As a bit of a wine lover myself, I’ll admit that anytime I hear something is ‘on tap’, I only think of beer. Just like you’d see at any pub across the world with ‘GUINNESS’ or ‘HEINEKEN’ on tabs facing you, inviting you to choose them — God I miss pints. However, one Irish company is flipping things around. Winelab is a company set up in 2013 by Ronan Farrell and Richie Byrne. Both have considerable experience and knowledge of the food and drink industry; Farrell is a graduate of the UC Davis Winemaking Certificate Programme with many years of experience in the wine industry, and Byrne is a draught technical services manager. They both came together to develop a way to provide a sustainable and eco-friendly method of distributing wine to customers. The whole operation works thanks to the KeyKeg system. Without getting too much into the technical aspect of how it works, there is compressed air that pushes the plastic keg and allows liquid to go up to the tap which is then released. This system means that no oxygen ever needs to come into contact with the wine, preventing wine oxidation which makes wine go off quicker. It’s a brilliant invention which has been extensively used in London, New York and all those other places where food and drink trends seem to originate. One thing that needs to be noted is that the quality of wines that work with Winelab are not low. Wine on tap is something that might rub some old-schoolers or wine snobs the wrong way, but it’s proving to be a popular change that will only grow. High quality producers from America, Australia and New Zealand are quite accustomed with these practices. Winelab would send kegs to these producers where they are filled and sent to the restaurants. A notable producer is Matthiasson Wines based in Napa, California, proving that not all excellent wines need to be popped tableside.
As a result of the ever developing gastronomic scene in Ireland, people are also becoming more aware of the environmental impact that occurs as a consequence of wine-related waste. This ethos is being adopted by restaurants all over the country, with multiple examples seen in Dublin. Institutions like Sprezzatura, Amy Austin and Etto are notable proprietors of Winelab’s services. The whole operation allows restaurants to cut out any unnecessary bottle waste. In many of these places, a glass of wine is par for the course for a casual lunch or dinner, so even with regards to overheads, it saves a bunch on trips to the bottle banks or having to pay a company disposal fees. It also fits with the more modern day approach to waste management and environmentalism, an issue this generation should be concerned with combatting. It may seem like a small change for now, but as more places begin to adopt these types of services, the results will be clear. Winelab currently supply over 400 outlets with over 40 wines available on tap.
However, restaurants have been closed for the best part of the year. How are these businesses not tanking? As many businesses have done this year, Winelab adapted. They now provide not only bottles and mixed cases of wine for any kind of situation, but also gin, canned drinks, grappa, chocolate and charcuterie. If this isn’t an example of a business pivoting, then I don’t know what is. It’s a testament to their resilience that they have garnered such popularity and maintained their presence in the food and wine scene despite the triple-threat lockdowns. The longer that restaurants and pubs remain closed, the more popular food and wine boxes will become. Factoring in the free nationwide and contactless delivery also helps customers feel a sense of safety and security in these uncertain times, because who doesn’t want to safely vibe out to some curated wine and cheese at home?
In the times that we live in, Winelab have created a niche for themselves as they aim to provide accessible and eco-friendly ways to make wine and food more interesting as well as less intimidating.
To find out more about Winelab, go to www.winelab.ie
