The Wine Tech Stack Behind Barry's Downtown Prime Las Vegas

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The Wine Tech Stack Behind Barry's Downtown Prime Las Vegas

Old-school tech + state-of-the-art eyewear are just some of the tools used to manage the extensive and award-winning wine program at Barry's Downtown Prime

Shawn Walchef

Aug 30, 2025

FAST FACTS:

Microsoft Excel → backbone for cost tracking, inventory & purchasing
Ray-Ban Meta Glasses → hands-free video of wine moments
Digital Marketing Impact → 1934 Château Margaux reel hit 500K+ views

When you think about restaurant technology, your mind probably jumps to POS systems, delivery integrations, robotics, or kitchen display screens.

But what about wine and technology?

At Barry’s Downtown Prime inside Circa in Las Vegas, Sommelier Zack Vasilev has built a half-million-dollar wine program — starting from just $100,000 when the restaurant opened in October 2020.

That growth, along with Barry’s elevated dining experience, earned the restaurant Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 — a recognition shared by only a thousand+ restaurants worldwide.

Now Zack is chasing Wine Spectator’s highest honor, awarded to fewer than 100 restaurants globally. And technology, in both low-key and high-tech forms, is at the center of his strategy.

1. Old-Tech Backbone: Excel

While new SaaS wine platforms flood the market, Zack Vasilev relies on something that has been on so many computers since it was created in the 1985: Excel.

“It’s straightforward, super easy, so many functions. You can do pretty much everything with an Excel spreadsheet,” Zack said.

From day one at Barry’s, he built a custom spreadsheet from scratch — complete with formulas for cost tracking, inventory management, and purchasing. Five years later, it still runs the backbone of his wine program.

2. High-Tech Storytelling: Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

But where Zack goes cutting-edge is in how he shares the Barry’s wine experience with the world. His secret weapon: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

The glasses look ordinary, but a subtle light signals when they’re recording. With a voice command — “Hey Meta, start recording” — Zack captures hands-free video of rare wine openings and tableside storytelling.

The case not only charges the glasses (like AirPods) but also transfers footage directly to his phone. With a $299 price tag, Zack says it’s “worth every single dollar.”

WATCH MORE: You can see the Meta glasses in action in this video we shot on vacation.

3. Viral Wine Moments

The proof is in the pour.

Recently, Zack opened a 1934 Château Margaux, one of the world’s legendary wines. The guest allowed him to film the entire ritual using his Meta glasses. After a quick edit, Zack posted the reel on Instagram.

The result? Over half a million views — and climbing.

“It was kind of a surprise for me,” Zack said. “But the technology let me capture the moment in a way that felt natural, not staged.”

This blend of old-world wine culture with new-world tech storytelling is exactly what keeps Barry’s wine program ahead of the curve.

The Tech Takeaway

Technology in restaurants doesn’t always mean flashy new platforms or AI dashboards. Sometimes it’s as simple as mastering Excel — or as innovative as wearing smart glasses to bring guests into a once-in-a-lifetime bottle opening.

At Barry's Downtown Prime, Zack Vasilev proves that the real power of restaurant tech lies in how it connects the story of the experience to the guest — whether they’re at the table or watching on Instagram.