Winecab Wine Wall in Dining Room

When we last wrote about robots replacing somms, we weren’t that serious about the idea. That said, New York-based Calvary Robotics is. Enter the Winecab, a wine management system that’s designed to ease and embellish your wine-and-dine experience in equal measure, thanks to some serious tech (including a metal arm). 

The largest model of the Winecab has enough space for 600 bottles that can be loaded at about a rate of three a minute. Its eight-axis robotic gantry and high-speed robotic arm can pick out a bottle from your collection in less than fifteen seconds, sparing you the hassle of trying to remember your wine storage system. 

While utilitarian, it doesn’t lose sight of aesthetic sensibilities. You’ve got soft, luxuriant lighting illuminating your precious collection, surrounded by an elegant display case that comes with a  variety of wooden finishings, enamel trims and personalisable engravings. 

The Winecab doesn’t just look pretty – though it does that exceedingly well. A combination of a high fidelity camera and an extensive database of over 600,000 labels allows the system to track most, if not all of the bottles you’re storing in it, as well as providing you with useful info about that specific label. Great for wine storage, but even better as a party trick when your dining companion brings over a bottle of red.

(Related: Winemaker interview: Trevor Durling of Beaulieu Vineyard)

More than that, the Winecab comes equipped with its own digital sommelier that adapts wine pairing suggestions based on your responses to some questions, as well as ratings and comments. After all, it’s called a wine management system.

The system is equipped with a high performance, ultraquiet cooling system that’s also light on vibrations. Naturally, the Winecab’s internal temperature and humidity can be monitored on the go through an app on your smartphone. 

They’ve also kept security in mind. Anyone sneaking in for a bottle of the good stuff while you’re away would be thwarted by the system’s facial recognition and fingerprint tech – which grants only authorised peopl access to the vino. Single bottles, or entire collections can be locked out as you deem fit, and a bevy of motion sensors complete the security package.

(Related: How to pair wine with music)

Says Mark Chaney, CEO and founder of Calvary Robotics, “What we’re doing is leaps and bounds beyond what’s on the market. We have introduced a collaborative robotic arm into homes and restaurants in a safe and organic way.”

What the Winecab can’t do is tell you the story about how and why this bottle of wine made it into your cellar – that’s up to you. What it can do, however, is more or less everything else. 

While there are three stock options available, Winecab allows for custom cabinet designs to effortlessly integrate the system into your home. Click here for more.