Did you ever imagine you would walk into a bar and ask what wines they have on tap? Well, imagine, because those days are here. The new trend throughout California is wine on tap, and it is all for the purpose of going green. If you think about it, it just makes sense, after all, how often do wineries have barrel tastings? And, isn’t this just the same thing? Wouldn’t you love to have a wine kegger party for a change of pace? Well, now you can.

Waste is a major concern for any restaurant or bar. Wine often “goes bad” due to cork taint or oxidation and ends up getting poured down the drain. Wine on tap solves this problem. When the wine leaves the keg, nitrogen fills the space so that oxygen never reaches the wine. Wine can remain in its original state from the winery, in a keg, indefinitely. Businesses can now purchase wine straight from the winery with a guarantee of non-flawed juice.

Wine on tap solves many problems. In restaurants and bars, wine often goes bad due and ends up being poured down the drain. When wine, like beer, leaves a keg, nitrogen fills the space so that oxygen never reaches the wine. Wine will remain in its original state from the winery to the restaurant indefinitely. And then there is the cost factor. Because wineries will not be paying for the bottles, corks and foil for labels, they can sell the kegs at a lower cost, and you, the consumer can buy your wine for a lower price when dining out. And, of course, there is the smaller carbon footprint that comes with wine on tap. There is no waste to dispose of, which makes going green with wine on tap a breeze.

At the forefront of making wine for the tap, or wine in the keg, is Silvertap. Silvertap is a Free Flow Wines Brand based out of Sonoma County, California. They grow and sourse sustainably farmed and organic grapes in some of the top vineyards. They deliver quality selections in kegs, that are made of lightweight refillable recycled material, which makes them easier to handle and reusable. Some of the wines that Silvertap has available in kegs are the Sauvignon Blanc, an ’08 Sonoma County Merlot and an ‘08 Sonoma County Chardonnay. A Sonoma County Zinfandel and a California Cabernet Sauvignon are debuting May 1st. Eight to ten wines, under the Silvertap moniker, are slated to be in the wine on tap market by the end of summer 2010.

Currently you can find Silvertap Wine at OTD, Annabelle’s Bar & Bistro, Salt House, Ironside and Fat Angel in San Francisco as well as The Tavern at Lark Creek and Piatti in Northern California. And, as the concept grows, more and more restaurants and bars are signing on for this new way to serve wine and go green at the same time.

Although keg wine is not a new concept, it is now taking off as more businesses want to reduce their carbon footprint. Silvertap has successfully married quality with keg and is paving the way for wine on tap. Next time you go into a bar or restaurant, be sure to ask what wine they have on tap.