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February 06, 2013

Three Ways Wine Lovers Worldwide Can Wet Their Technological Palates

By Allison Boccamazzo, TMCnet Web Editor

For many, wine is a welcome delicacy. No matter how you enjoy it – whether it’s going to wine tastings or simply having a glass at home after a long day – it always serves as a relaxing way to spend your time, but what about the tech-savvy wine lovers? For those of you who are in the technological loop and want to combine the best of both worlds, we’ve got three fun and unique ways to enjoy your wine more quickly and thoroughly thanks to some technical help.



Image via Shutterstock

1.) Access the World’s Largest Wine Event at the Touch of a Finger

Those who are true wine lovers will surely know of Vinitaly, the globe’s largest wine event that tours key locations such as Moscow, Hong Kong, New York and Miami. Last October, the team behind the highly anticipated event launched a unique new addition to help simplify yet enhance attendees’ experiences – an iPad application called Vinitaly Interactive.

TMCnet reported on this development when it was preparing to launch, where it was revealed that the official launch was slated just in time for Vinitaly World Tour in Moscow from October 29-30, where it would also be featured in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Giovanni Mantovani, CEO at Veronafiere, explained that while wine does boast its own unique culture and world, it is also a business, which is exactly where Vinitaly Interactive fits in. He adds, “The ‘Vinitaly Interactive’ program will provide invaluable, quantifiable data to trade attendees to help them with their buying decisions and to exhibitors to support their marketing efforts.”

Those who attend to make orders, such as restaurateurs, can do so at the touch of a finger, while other attendees can visit booths for tastings and record criteria (ie. color, taste, balance, finish) on their iPad. In essence, this iPad app serves as a revolutionary new way for wine lovers worldwide to experience Vinitaly, and more generally, wine tasting.

2.) Shop Amazon’s Digital Wine Marketplace

First you can rate wine at the touch of a finger, and now you can have access to buy more than 1,000 different domestic wines in the palm of your hands thanks to Amazon Wine, the company’s newly rolled out digital wine marketplace. The development was revealed back in November of 2012, and while it’s only currently available to California, Nevada, Florida, North Carolina, the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, the company has made it very clear that it hopes to make this a national effort – or at the very least, come out with a national alternative very soon.

TMCnet reported at the time that users will be able to buy more than 1,000 different domestic wines varying from $10 to over $100 including a $9.99 shipping fee on up to a six bottle order. Users can also enjoy selecting from a variety of wineries, including: Francis Ford Coppola, Eden Canyon, Roadhouse, Hall, Pepper Bridge and Mark Ryan, among many others.

3.) New Zealanders Can Take Wine Online

Just today, it was revealed that Hawke’s Bay, one of five New Zealand wine regions, will be going online to provide users a unique and easy way to find “a spot to visit, sip or dine at,” as reported by Hawke’s Bay Today. By introducing a range of smartphone applications, New Zealand Wineries is keeping up in the race to stay “up to date” with rapidly evolving consumer technology to provide users with instantaneous information and news about wine. This includes new wine releases, special events and one app that enables users to book spots at certain winery restaurants, the report continues.

Graeme Bott, winemaker and founder of New Zealand Wineries, says that these new apps are “an effective way of bringing the wine industry and consumers closer together.” He adds, “We wanted to make the engagement between wineries and shoppers and tourists seamless.”

It sure accomplishes this mission, as users will receive real-time wine updates in their specified region, which include newly added Hawke’s Bay, Waiheke Island, Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago. In doing so, Bott says the wine industry has become more “tech savvy” to reflect consumer trends as well as provide a “simple, interactive and fun platform to take wine and good knowledge to the next generation of food and wine lovers.”




Edited by Rachel Ramsey
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