12. More Wine on Tap
More restaurants and wineries are now offering wines on tap, as it’s an innovative and effective way to pour wine. Rather than going through the traditional process of popping open a stubborn cork, pouring from tap helps to keep things moving, plus the ability to keep the wine in kegs increases preservation time.
With the efficiency that it provides, several restaurants have turned to the popular trend. City Winery’s tasting room in Napa, CA, offers more than 30 wines on tap, including Mondavi, Barrett, Hobbs and Finkelstein.
The new Beer Park by Budweiser at the Paris Las Vegas, the city’s first rooftop bar and grill which was scheduled to open in January, will offer wines on tap in addition to its vast beer selection and cocktails.
13. White Wine Rises
White wine—particularly the moderately oaked variety— will continue to increase in popularity. Even traditional red wine drinkers are now exploring more white wines.
Sauvignon blanc and pinot gris are showing double-digit growth and chardonnay, America’s top-selling varietal, continues to rise.
French chenin blanc is gaining popularity and the dry and off-dry rieslings from Germany and Austria are continually the most prized.
Winemakers are using more oak and less interventionist methods such as native yeast in their wines. Kendall-Jackson Avant, Wente Vineyards, Morning Fog chardonnay and new entrant Tom Gore are just a few examples.
Andrew Freeman is president Andrew Freeman & Co., a boutique hospitality- and restaurant-consulting firm based in San Francisco. For the company’s full 2016 trend report, visit www.afandco.com.