Last week, I dropped into Edible Canada at the Market for an excellent roast pork sandwich, with a glass of Nichol Vineyard Gewurztraminer. It was a slam dunk match. Nothing unusual about that, except this particular glass was poured not from a bottle but tapped from a keg tucked under the counter. And it tasted exactly the way it did when the winemaker last set eyes on it.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»has long been on the cutting edge when it comes to offering wines by the glass. Few cities boast the selection available here, which has turned us into a choosy bunch. Put it down to tougher drinking and driving laws or maybe our über discerning palates, but most of us are more likely to order a glass of wine to go with a specific dish rather a bottle for the entire meal.
However, sometimes ordering by the glass can be a crapshoot. After all, who knows how long that bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has been left open? One night? Two? The fact is you don't know, and in some cases your server doesn't either.
If Mike Macquisten and Steve Thorp get their way, we'll be drinking more wine from kegs in the near future. The young entrepreneurs figured if beer could be sold on tap, why not wine? The two went looking for clues in Europe where wine's been sold on tap for years, and south of the border where it's beginning to catch on in cities such as San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas and New York. The result is Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Urban Winery. Located on the edge of Gastown, the company manufactures, packages, imports and distributes wine for multiple brands, via its FreshTap stainless steel keg system.
Right now you can get FreshTap wine in a few local spots-Edible at the Market also has Nichol 9 Mile Red. Waiting in the wings is Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, which will soon have Blasted Church Hatfield's Fuse, and Mill Marine Bistro, which will have a full complement of wine taps within a month.
Aside from keeping the wine fresher than in the bottle, there are other advantages to serving wine on tap, ranging from lower costs to less freight, breakage and spoilage. What will be interesting to see is who passes the savings onto the customer and who doesn't.
In the meantime, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Urban Winery also has its own brand of imported regional wines named Nice Catch. First out of the gate is a Kiwi Sauv Blanc, with a Mendoza Malbec (Argentina) expected soon. Macquisten and Thorp are also planning a retail store soon-and the character building where Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Urban Winery is located (55 Dunlevy Ave.) is already in demand as a function room.
While FreshTap's a nobrainer for casual fine dining chains, for whom high volume, keg budget wines are an obvious choice, the business partners are also setting their sights higher and are in negotiation with at least one premium producer.
However, with our thirst for affordable wines, there's no question that most of the keg product will be at the lower end. The likely arrival of well-made, economical bulk regional wines also has broad implications for highly contentious Cellared in Canada products, which may get some much-needed competition.
So the next time you're dining out, if someone asks if you'd like a glass of keg wine, don't be a snob, give it a try. You might be surprised-and you'll be drinking a far more sustainable product than its bottled cousin.
Belly's Budget Best
. Anna de Codorniu
You won't find this on tap because it's a sparkling Chardonnay and keg wines are all still. But this toasty, off-dry, floral and appletoned Cava offers good value for its BCLS $15.99 price.
