Wine From a Bottle is So Last Year

By Marla Milling April 8, 2013

wine from a bottle is so last year tap at sante bar asheville nc

When you think of buying an alcoholic beverage on tap, most likely your mind goes to craft beer. But it’s becoming quite the thing for bars and restaurants to add kegs of wine to their offerings and fill customer’s wine glasses from a tap. This results in a lower price because of the lack of bottling (Can we get an Amen?). It’s great for the environment because there’s no packaging waste (glass, corks, labels, cardboard and foil), plus the kegs are reusable. Below you will find three such establishments where wine on tap is all the rage.

Sante Wine Bar, Asheville, North Carolina

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Located in the historic Grove Arcade in the downtown area, Sante Wine Bar became the first in the state in 2012 to offer wine on tap. The current selection of 12 different varieties poured from kegs includes the following—Estate Acrobat Pinot Gris ’10 – Oregon; Gotham Project ‘Anassa’ Moscofilero – Greece; Tangent Albarino ’11 – Spain; Charles & Charlest Rose ’11 – Columbia Valley, WA to name a few.

The Chop Bar, Oakland, California

This restaurant has a variety of wines stored in stainless steel kegs that they serve by glass or carafe to their customers. The wines complement their diverse menu, which includes charcuterie, artisan cheeses, and such entrees as pork confit, oxtail poutine and rainbow trout.

Vera Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois

Recently named by Chicago Magazine as one of the city’s top wine bars, Vera has some varieties on tap to complement the Spanish tapas plates. Operated by Elizabeth and Mark Mendez, the wine selection features seasonally rotating choices from Spain, Europe and the Americas.

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