Wine Wednesdays just got a whole lot classier. Plum recently launched Plum Integrated, a kit that helps remodelers integrate the Plum wine dispenser into custom cabinetry. Whether a homeowner loves relaxing with a glass of Cabernet or Riesling, the wine dispenser makes it easy to chill, serve, and preserve up to two standard 750 ml bottles of wine at a time.
“Plum Integrated is the epitome of form meets function,” says Andreas Hansen, global president of Plum. “It maintains the exceptional performance of the Plum appliance while offering consumers and the design community a streamlined and fully integrated design option.”
An award-winning appliance
Without the integration kit, the appliance sits on a counter like a Keurig for wine, but with the kit, the unit achieves a look similar to built-in microwaves or beverage centers.
Plum says the 24-inch trim will install flush with a kitchen’s custom cabinetry. Remodelers can specify either black or stainless steel finish to fit in with the kitchen’s overall look. The unit rests inside one of the cabinet’s compartments with the front panel exposed. To ensure proper airflow, Plum recommends that remodelers notch the cabinet’s floors, shelves, and ceilings. Additionally, the unit must have access to an electrical outlet.
The dispenser won the 2021 Best of KBIS: Kitchen and Gold awards as well as DesignBites’ Biggest Bite award.
“Gone are the days of pouring oxidized wine down the drain or compromising on opening either a white or red bottle,” says David Koretz, founder and CEO of Plum. “We are extremely honored that Plum has been recognized by the highly respected KBIS community with, not one, but two of the most coveted industry awards.”
Meet the virtual sommelier
Consumers can insert an entire wine bottle, cork, foil, and all, into the machine’s cooling chamber. With the dispenser’s two internal HD cameras, the unit scans each bottle’s label and automatically identifies the wine type with artificial intelligence.
Plum can identify 220 varietals and comes with a “virtual sommelier” that displays the vintage information, varietal and the region and winery of origin on a 7-inch touchscreen. It then chills the wine to the ideal serving temperature, according to Plum, but the appliance can also be programmed to a specific temperature.
Easy dispensing and cleaning
Homeowners then can press the button to dispense a 5-ounce glass, a 1-ounce tasting, or custom pour directly into the wine glass in eight seconds. Without the appliance, this is when the clock would start ticking for an opened wine bottle as oxidation can change the flavor. Plum says that it has designed for this by using motorized needles to dispense wine directly from the bottle into the glass through stainless steel tubing modeled after those found in wineries. The dual spouts ensure reds and whites never mix.
Simultaneously, the appliance fills the bottle with reusable argon gas to preserve the wine. Each bottle will be preserved for 90 days, and the argon canister can last at least 150 bottles. After that, a new canister can be installed for future use.
Though fancy machines can be cool party tricks, cleaning them can be a real pain. With an automated cleaning system, Plum cleans itself and avoids the complicated upkeep of some high-tech offerings. The appliance comes in brushed stainless steel with a glossy black front panel. Each unit measures 15 inches by 16.9 inches by 20.5 inches, and at 65 pounds, Plum is quite hefty. The tech-heavy Plum comes with a luxury price tag: Each unit costs $2,499, and the kit can add another $1,000 when purchased separately.