Efficient and sustainable, kegged wines may be a trend that’s here to stay.

A restaurant with a refined air such as Cella in Monterey can inspire a moment of extravagance in an otherwise frugal patron. Instead of a glass, or a pint, they choose a bottle, and if they sense they may indulge in any of the menu’s many seafood options, they might choose the Albariño from La Marea, a crisp and playful white grown in Arroyo Seco and made by local winemaking guru Ian Brand.

The server returns to the table, though instead of a bottle, she is holding a glass carafe filled with a healthy amount of white wine. There is no slicing of the seal or romantic pop of an uncorked bottle. A taste is poured, flavor approved, glasses filled.

Those who enjoy the bottle-popping pageantry might ask: “What’s the deal?” The answer: kegged wine. It’s a movement that is still finding its footing in the restaurant world but one which has piqued the curiosities of guests and industry insiders, says Bernie De Luna, Cella’s wine and drink list coordinator.

“They should have started kegged wines 20 years ago,” De Luna says.

Cella has a substantial bottle list, but three of the wines – the aforementioned Albariño, a Domaine de Triennes Rosé, and a Shebang Red XIV by Bedrock – are on tap, fed by 5.2-gallon kegs. De Luna says cork and glass are becoming more difficult to source and the kegged wines offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative. They also save space.

De Luna understands kegged wine might be a tough sell to traditionalists, but he says at least some kegged wine offerings could be the future for restaurants like his.