Power to the Punter

Technology is fast empowering the consumer when it comes to engagement, purchasing decisions, driving innovation and shaping the market, with accessible gadgets, widgets, apps and other advances changing the way wine is shipped, sold, delivered and even drunk. 

Talking about the future: The Alexa effect

With intelligent personal assistants helping consumer engagement to become increasingly human and conversational, Jo Gilbert asks what’s in store for wines and spirits

Tech start-up bids to demystify ‘baffling’ supermarket wine aisles

A tech start-up is looking to re-engage affluent 20-somethings with wine by expanding its app’s reach into the supermarket wine aisles.

Buying wine in the home of the future

Are you being served by AI?

Jo Gilbert tracks how artificial intelligence is emerging from the shadows, along with augmented reality, to become the ultimate interactive collaborator

Smarter moves: Spotlight on Vivino

Jo Gilbert caught up with Heini Zachariassen, founder of the world’s most downloaded wine app Vivino, on how it has made the leap from information-sharing platform to marketplace

Bricks versus clicks

The same dopamine hit experienced alongside multiple likes on Facebook is shaping shopping habits online as well as in bricks-and-mortar retail stores. Jo Gilbert reports

Learning from China

Jo Gilbert looks at the opportunity for wine among the world’s biggest online consumer group and its growing appetite for western provenance

Climate change: The greatest threat to humanity

Extreme weather has wreaked havoc on the winemaking world this year. Jo Gilbert traces these events back to the effects of climate change and the global impact of an increasingly CO2-laden planet

CIVB goes social with new winter ad campaign

Vins de Bordeaux is releasing a new ad campaign focused on digital formats and social media with the hope of engagining "younger" audiences. 

The battle against frost

Frost is one of the greatest threats to wine producers. Jo Gilbert looks at the technology being developed to keep this unwanted vine visitor at bay 

The rise of the virtual sommelier

Last month we talked about virtual reality. This month we look at augmented reality and artificial intelligence and how the big tech companies are poised to bring the sommelier into the home. Jo Gilbert reports

Wanderlust e-merchant sets out to help wine-lovers “explore”

New online wine merchant, Wanderlust, is being launched with the aim of bringing as yet undiscovered artisanal wines from around the world to the UK.

Deliveroo-tionary: The partnerships changing the delivery game

Jo Gilbert argues that local link-ups such as Deliveroo’s new alcohol partnerships could change the delivery game

Through the virtual looking glass with Nicolas Feuillatte

Popping on a pair of virtual reality eye-goggles isn’t what I’m used to doing before a vertical tasting.

Getting online: Keeping up with the Amazons

Pick what you want to get from being online and do it well, said our Think Indie, Drink Indie tech experts. Jo Gilbert reports 

How well do you know your wine myths?

Ours is an industry based as much on stories as it is winemaking, and people as much as the wine itself.

Getting ahead in the digital shelf war

With the mind-bogglingly fast growth of online channels, which in the context of many thousands of years of bartering and selling, is still a very new phenomenon, we scope out the e-specialists claiming to help your products fly online.

Ecommerce: What’s the potential for wine?

Jo Gilbert looks at how big the online proposition really is and why the UK is at the forefront of wine online

Nickolls & Perks invests in new software to double online sales

Independent wine and spirit merchant Nickolls & Perks has invested in new wine specific software as part of a strategy to double its online sales in the next two years.