Wine on Tap - Everyday Wine

Wine is filled into either reusable stainless-steel kegs or single-use kegs, such as the key-keg system. The kegs are then connected to a refrigerated wine dispensing system, which allows the wine to be served on demand through a tap, just like beer. Wines are dispensed under pressure using an inert gas (usually nitrogen) which also protects the wine from oxidation. Wine in kegs minimises waste, both in wine and packaging, and ensures a wine served by the glass is not oxidised, which is a big advantage, especially for on-premise retailers. There also are significant environmental benefits of reusing kegs; a lifecycle analysis (LCA) from the University of California showed a stainless-steel keg reused 100 times had a carbon footprint 95% lower than single-use glass bottles.

Dan Gillett is leading the way in New Zealand with wine on tap through his Wine Diamonds distribution business and Everyday Wine retail store. The journey into wine on tap started when Dan, then-owner of Scotch Wine Bar in Marlborough, started looking for a way to serve natural wines (with no added sulphite) by the glass, without having them oxidise or lose quality once the bottle was opened. “I thought beer in kegs doesn’t oxidise, so why not look at it from a wine perspective?” He dug a bit deeper into wine in kegs, and in 2018 started with a trial of a preservative-free Sauvignon Blanc on tap. “We did a trial run of about 100 kegs, and it went well; the wine was delicious, and it held perfectly in keg; it just worked on every level”.

One of the early challenges was the low-quality perception of wines on tap. “There was a perception that wine on tap was just cheap and crap. So, I thought, what if I actually prove to good producers that you can put a wine on tap, and it would be as delicious – if not better – than the bottled product if it was poured by the glass? I managed to get a couple of really good producers on board with the concept, and it grew from there.” While there will always be customers who love the ritual of pulling the cork on the bottle and having it on the table, “I have always fought really hard to have really good wine on tap”, he says.

Wine Diamonds now has about 40 different wines available on tap covering all styles, from sparkling to Rosé and reds, from New Zealand to Australia, France, Spain and Italy. They own and manage more than 200 taps in bars and restaurants throughout New Zealand. During the past few years, they have brought the whole system in-house and now own all their stainless-steel kegs, which they pick up and deliver, wash and refill at various wineries around the country. Logistically, Dan says this is easier to manage than bottled wine. “When you move one keg, it is the same as 27 bottles of wine. Kegs can ship around the country without freight issues – couriers can’t drop a keg and smash it to bits which is quite handy too.”

Another big plus for wine on tap is the environmental benefits and zero waste. Dan says this has been a huge driver for the Everyday Wine retail store. They provide wine in reusable swing-top bottles, and customers come in and refill their wine from the rotating selection of wines available on tap. They have a core customer base of “people who are environmentally conscious and really want to reduce their waste and not make such a dent in the environment”, he says. “One keg is equivalent to three cases of wine and removes all the waste associated with that – bottles, labels, caps, cartons and dividers.”