Wine Apps
There are a bajillion (well, maybe not a bajillion… but a lot) of wine apps out there. Some help you keep track of and rate wines you have tried, some help you find wines that may be a good match for what you are eating, others help you learn about the actual grapes in a wine you purchase, some focus on wineries vs. actual bottles of wines. Prior to using apps, I had a wine journal that I got as a gift. And while a wonderful idea, it went largely untouched. I think I entered 3 wines. And I never entered wines I ordered at restaurants because I wouldn’t have the journal with me. The day after trying a great wine I would attempt to enter it… what I liked about it, the price, etc. Not effective. I have enjoyed the technology, ease, and convenience that wine apps offer. I use them often — even if it means I look dorky taking pictures of my wine.
While there is no shortage of apps out there from which to choose, some are better developed than others, with more functionality and reliability… making them easier to use. (e.g. It can be frustrating to try using an app when you are at a restaurant and have it not be able to locate any wines you enter or to do any of the things it is supposed to do.) There are several apps out there that have a free version which is not great — as they try to entice you to pay for an upgraded version that works better. Personally, I am not a fan of paying for an app when there are plenty of quality options for free.
Three apps that I find myself using frequently are Delectable, Vivino, and Winery Passport.
Winery Passport is unique in that it helps you keep track of wineries you visit, the wines you taste there, wineries you love, etc. It will also help you locate wineries near you if you are hunting for a new one to try or are out of town. The app developers have worked to increase the functions of the app and continue to expand what the app can do. Great one to check out if you like to frequent wineries.
Vivino and Delectable are similar in that they both allow you to take a picture of a bottle of wine, rate it, add notes, and see what others have to say about it. Both very user friendly (and improving with each update). Both are great in helping you keep track of wines you try and like (or hate). A advantage for Vivino is that it has more users — giving me access to more feedback from other wine drinkers. An advantage for Delectable is that I find its wine finder is more accurate, allowing me to more easily locate and identify the wine I am drinking. (With Vivino I have to take the pictures a couple of times, or hold the bottle a certain way for it to work. Not the case with my experience with Delectable.)
All three of the apps above are free, so there is no risk in trying any/all of them.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article with its picks for favorite wine apps. Take a look at what they had to say: Wall Street Journal App Article