‘Somm’ intelligent wine dispenser launches

A new wine dispenser claiming to pour the perfect glass and learn a user’s preferences has been launched on crowdfunding site Kickstarter, earning its target of $100,000 in just 15 hours.

Somm by Synek – the smart wine dispenser system that learns your preferences

The dispensing machine, known as ‘Somm’ is described by the makers, Synek, as “the first ever intelligent wine dispenser that learns and adjusts to your palate”.

The machine operates with a selection of curated wines, pre-loaded into tubular containers called ‘Sylos’ which fit into the dispenser. The 2.5 litre wine containers will be direct shipped by the company in the USA, based on the user’s preferences, with promotional prices ranging from the equivalent of between $5 and $39 per bottle.

The ‘Sylos’ keep the wine fresh for up to sixty times longer than a standard wine bottle, according to the manufacturers, and can be changed for other wines in the dispenser at any time.

Somm will automatically chill the wine and aerate it as it pours, based on the specific requirements for that wine. The box-shaped dispenser is designed to sit on a kitchen counter, and is accompanied with a smartphone app where users can rate and order wines from the collection.

This is the second product from the company behind Somm. Two years ago, they crowdfunded a similar product for dispensing beer, which now has partnerships with over 1500 breweries and outlets across the USA, where the cartridges can be filled.

The launch of Somm comes less than a fortnight after the announcement of the world’s first smart bottle, Kuvée, which incorporates a wifi-enabled bottle that encloses single 75cl cartridges from a range of curated wines. Kuvée also says its system maintains the quality and freshness of the wines for up to a month.