Cheers

Pour currently offers six California wines that can be connected to an existing tap system. And California-based Vintap Wine Company offers 16 wines on tap, in both 20-liter, stainless-steel kegs, as well as recyclable bins made of food-grade PET recyclable plastic. Founder/president Michael Ouellette says the chance of getting a corked bottle is eliminated with kegged wines. That's a big consideration, he says, since trichloranisole (TCA) affects upwards of 5% of all bottles closed with natural corks. SELLING THE CONCEPT Of course, fancy technology and environmental benefits aside, the proof with tap wine is in the glass. And even before serving guests, venues are often faced with their preconceived notions about kegged wine's taste and quality. Paul Tanguay, partner in consultancy Tippling Brothers and beverage director for Tavernita restaurant in Chicago, compares guests' perceptions of wines on tap to those of another recent wine innovation. "We face some of the same misconceptions we did in the early 1990s with screw cap closures: poor quality." But Tanguay says that while some are still finding the concept off-putting, in general Tavernita's wine-on-tap program has been well received. Tavernita, a 122-seat small-plates concept, serves 18 wines on tap, available in half glass, glass and "bottle." Still, customers often seem to misunderstand what wine on tap is, "and generally picture in their minds that we're pouring them box wines," says Noel Burkeen, president of Another Round Wine Bar in Katy, TX. He's tried positioning them using several terms, and has discovered that calling them "draft wines" works best. The 80-seat wine bar has the capacity for 12 wines on tap, but it's currently serving fewer due to market availability. Guests can sip wines such as Charles & Charles riesling or cabernet sauvignon (from Gotham Project) for $8 a glass, or Coppola Director's Cut chardonnay or pinot noir for $12 a glass. To allow tap wine to stand on its own, Schneider recommends integrating kegged wine with the other by-the-glass options on the menu, rather than on its own section. "I am definitely not saying to hide the fact that it is coming from a draft system, but calling too much attention to it can backfire, causing the consumer to have doubts." How does an operator assuage those doubts? "We encourage establishments to offer their customers a small tasting before they commit to a glass," recommends Tim Ebner, vice president of marketing and business development for kegged wine storage and delivery systems provider Perlick. "Owners can easily do this because they don't have to open a bottle." Donnelly concurs, noting that rather than allowing a wine's rating or taste profile to be the deciding factor for ordering, "we always offer small tastes, which leads to great conversation between staff and guests." average restaurant loses 5% to 10% of its by-the-glass sales by wine spoiling in an opened bottle. "If bartenders at each bar are opening bottles to pour a glass here and a glass there, there's a good chance that those bottles aren't going to be fully used, and the wines are going to get [re] corked," says Patrick Lyons. The partner for the 400-seat Boston neighborhood restaurant Towne Stove and Spirits serves Richer Pour's cabernet sauvignon for $8 a glass. Keg-dispensing system manufacturers say that since their products are not exposed to air, they retain freshness for up to 12 months if not tapped, and up to 90 days once tapped. Some believe that kegged wines are part of a paradigm shift that is here to stay. "Because consumers are more increasingly eco-conscious and new generations of wine drinkers are more adventurous, wine on tap is gaining in popularity," says Richer Pour's Gordon. Lyons of Towne Stove & Spirirs thinks the decision for an operator to serve tap wines is quite a simple one. "The wines are consistently high quality and the price is fair—it's a no brainer." GREAT TASTE, LESS WASTE Eliminating the need to open bottles for by-the-glass pours keeps wine fresh and reduces waste. Gordon points out that the Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer and wine educator in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www. kellymagyarics.com, and on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics. www.cheersonline.com Richer Pour offers six California wines packaged in 5.28-gallon vessels—made from 100% recyclable materials—that can be connected to an existing tap system. OCTOBER 2013 | 21

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