VinoVenue: Wine Bar For The Next Generation?
Mary Lynn Slattery was in the right place at the right time. Halfway around the world, a revolutionary new way to taste wine was being developed: the automated self-serve tasting room. Mary Lynn saw it’s potential for the thirsty U.S. market and VinoVenue was born in San Francisco, CA. Now after nearly 2 years, the thriving business has a list of 500 people interested in franchising, and the store is doing great. As of late, the tasting room has received quite a few imitators, but experience and initiative has kept them on top.
On a recent trip to the city, I had the opportunity to cash in on an anniversary gift and experience VinoVenue with a $40 gift card. (The money went quick, but I think it was spending someone else’s money syndrome.). Here’s how it works:
- At the front desk, exchange funds for a encoded card
- Insert the card in a number of kiosks
- The price of each wine it easily read above each bottle.
- Place your glass beneath the metal spout, push the button, and get your 1 oz. squirt
- Your card automatically reflects the difference and displays the remaining balance.
- Repeat
The wines are diverse, and change regularly. One of my favorites was the 2003 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon, and at 12.50 per 1 oz. pour, it was one of the more expensive wines, but where else would you be able to try such a hard to find bottle like this? Most of the wines tasted are available for purchase, unfortunately, the hourglass was not.
You can purchase the minimum $10 card and actually get a lot out of it, as there are a bunch of wines around $1 a taste. If there’s a wine that’s more expensive than the amount left on your card, the system simply gives you the corresponding lessor amount of wine.
The wine bar is conveniently located on 3rd and Mission near the SFMoma and the Metreon. Experimenting is the name of the game, whether with varietal, producer, or region. However, I found myself gravitating toward varietals and regions that I was already familiar with. I think we naturally find comfort zones, and at a place like this, you have to tell yourself to branch out, which becomes easier the longer you’re there. Just don’t be surprised if you have to add funds to your card.
Contact:
686 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA
415.341.1930
www.vinovenue.net
(Note: Save the phone number. Katie and I arrived after the opening time of 2 PM to find the place still locked up. 20 minutes later I decided to call and Mary Lynn finally opened the door. She’s a busy gal.)
July 3rd, 2006 at 1:50 pm
There is a wine store in my area that has those new wine tasting machines. It is the Wine Gallery, located at 375 Boylston St. Brookline (http://www.wine-gallery.com/). They call it their “wine Jukebox.” And unlike the store you have described, this wine jukebox is free.
There are three machines, two circular ones with red wines, and one rectangular one with whites and roses. They hold about fifty wines in all. You receive a card that contains 12 points and you can only receive one card per day. Each 1 oz. sample of wine then costs you a certain number of points. Basically it is 1 point for wines of $10 or loss, 2 points for wines $11-$20, etc. There are wines of all price ranges in the machines and they change on a regular basis.
It is interesting to see how some wine stores are charging for these tastings while others are offering them for free.
July 4th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
My friend I’m sorry it has been so long. But talk about timing. On a trip to Reno I stopped into a new wine shop with this system. GREAT i got to try wines in my own library (2001 Chateau Lafite) that I don’t open on a daily basis but would like to try. AWSOME. Great Idea I wish I would have thought of it .
July 5th, 2006 at 10:18 am
While I didn’t taste around the shop portion of the store, I did enjoy a glass of zin from the wine bar.
It was a little annoying that the wine menu was beyond out of date (the guy tending the bar told me to just look at the opened bottles behind him instead) and said tender wasn’t all that friendly or knowledgable.
I couldn’t even find anyone over in the wine shop area…they seemed a little understaffed.
But, I enjoyed my glass of wine and would like to try the tasting the next time I’m in town.
July 6th, 2006 at 9:27 am
I’m not sure how long it’s been around, but there is a similar tasting room called Stave in downtown Napa, CA. It’s set up as a wine lounge with comfy couches and even food delivered from a cafe down the street, but they also have the automated tastings with the same method as mentioned in the original blog.
It’s a great place to hang out and it also has free wi-fi. The owner is actually part-owner of a wine or two that he sells there, however…so if he pushes certain ones as “the favorite” you can be sure he has his own personal motive to sell you a bottle!
July 6th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Suzanne,
Ahh yes, the line where business interest and honest commentary gets crossed. That conflict of interest is the same reason some Wine bloggers refuse to accept free samples for reviewing.
Lenn,
Sorry about your ho-hum experience. They must be understaffed right now, as my experience was similar (Mary Lynn was the only one there).
Chris,
You point out one of the major benefits of a system like this: tasting wines you already own to determine if they are ready to drink.
P.S. Welcome back.
Richard,
So I guess this shop makes their money on selling you the bottle’s of wine you enjoyed tasting. Vinovenue on the other hand can just be a tasting bar without the pressure of purchasing anything, or sell you the wine as well.
Different business models I guess.