A winery? In your kitchen? If that sounds like a pitch from a late-night infomercial, then imagine the obstacles Greg Snell had to overcome to get his 10-person startup off the ground. Snell is CEO of Provina, the San Jose-based company behind an elegant new product called the WinePod. A digitally networked, four-foot-tall machine that ferments, presses, and ages wine in one self-contained device, the $3,500 WinePod can produce varietals in batches of up to 60 bottles, controlling temperature via a wireless connection to the owner's personal computer. Wine experts who've tried the first batch from a WinePod - a light pinot noir - give it a thumbs-up, but to get upscale oenophiles to take him seriously, Snell tapped product designer Loren Sterling to create a brushed-stainless steel and white oak cask that looks right at home next to a Viking range.
PRODUCT WinePod
MANUFACTURER Provina
DESIGNER Sterling Design
BOTTOM LINE Sold out an initial production run of 25 units in 2006 and landed deals with Neiman Marcus and other high-end retailers.
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