The Internet has changed our lives completely, and, as you’d expect, the world of wine has not escaped this revolution. Thanks to the net, the consumer has access to more information than ever before, traditional media no longer have a monopoly on recommendations or reviews as the democratisation of information has allowed new faces to get involved. It is now also possible to buy online from a small producer on the other side of the world.
An exciting scene, don’t you think?
New critics and ‘influencers’
As we have already mentioned, just a few years back, specialist wine critics were only associated with traditional media, mainly the printed press. From the ivory tower of newspapers and specialist magazines, the traditional critics cast their verdicts without right to reply and they were the ones you had to turn to for a trusted recommendation. There was no alternative!
But this has all changed forever. The traditional critics continue to exist, but the same critics of yesteryear now share opinions and views with their readers thanks to the interactive nature of the internet: forums, comments, social media…
In addition, other people have managed to make a name for themselves in the world of wine using the Internet as a platform. How? Fundamentally doing things well, either through using new language, with a more friendly, light-hearted tone or through adopting new points of view. To name but a few examples… The community that Santiago Rivas and his buddies have managed to create in Spain with Colectivo Decantado and the Australian Wine Wankers offer a unique approach to the world of wine through humour.
Wine apps: knowledge in your pocket
The other great revolution that the Internet has caused is to give the consumer access to enormous amounts of information, which they can use when choosing or buying a wine in a restaurant or shop.
If you like wine and technology, I’m sure you have 3 or 4 applications on your phone already that you always consult before making a purchase. If you are only starting to get into wine, let us recommend a few «apps» for you to download on your mobile:
- Vivino: One of the leading applications and one of the most downloaded. Its strong point? It allows you to identify a wine simply by taking a photo of the label. Then, its database provides full details on it, in conjunction with user scores. In addition, it allows you to find nearby stockists, offers personalized recommendations and also, of course, invites you to take part in the community by sharing your opinions.
- VinoCellar: Similar to the previous app, but with a more professional slant, aimed at wineries and collectors.
- Mi vinoteca: With this app you can make a personal register of the wines you have purchased or tasted, along with your opinions on them.
- Pair it! It’s like a dating app, but what you are looking for here is to find the perfect partnership between food and wine.
And this is just a small sample, as the offer grows exponentially year after year: just try searching in the app store on your mobile phone and you will find many more alternatives that will help you solve almost any wine-related need you may have. We’re sure you’ll find something of interest!
Thanks to the Internet, here at Bodegas Montecillo we have the opportunity to stay in contact with you and share the great love of wine that unites us.
A real privilege!
