French Self-Serve Wine Tanks: Environmentally-Friendly, Sympa

While wine vending machines in Pennsylvania seek to control customer's access to the alcoholic beverage, these French self-serve wine stations are increasing availability by being cost-effective due to lack of packaging. More environment-conscious than traditional packaging, developer Astrid Terzian believes a similar concept could be brought to olive oil and fruit juice.

Modeled after an old tradition of customers bringing their own flagons to Parisian wine shops for filling, Terzian believes the tanks will also appeal to customers on an environmental level by allowing them to reuse their own containers instead of contributing them to landfills. The tanks are also more efficient to ship than traditional bottles as they take up less room, thus making shipping more efficient.

The wine is available in red, white, and rosé; quality varies, but one mentioned was 2009 Rhone vin de pays méditerranée. Regardless of the varietal, the machines, which have been installed in eight supermarkets across France, charge €1.45/liter (US $1.87). Terzian recommends using a five-liter jug as the size is just right and "typically French.”

· Fill ‘Er Up: Self-Serve Tanks Bring Wine to French Supermarkets [Dr. Vino]
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A self-serve wine tank in France. [Photo: Wine Terroirs]