- Story by David Wylie Photography by Darren Hull
In the mood for a wine that pairs perfectly with a date night? How about a summer party? A bath? Networking event? Relaxing with your dog?
TasteAdvisor has a few suggestions just for you.
The wine app, which is set for release this summer, helps people discover new wines by making recommendations based on personal preferences. It suggests wines, wineries, tasting routes, events and relevant deals B次元官网网址� all based on your taste.
ItB次元官网网址檚 comparable to Spotify, a popular service that learns the kind of music people like and recommends songs that fit the mood.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad IB次元官网网址檝e had Spotify to help me find songs, but I needed something to help me find wine,B次元官网网址� says the Alyssa Farr, who is the Okanagan-based founder of the app.
The app takes into account price-point, style, flavour, and sweetness levels, among other factors. A diverse set of characteristics define the wines that individuals like. Alyssa says she and her team have been working for over a year to find out what makes people decide what they look for in a wine.
B次元官网网址淲e learn as you go along about what you start to like,B次元官网网址� says Alyssa. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檒l be able to search through the database and look for genres and categories B次元官网网址� like best for a wedding, best for a date night, best organic, for my dog and me B次元官网网址� so you can try wines that really suit your profile.B次元官网网址�
Those who adopt the app are referred to as B次元官网网址渢astersB次元官网网址� rather than B次元官网网址渦sers.B次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 a B次元官网网址渞ecommended for youB次元官网网址� section, with wines that meet each tasterB次元官网网址檚 unique criteria, and tasters can rate wines, take notes, make curated lists (like B次元官网网址淏est Reds of the OkanaganB次元官网网址�) and then share their lists with friends.
TasteAdvisor will have info on wine prices and availability, like whether a bottle is sold only at the winery, if itB次元官网网址檚 for wine club members only, or if the item is a quick seller.
B次元官网网址淭hose are pretty important if you are a lover of local wines,B次元官网网址� says Alyssa.
The app helps eliminate the 50/50 chance people take when they pick up a bottle, especially when there are no tasting notes on the label. It also taps into the feedback of its tasters. Alyssa, who herself prefers full-bodied wines, says the team is working on a system to weigh wine ratings more heavily for people who prefer the style of wine they are reviewing.
TasteAdvisor has been in development for three years. During the first half of the process, Alyssa undertook exploration and research to make something that solved industry pain points while simultaneously being fun for its tasters. The second half was spent building the team, setting up the infrastructure and making countless revisions.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 a core Okanagan-based team of four behind the app, including Alyssa, whose prior ventures include a construction company and a manufacturing business. The team also includes wine researcher Darcen Esau, branding and marketing expert Linsey Reimer, and marketing, culture and events pro Cheryl Molenaar. The app development team is based in Ontario.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never done something like this,B次元官网网址� says Alyssa. B次元官网网址淢y construction background really was helpful because IB次元官网网址檓 working with the digital builders of this world instead of the physical builders. ItB次元官网网址檚 the same thing, in that you really need to know what your designs are, have a good drawing and make sure you communicate B次元官网网址� or you might not end up with the house you wanted.B次元官网网址�
Originally from Belleville, Ontario, Alyssa moved to the Okanagan 13 years ago. She initially wanted to be a teacher, but decided instead to learn the skills that would allow her to build businesses.
Taking to heart a suggestion that she look at something in the wine sector, Alyssa was determined to create something scalable and rooted in tech. She dedicated over a year to trying to understand the key problems of the industry.
Most wineries are small, often with too little production for retail and not nearly enough to be sold out of province. Building a winery is capital intensive and takes a long time to get a return. ItB次元官网网址檚 highly legislated, with regulations around both food production and alcohol sales. There are also retail and hospitality elements.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted to do something that would support them being more sustainable by helping these small businesses B次元官网网址� who are running four different types of businesses in one B次元官网网址� so that the rest of us can just wander down the road and find things that we love,B次元官网网址� says Alyssa.
B次元官网网址淚 really want to support the entrepreneurial spirit.B次元官网网址�
While the app helps tasters find the right wine for their unique palates, it also helps local wineries connect with customers. Alyssa says thatB次元官网网址檚 a win-win and notes that there is nothing else like this on the market.
Currently, Vivino is the most popular wine app available.
B次元官网网址淚t focuses more on the 100-point system, which is based on the palate of a handful of people,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淥ur tagline is B次元官网网址楾aste What You LikeB次元官网网址� because we think wine is what you like it to be. ItB次元官网网址檚 not about snobbery and itB次元官网网址檚 not about one personB次元官网网址檚 perspective.B次元官网网址�
On the verge of the appB次元官网网址檚 official launch, Alyssa has been doing walk-throughs of it to get feedback. Prior to its official release, 2,000 people are already interested in downloading it.
The industry launch has given wineries, tour companies and retailers a chance to submit their profiles, tour routes and other info for inclusion on the web and mobile platform.
B次元官网网址淥ur goal is to support wine-growing regions across Canada and eventually in other countries,B次元官网网址� Alyssa says.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping that people will use the app regularly when they go tasting; theyB次元官网网址檒l use it when theyB次元官网网址檙e at a dinner party B次元官网网址� they can tap it, rate it and say, B次元官网网址業 love this, I really want to get it again,B次元官网网址� and put it in their cellar.
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