It’s time to ditch the bottle and add a wine keg (or two) to your cellar selection. Buying wine by the keg has many benefits, including being more cost effective, lasting longer than an open bottle, and reducing waste (do your part to reduce your carbon footprint!). I should know, this summer, we have tapped two different kegs: a rosé and a pinot gris, and it’s been marvelous.
Enjoying wine all summer long
Every Saturday during the summer, my immediate family gathers at my parent’s house for dinner. We spread out on the lawn (in a COVID friendly manner) and enjoy good company and good food together. There is usually a broad selection of wine with a majority paired with the meal of choice for that evening. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with this approach, we decided to switch it up this year and try a few kegs of wine. Fortunately, we have also done a few forays in beer making, so there was already a kegerator, beer taps and lines, we just needed the argon to keep the wine fresh and the wine itself.
Now, we do have a leg up, since one of my brothers works for a wine distributor and knew where we could order the wine. However, there are many websites and even local wineries that can help you fulfill your order.
Two types of wine, two kegs
This summer, we’ve been enjoying glasses of cool rosé and pinot gris on demand, and I can tell you it’s been marvelous. Here’s a run-down of our two wine kegs:
Triennes Cotes de Provance Rosé
- This wine is a light pink/orange color, with a floral and dried herb nose. There are also hints of raspberries and light herbs. It is refreshing on a hot day, with a light palette of berries and Rainier cherries.
Canned Oregon/Solar Family Winery Pinot Gris
- This non-vintage wine is sunshine yellow, with hints of citrus (particularly lemon) on the nose. The palette is lightly sweet, with hints of honey.
Ready to try your own wine keg?
Hopefully this short post sold you on the idea of adding a keg (or two) to your own wine cellar. This is an especially good idea if you are looking to host a party or a series of small dinner parties (like our summer festivities). The large quantities of wine definitely give you economies of scale and a properly tapped keg will last at least 4 weeks.
If you still aren’t sure, or are worried about the quality of the wine, take a visit it your local wine bar. There’s a good change they will have a at least one wine on tap you can try.
Cheers!
The Splendid Grape 