Restaurants and bars are adding a sneaky 'pronunciation tax' to wine lists, according to experts. If you can say the name of a wine without stuttering, don't order it. While everyone can pronounce Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Chablis, Côtes du Rhône, and Malbec, these easy-to-say wines come with an added cost. Even ordering 'the second wine down, please' incurs an 'idiot tax' that 80% of diners unknowingly pay.
The Insider Hack: Order the Unpronounceable
To drink like an insider, the experts say there's one hack that works every time: order the wine you can't pronounce. This trick ensures you're sipping the highest quality wine for the least amount of money. Many sommeliers and restaurant owners have personal favorites hidden in the wine list—bottles made from grapes with tricky names like Agiorgitiko, Nerello Mascalese, or Xinomavro. These are the wines the staff would actually drink themselves.
Why Unpronounceable Wines Offer Better Value
The margins on unpronounceable wines are significantly lower, providing incredible value. Restaurants aggressively mark them down to keep stock moving. These passion project wines come from unusual grapes that sommeliers love but are a harder sell. Maxim Kassir, Head of Wine at The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London, confirms that less familiar wines are the better value choice. 'Naturally, the demand for famous names is higher. Most guests prefer to stay on the beaten path. And as demand increases, so does the price – simple economics,' he says. 'Wines off the beaten path can offer great value for money. They are often the underdogs, but that’s exactly where the opportunity is.'
Wines to Avoid
The wines that keep restaurants profitable are popular choices like Sauvignon Blanc, Prosecco, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio. For example, at the Ivy Brasserie, a bottle of Touriga Nacional from Portugal costs £47.85, while Argentinian Malbec starts at £57, even though both retail for similar prices in stores. Popular wines work on a standard gross profit margin of 75% to 85% in swanky London restaurants. A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that costs the restaurant £8 can be listed for £55. In contrast, to encourage tasting of lesser-known wines like Mencia from Spain or Austrian Zweigelt, restaurants drop margins to 50-60%, meaning you might pay £30 for a bottle that costs £15—doubling the quality for half the price.
The 'Second Cheapest' Trap
The second cheapest wine on the list is often the most profitable for the restaurant, targeting those who don't want to appear tightfisted by ordering the house wine. Avoid this trap.
How to Choose the Best Unpronounceable Wine
If you can't afford the first unpronounceable wine you see, go for another one that's cheaper. There's always one. Alternatively, call over the sommelier or waiter, point to your price range, and say: 'Do you have anything really unusual for that price? I like a Pinot Noir in style.' If you have to point at the wine list because you're afraid of mangling the name, you've made the right choice.
Unique Wines to Look For
- Assyrtiko (ass-ear-tea-koh): If you like Chablis but not the strain on your wallet, this uber-dry, clean, and zesty white from Greece has a touch of salinity from volcanic soil.
- Grüner Veltliner (groo-na-velt-leena): Austria's flagship white, often called Gru-Vee, offers a similar profile to Sauvignon Blanc but with a white pepper finish.
- Godello (go-day-yo): Albariño's lesser-known neighbor from northern Spain, zesty in youth and richer with age, at a fraction of the price.
- Xinomavro (Zeen-oh-mav-roh): Greece's signature red grape, similar to Barolo but more affordable, with flavors of sour and black fruit.
- Touriga Nacional (tour-eeger-nass-eeon-al): Portugal's flagship red, the backbone of Port, with Cabernet-like notes and a bergamot character.
- Frappato (Fra-pat-oh): A soft, fruity red from Sicily, similar to Beaujolais, chillable and low in tannins.
Maxim Kassir also recommends looking for Slovenian Rebula (complex, savoury, mineral-driven), Feteasca Alba from Moldova (light and fresh with ripe stone fruit), and Saperavi from Georgia (structured, full-bodied with black fruit).
This article was first published on April 25, 2026.
