How Has Coravin Technology Impacted Wine Sales in the New Zealand Hospitality Sector?

In this research note, findings generated from interviews with a sample of hospitality professionals in Wellington, New Zealand, were used to develop our understanding of the perception and impact of the Coravin technology on commercial wine service. The proprietary Coravin technology proposes to address the consumer and restaurateur-side risks of opening but not finishing a bottle of wine. This paper’s findings show that for the most part—though not unanimously—the promise of lower wastage and greater profit on by-the-glass wine sales with Coravin is being realized. Further issues raised by respondents included the role of the technology within the experience economy of restaurant wine service, the need for knowledgeable staff to sell premium wine by the glass, and sustainability concerns connected with the technology’s use of disposable gas canisters. This paper advances research on a widely adopted, but little studied, wine service technology.