Robotic arm serves up wine from home cellars
If you love wine and have a spare $320,000, you might consider buying a robotically-powered wine cellar that comes complete with a virtual sommelier.
WineCab's WineWall uses 21st-century smart home technology to showcase your cellar, and it can help choose the right bottle for any occasion.
According to the Robb Report, “The heart of the setup is a seven-axis, high-speed robotic arm that loads, scans and dispenses wines, while three cameras track its movement.”
It also comes with a virtual somm or integrated AI system that can identify up to 600,000 vintages by the label and help you with food and wine pairings. It will also store your ratings and comments and make suggestions based on a simple question and answer format.
You can pick from an endless array of custom cabinetry and finishes, including rich wood, metal trims and interior wallpapers.
If you are a fan of Australian wineries, they could use your help.
China has effectively shut down Australian imports by applying an anti-dumping tariff of up to 200 per cent on Australian wine. Down Under winemakers say the $1.2 billion trade has all but halted, and to add insult to injury, China's Ministry of Commerce announced further tariffs last week of either 6.3 or 6.4 per cent, claiming Australian wine producers were subsidized.
As you might expect, the Australian Government and wine industry deny any anticompetitive behaviour. You can help by buying a bottle of Australian once in a while over the next year until they can settle the issue with China or reestablish export markets elsewhere. In short, wine exporters beware.
B. C. WINE OF THE WEEK Kitsch Blanc de Blancs 2017, Okanagan Valley $39 I 90/100 UPC:
626990330219
The Chardonnay in this blanc de blancs was planted in 2013 on the home estate in East Kelowna. The gravelly, stony soils seem well suited to the fresh, minerally, stony style, bursting with green apple, lemon and almond. Two years on the lees gives a creamy undercurrent, adding to the wine's refinement and complexity. It is well made and a fine example of what is possible when it comes to sparkling wine. Who knows, maybe sparkling wine will be the new export of the Canadian wine industry. It certainly has the gravitas to get the world's attention.
WINE FOR THE CELLAR Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2016, Langhe, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy $99.99 I 94/100 UPC:
08030198002656
The Castiglione is made with grapes grown across the Barolo region from vines as young as nine years old up to 42 years old, all planted in clay-limestone soil. The fermentation is done in stainless steel with daily submersion of the cap. Post ferment, Vietti ages the wine for 30 months in oak casks and barriques. Add to that one of the finest vintages ever in Barolo, plus winemaker Lucca Currado, and you have magic. If you want a wine for your cellar that will hang around as long as you, this is it. This label is often characterized as an entry-level wine, but it is anything but in 2016. Rich and full-bodied with compellingly pure black plums, menthol, and flowers dusted in notes of umami. Length and balance are already here, foretelling a long life. Buy, wait, and be happy. Private wine shops only.