A packaging and serving system designed to store wine in the best possible conditions, taps offer a practical solution for restaurateurs and all types of services. The new-generation kegs are light and airtight and are usually made from recyclable plastic and fitted with an inner pouch that protects wine from oxidation and preserves freshness. They offer the promise of more convenient and environmentally-friendly usage.<\/p>\n
The facts seem to support initiatives by WineTech entrepreneurs, particularly the Dutch giant OneCircle, which produces the KeyKeg, whose name has now slipped into everyday language. The technology enables professionals to serve wines by the glass over a long period of time, without compromising on quality. One of the many examples of potential usages is festivals, where draught facilities remove the need for opening hundreds of bottles and allow wine to be served at the right temperature, whatever the weather. In terms of transport, kegs are as robust as they are easy to move around, significantly simplifying the distribution and storage of wine. And lastly, by using recyclable materials, they offer an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional bottles, thereby responding to increased concerns about the sustainability of the industry.<\/p>\n
Glass bottles were designed to provide a hygienic and sustainable container with the ability to store wine over many years. However, over time, customs have changed. Over 80% of wines are now drunk just after being released for sale, a fact which no longer justifies the huge energy input required to produce and transport conventional bottles (see box) and paves the way for new drinking habits.<\/p>\n
The increased popularity of wine on tap facilitates the development of usages that capture the zeitgeist. In relaxed eateries like entry-level restaurants and major brasseries, work canteens or catering channels, tap facilities offer a more seamless service by simplifying handling for the staff. Also, because different types of vessels can be filled and carry the logo of an establishment or a brand, taps usher in a new approach to wine. \u201cHonestly, I think they\u2019re great. Taps make wines more festive again and allow bars to work with special labels\u201d, is the enthusiastic response by chef Florent Ciccoli, the founder of Caf\u00e9 du Coin, among other establishments. \u201cI dream of a bar with a red wine, a white wine and a vermouth on tap!\u201d<\/p>\n
With the labels and the bottles out of the way, tasting wine by the glass or the pitcher encourages patrons to explore a broader range of wines and to heed the restaurateur\u2019s advice. Restaurateurs can in turn reinstate an array of user-friendly, affordable offerings that mirror the house wines of the past. \u201cIt\u2019s really nice. There\u2019s kind of a retro feel to it, which makes a change from the pretentious, fashion-conscious approach by the on-trend bars where every bottle costs a fortune\u201d, explains David, a patron at the Liquiderie, in Paris\u2019 Rue de la Pr\u00e9sentation. The icing on the cake is the lower prices all round, which is an extremely persuasive argument in an inflation-stricken economy.<\/p>\n
Despite this, some or even most wine enthusiasts still attach significant importance to opening a bottle with a cork in it. They may well view wine on tap as a departure from tradition, or even a useless invention that undermines the ritual provided by the bottle. More generally speaking, some people take a negative view of the plastic outer shell, and the insistence by some over-enthusiastic entrepreneurs on communicating about this recent invention. Margaux, who we met at Parisian wine merchant Au Verre Vol\u00e9, is critical of the \u201calmost stressful desire to always optimise everything in every aspect\u201d. Working in the restaurant industry herself, she adds: \u201cPersonally, I value the romantic aspect of bottles, their weight, their labels, and I\u2019m almost tempted to say, traditions\u201d.<\/p>\n
Added to this is the reliance on technology \u2013 if establishments encounter any technical breakdowns, they cannot serve wine. There is also the challenge of recycling the taps. These are certainly sizeable concerns, but they can be overcome, particularly given the challenges facing the wine industry such as spiralling prices of dry goods and transport costs, lower yields due to climate change and international competition in the wine market. Either way, there is a need for the industry to reinvent itself. Interestingly, with the market booming, initiatives to provide an alternative to OneCircle\u2019s KeyKegs are burgeoning. Two noteworthy examples are French firms Ecofass and Flexikeg which constantly focus on making their devices more efficient.<\/p>\n
Wine on tap may therefore provide a welcome development for the wine industry. Admittedly there are still challenges to overcome, but the storage advantages, their profitability and experience for consumers make them an attractive alternative for trade members keen to stay ahead of the curve in terms of consumer trends, and for winegrowers aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and overheads.<\/p>\n
It may seem counter-intuitive but there is no denying that glass bottles make no environmental sense. According to Finnish research, it is the container that generates the most pollution, way ahead of the PET tap system \u2013 despite the fact that this type of plastic is petroleum-based. It is estimated that 40% of a winery\u2019s carbon footprint comes from glass bottles, with 609 kilos of CO2 per bottle. Glass bottles are particularly heavy \u2013 their individual weight is estimated to range from 1.2 to 1.4 kg for still wine \u2013 and they also require a lot of energy to produce. Also, the shortage of paper leads to significant lead times for labels and boxes, which penalises winegrowers financially even more.<\/p>\n
By\u00a0Victor Coutard<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A packaging and serving system designed to store wine in the best possible conditions, taps offer a practical solution for restaurateurs and all types of services. The new-generation kegs are light and airtight and are usually made (\u2026)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":40816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","format-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n