 60 wines by the glass
- Greg’s Hidden Gems: smaller but distinctive lists offering unique discoveries
Beyond rankings, the guide will spotlight sommeliers, showcase seasonal menus, and highlight hidden gems worth exploring. It will initially cover London, Sydney, Melbourne, Milan, The Netherlands, and California, with more destinations to follow.
Freedom to Explore
For Coravin founder Greg Lambrecht, the launch is a natural evolution of the company’s philosophy. “Wine by the glass should be about discovery, not limitation,” he explains. “Too often people feel they need an occasion to open a special bottle, or they miss out because a full bottle feels like a commitment. The Coravin Guide gives wine lovers the freedom to taste, explore and savour wine one glass at a time.”
Coravin has long been at the forefront of this movement. Since launching its pioneering wine preservation systems more than a decade ago, the brand has empowered wine professionals and enthusiasts alike to pour wine without removing the cork – meaning the rest of the bottle stays fresh for years. Today, a glass of wine is poured with Coravin every second of every day, in more than 80 countries worldwide.
London at the Forefront
That London leads the way in The Coravin Guide is no surprise. The capital has long been a hub for wine innovation, with its diverse restaurant scene, world-class sommeliers, and consumer appetite for quality making it the perfect setting for by-the-glass experimentation. From fine dining institutions to casual wine bars, Londoners now have more opportunities than ever to explore exceptional wines without the pressure of finishing a full bottle.
Many of these lists are supported behind the scenes by a wine preserver, helping ensure each pour is as fresh as the first.
For wine lovers in London – and increasingly, across the globe – the message is clear: the future of wine drinking is one glass at a time.
