On our wine trip in California, we were surprised at our hotel by a vending machine with piccolo champagne, but in Germany they are used to this image. There, you can serve yourself on the road, as one of WINELIFE's editors recently discovered while visiting the Moselle and Rheinhessen.
Image: Max Singer-Fischer
There are Weinautomate at several vineyards to pick up chilled local wines 24/7; you pay contactless. An impromptu picnic without a shop nearby is also possible; glassware is also often available. Weingut Toni Muller even has wooden crates of bottles and gift boxes tucked behind the glass shutters. By the way, this family makes fantastic Rieslings; bring a debit card with a balance.
Such a wine point also seems handy to us for nightlife in the city, when you still pull out a hot crockpot after going out and want a refreshing digestive to go with it.
But beware: in the Low Countries, the rules around selling alcohol are stricter. The Belgian sommelier Jan Kerckhofs of Wine Point knows all about it: he started a wine shop in Geel with quality South African wines and placed a wine vending machine outside his storage location to serve aficionados. From 7am to midnight, with chilled bottles. However safe and responsible (including ID checks), last year the Public Health Department summoned Jan to remove the device.
Wondering where this automaton is located? Click here.
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