Ever find yourself wandering the liqueur store wine aisles, staring at the purple and red hues and wondering what you should choose? You don’t want to buy the wrong bottle and you can barely even remember what vintage you like, nonetheless what your in-laws are interested in. fortunately, a new smartphone app called Delectable is here to help. This app that has been referred to as “The Instagram of wines” by users and culinary arts experts alike. It will not only assist you in identifying the wine you enjoyed so much last night, it will also help to foster conversation about wine with friends who are also using the app.
The app
Delectable is free and available for iPhone and Android users. It is very useful for identifying and remembering the wines you like (and didn’t like). Just take a photo of the wine label and you will instantly have access to a description of the wine’s flavor, as well as it’s origin and ratings from amateur sippers and wine professionals. Learn about wines that have similar flavor profiles to ones you have already enjoyed as well as browse labels that are trending. Chefs and sommeliers are using the app as well, so you may even see what they’re drinking.
Reviewing wines
Delectable users create a personal wine journal to add ratings and tasting notes that help them remember their favorite wines. You can tag friends and locations to keep track of where you were and who you were with when you had that amazing red or delightful white. You can also share recommendations, impressing your friends with your amateur sommelier knowledge.
Are the reviews really useful? That depends. Some users choose to comment simply to say that they tried the particular wine. Others state their opinions of whether it was “good” or “bad.” More knowledgeable drinkers use taste notes like “butterscotch,” “floral” and “nutty” to help others understand the complex flavors.
App history and status
According to The Wall Street Journal, Alex Fishman, Delectabl’es cheif executive officer, said the app was initially made for wine professionals to “democratize the wine industry and leverage signals from the community.”
Are wine professionals really using it? Yes. Chefs and winery owners alike can be found perusing the labels and documenting their tastes. Jordan Salcito, wine director at New York’s Momofuku and Vintner Bellus Wines, has tried over 209 wines and has 12,987 followers. Jon Bonne, the wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, is also a user with 21,102 followers and has tried 487 wines. While you aren’t likely to find a review from a wine professional on an $8 bottle of pinot noir, you may find their ratings on a $20 bottle. These connoisseurs seem to use the app for logging their drinking habits outside of their professional lives.
Whether you’re an Austin culinary arts student, a burgeoning winery owner or a person hoping to branch out from their usual boxed wine, this app can help you broaden your tastes and see what professionals and friends alike are drinking.
