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May 2016 WINES&VINES 61 PACKAGING ning is much different than bottling, but we have been successful in canning reds, whites, rosés and sparkling wines." Chill out with frosted bottles What looks more inviting on a hot day than a frosted mug of beer? Could it be a frosted bottle of wine? An array of frosted glass bot- tles drew attention on the crowded exhibit floor this January. They are created by CDEQ in Sun Valley, Calif., which owner Jim Dekel claimed is "the only permitted company on the West Coast to acid-frost containers." The effect, he said, is caused by the action of fluoride and an acid solution. Winery clients provide bottles, and Dekel said any glass bottle can be used. In this growing category, the pricing is between 55 and 85 cents per bottle, and the timeline depends on the size of the order, with no minimum case order. Bottles can later be screen printed, Dekel said. Tap into keg branding Kegs and barrels are gaining wide success for by-the-glass, on-premise wine sales, but how can wineries ensure that consumers know what wine they are drinking—and that they can even call for that brand at the wine bar? Chrislan Ceramics, through Mountain West Brewery Supply in Louisville, Colo., has introduced a solution for that important concern. Tap handles are an obvious branding loca- tion. Most of the tap handles on display at the Unified Symposium were, not surpris- ingly, branded for beer, but wine is creeping over the horizon. Mountain West Brewery Supply owner David Saunders Edgar estimated 85% of Chrislan's current wine tap clients are in California, fol- lowed by Oregon, Washington and British Co- lumbia, with a few in the eastern United States. Using ceramic clay sourced from the City of Industry in California, the handles are produced in Maple Ridge, B.C., a Vancouver suburb. "We have seen quite a lot of growth over the past four years as wineries, restaurants and consumers more and more are embrac- ing the concept of wine on tap," Edgar ob- served. Depending on their keg distribution, many wineries start with the minimum order of 25 decorated handles. Price breaks are at 50, 100, 200 and 400. "There is no typical order—we've seen all sizes," he said. In addition to ceramic handles, "We also produce wood handles made from local bee- tle-kill pine," he said. Lead-time for existing "house shapes" of taps is about six weeks, once final art is submitted. "If it's a custom, new or exclusive shape, then it can be eight to 10 weeks from ap- proval of the final design, allowing about four weeks to produce the mold. After that, for reorders of a custom shape, it's the stan- dard six weeks," according to Edgar. Handle size generally must be less than 12 inches. "Many bartenders dislike the taller handles," Edgar noted. "Most average 8 to 10 inches. Wineries often prefer lower pro- file, 5- to 6-inch-tall handles." The handles are durable. "Ceramic is one of the best materials to hold up in a chaotic bar environment, where you have soft drinks and Matte Black screw caps are now in stock and ready to ship. Overnight shipping available in CA and 2 day shipping in the Pacific Northwest. UNIONPACK | 140 Dodd Court | American Canyon 707-557-CAPS (2277) www.Unionpack.com —continued on page 64 Custom tap handles are catching on as wineries turn to kegged wines for by-the-glass programs.