Recently I read an article about wine apps and that got me thinking – are there wine apps for the Midwest? Or do the big brand wine apps even mention Midwest wines like Norton and Chardonel? First off, let me preface this by saying I have an Android phone, so as I was searching I do not have access to iPhone adds.
Android phone wine apps:
Hello Vino
First off, it does list Midwest wines! It even hooks with Facebook & Twitter, so you can let all your friends know what you are drinking. The first screen of the Hello Vino app is, “Get the latest wines?” and you hit “now” or “later.” I like that this app has wine and food pairing ideas, plus suggestions if you aren’t sure which wine to purchase. You can search for a wine by meal, occasion, taste preference or variety. For example, if you are having Greek food, you are then directed to a menu where you choose what type of Greek dish. I chose a Greek salad and was suggested several Pinot Grigio’s: 3 at a “value” price under $10 and one “acclaim” Pinot Grigio that was $10.99. After you check each one out, you can then save the wine to your favorites so you can pick it up from your wine store later. Very cool. I wasn’t able to get any Midwest wines in the results, but perhaps if more wineries send in their info to Hello Vino? You can also upload your own wine photos and rate each wine. Overall the way this app functions it is my favorite.
Vivino:
First off, you can scan wines and sync with Vivino.com. You can also follow your other friends that use the Vivino app. It lists where you can buy the wine nearby, grapes, food pairings, serving tips and tasting notes from others. You can see the most recent updates from everyone using the app – pretty cool for random ideas. Ok, so what about Midwest wines? I scanned in my photo of Augusta Norton 2009 and guess what, it popped up. Love that! It came up with 4 out of 5 stars, 3 other people scanned it and I really love that they list serving tips. 59 degrees for red wines. But no place to share what you are drinking. And as a blog writer and social media being so important, that is a let down.
Corkbin:
Seems like a basic app to keep track of your wines. There is an option to see what people nearby our drinking. Only see the local grape Chambourcin, but not nearby. No search button, which as a web designer is annoying. You can share it with friends via social media.
Local Midwest wine apps:
Michigan by the Bottle: This iPhone app catalogs all the Michigan wine your heart may desire. Cost: $2.99
Missouri Wine: This app available for iPhone & Android and covers, you guessed it, Missouri wine. Cost: Free
America’s Wine Trails: This app for iPhone & Android is trying to categorize all of America’s 270 wine trails, plus wineries by state. Cost: Free
Local Wine Events: This app lists all wine events that are in your area. Cost: Free
Only on iPhone’s, but these wine apps sound really cool:
Cor.kz: keep track of your wine cellar
Daily grape: Wine Library TV, Gary Vay-ner-chuk, created this app to allow you to virtually share a glass of wine with him through a daily video.
Wine DJ: music to match your spirits
Suggestions?
Do you use a wine app to keep track of wines you have had? Leave a comment and let us know!
This month's wine book club pick is:
