It’s Saturday night in Terrazza Lounge at Hotel Casa del Mar and your evening is unfolding just as planned—delicious drinks, spirited conversation, and lively music for the ultimate night out by the beach.
Out of the blue, however, something unfamiliar catches your eye from behind the bar. A bartender takes an order off the draft list, picks out a glass, and pulls on the tap to pour what you expect to be another pint of liquid gold. But instead of foamy beer, out comes a dark red liquid that looks a whole lot like your favorite Pinot Noir.
Wine on tap? Is this some sort of mistake?
Not so fast, fellow wine enthusiast. What you’ve just seen is no mistake, but rather a growing trend at bars across the country. Here at Casa del Mar, we’re proud to serve two distinct varieties of kegged wine: a 2013 Miner Chardonnay from Napa Valley and a 2013 Stemmari Pinot Grigio from Sicily.
Fascinating, you say, but why stray from the age-old tradition of bottles and corks?
Think of it more as an innovative alternative. Nothing replaces the timeless science and elegance of a traditional bottle, but kegs can also maintain exceptional flavor—not to be confused with box wine—while adding some distinct benefits.
Chief amongst these benefits is the positive environmental impact. One keg can hold 26 bottles so we’re spared from recycling all that glass. Moreover, it also saves the winery the costs of corking and labeling each individual bottle. This, in turn, gives us the freedom to serve high quality wine at a notably lower price.
What’s more, kegs also affect the longevity and flavor of the wine. Kegged wine never touches air or gas until it is about to be served and is less vulnerable to temperature changes—allowing us to store it longer and avoid wasting bottles that have been sitting around for too long.
Put it all together and you’re left with an exciting new concept: wine that’s fresh, flavorful, with no waste, and for a better price. Why not give it a try?
