Our Story

It all started with a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

My father grew up sailing by his home in Rhode Island. He was the son of a 24/7 diner chef, so when he wasn't helping out as a server he was on the water at the municipal boat club.

He dreamed of becoming a sailboat designer one day and joined the Navy after college to pursue his passion. On a commercial flight home from his overseas deployment, he was seated next to a young woman. They struck up a conversation, fell in love, and 6 months later - they were married. Those were happy times for him, but not so happy for his dreams as a sailor.

Mom is the type that gets sea sick in the bath tub. Consequently, our upbringing was almost exclusively on dry land.

But that didn't stop my dad from participating from a far. He shared sailing articles with us kids, signed us up for sail school at a young age (something I promptly forgot), and would update us about "America's Cup" - the world sailing championship competition.

A Gift that Sparked an Idea

So, when I grew up and got my first big boy job, I treated my dad to a surprise 65th birthday trip - a flight to Bermuda to watch the cup races.

A lot about that trip stands out. The Gucci sponsorships. The designer watches. The gourmet meals. The big hats. It was a culture of elegance like I had never seen before. And there, as the exclusive champagne of the event, was Moet.

Moet - like most of the vendors - did everything they could to stand out in a classy way. A natural green scenescape acted as the backdrop to a white bar adorned with Moet insignia. Attractive bartenders served patrons dressed to the 10's, providing them with freshly popped bubbly - served straight from the bottle.

Moet did not use a glass. Instead, the bartenders inserted a shining personal sipper. A tip of the head poured the sweet bubbles of the Pinot/Chardonnay blend directly into the patrons' mouths and elevated the experience to a whole new height.

It was hard not to notice. At $40 per split (a personal-sized bottle), it was a bit rich for my wallet - but I wanted that experience. I wanted that feeling. I wanted that sipper.

From Concept to Creation

When I got home from that trip, I looked everywhere I could for them. There was one on eBay. Another person was selling a handful on Etsy. Disappointed I couldn't get one first hand, I did some more digging.

They were only available as a promotional giveaway at exclusive events. America's Cup. The Kentucky Derby. The Golden Globes.

And the worst part? They only fit Moet's bottles. They were made of cheap plastic. They were throwaway items.

A few years later, I followed in my dad's footsteps, met the love of my life, and got married. As we planned for our wedding, I tried to find a way to solve for the flat glass of champagne dilemma. Traditionally, wedding bartenders pre-pour glasses of champagne for the guests to consume at their seats during the reception toasts.

As I reached for a solution, my head just kept coming back to those fun, elegant sippers from years ago. I was inspired.

I reached out to an overseas manufacturer and had a batch of 200 plastic sippers created for use with a different (read: cheaper) brand of bubbly. It was a hit. The wedding was fantastic and everyone spoke about how cool the sippers were.

But I'm the type that doesn't know how to stop. What if the sippers were made as well as their aesthetic made them appear? What if they could have fit a broad variety of brands & bottles? What if they gave you a real "clink" when you tapped them to celebrate with a "Cheers"?!

Elevate Your Celebration

My adventure towards what you see now began on vacation in 2017. It was brought to life at my wedding in 2018. And while laid off in 2020 I set out to make a sipper brand that was high quality, high utility, high emotional value, and most importantly available to you!

So please, don't raise a glass. Raise the occasion to that next level, preserve those bubbles, and drink life straight from the bottle with Tapp.