Tech Blog

[#1]

Now that the days are getting shorter and the mornings and evenings are getting cooler, it's time to set aside your Bud Light with Lime for another season and cozy up with a Cabernet.  Or should you manhandle a Malbec?  Yes, it's wine time and if you've got an iPhone - there's an app for that.

There are many wine pairing guides in the iTunes app store, I took some for a test drive.

NatDecants - $2.99 [iTunes]

"The variety of food-and-drink combinations has exploded in the last five years," says Natalie MacLean, publisher of Canada's largest wine e-newsletter. "Chicken isn't just chicken anymore: Now we eat it stuffed with pancetta and fresh herbs, rubbed with curry spices or sautéed in an orange balsamic sauce. We're looking for more interesting flavours, both on the plate and in the glass-and we want them to work together."

So Natalie's app is all about setting up the pairings.  However, it's a slow process.  Each time you open the app, it wants to update the latest information from Nat's archives.  I tried it at a restaurant to look for a pairing for my curried fish stew.  That menu item wasnt there, and as I waited .. and waited .. and waited .. the app couldnt connect to give me a recommendation.

Nat's collection is deep, and she goes beyond just wine.  Feel like a cocktail with your cobb salad? She'll recommend the best mix, I'm just not sure the added value merits the cost of the app compared to what the freebies offer.

Hello Vino - Free [iTunes]

A much quicker app that just has you drill down through some basic choices before offering up a varietal selection and a few labels to go with it.  The selection isnt very deep, but it will guide you in the right direction.

Clinks - Free [iTunes]

An app affiliated with Hello Vino, it will help you keep track of your favorites to re-order, or to remember what you have in your cellar.  Clinks will help you share favourites with friends and discover new sips to savour.

Honestly, these apps are just guides.  They're crafted by those with expert palates to try and work the perfect combination of flavours.  But the most important thing is that you don't get intimidated by the language and culture of wine.  You just go in and crack open a cap and swig back a sip.  After all, my 2 yr old son likes to dip his sushi in ketchup - and I ain't gonna judge, as long as hes eating something other than french fires.

catch the buzz .. pass it on.

[#2]

Buzz,

Have you tried m.winedin.com/mobile. It isn't an App but works great when you're on the go and need wine tips fast.

[#3]

Thanks for the mention!

Our big version 1.1 update went out through iTunes today (Oct 27)!  We've added thousands of new pairings with hundreds of different types of wines (from Albarino to Zinfandel).  Please check out the update, if you have a quick minute.

Also, I completely agree that people should not be intimidated by wine - the only way to learn is to try!

- The Hello Vino Team