Synek, the company that launched a Kickstarter for a beer dispenser dubbed "the Keurig for craft beer." two years ago, is back at it again, this time turning its focus on another bloc of alcohol- wine.
The company introduced its new smart wine dispenser Thursday in a Kickstarter campaign. Called Somm, this new wine dispenser can learn a consumer's palate over time so it can determine which wines he, or she, likes and then provide them with the perfect glass.
Synek's leap into the wine foray is hardly surprising. Its last Kickstarter campaign was highly successful, earning $650,000 to help bring the countertop craft brew dispenser to consumers. It was this very success that founder Steve Young cited as he announced the Somm during the Kickstarter campaign.
"We made a big splash on the beer side of things (and we continue to grow), but I think Somm could have an even larger and more immediate impact on wine," Young said. "There hasn't been significant innovation in this industry in decades and consumers are demanding it."
So, what is this innovation that Young refers to? It all starts from the Somm's design. Somm is a large, box-shaped device that sits on a countertop. Inside, the device houses several - and interchangeable - bottles of wine, which include high-tech features such as temperature control and aeration control to ensure each glass of wine is as fresh as the last.
Of course, the device doesn't actually use bottles. Rather, it uses cartridges called "sylos," which are inserted into the front of Somm. Each sylo holds about three bottles of wine into each "bottle," as well as a chip that tells the device which temperature to keep a particular wine at.
Tying all of this in is Somm's patent-pending airtight container specially designed for wine, which prevents both oxygen and light from affecting the wine's taste or coloration. When combined with the aforementioned chip that allows each "bottle" to remain at the appropriate temperature and aeration, it takes all of the work out of the wine experience - all the consumer needs to do is pour.
"We believe technology can make a positive impact without compromising the tradition of winemaking and consuming," Young said. "We see it as the natural first step for those new to or overwhelmed by wine. Further, once sommeliers see the effectiveness of Somm, I think they'll see it as the natural next step for the industry."
Of course, as a smart wine dispenser, Somm can do more than just pour the perfect glass. It can also pour the perfect glass based on a user's likes and specifications. Through the use of an accompanying app, users can develop their own preferences, and Somm will learn them over time. Not only will Somm recommend wines based on that information, but it will also automatically order a new sylo for that wine when the old one is running low.
Synek is going all in with this project, employing the help of experts who select the wine. Thirty different options will be available at the launch of Somm, with more being added each week post-launch.
Coming in Stainless and Onyx, Beachwood and Dark Oak color options, Somm is en route to surpass the success of its predecessor. As of Friday morning, the Kickstarter campaign has surpassed the $100,000 that it asked for.
There is still a reason to pledge, however. Those who pledge at least $199 are guaranteed to get Somm before Christmas, allowing you to impress all your friends at your annual Christmas party, or get drunk off the wine if you're spending the holiday alone.
Check out the official website for more information.
Watch the video below for a sneak peak of Somm in action:
