I know I have this problem, and you probably do too. When trying to perform research on a particular wine you are either looking to purchase, or wanting to understand more about – like scores, tasting notes, production information (vintage, varieties, vineyard, region), etc… how many links do you click throughout various Google pages, only to end up with conflicting or incomplete information? Sometimes, I can’t find the wine at all or something as simple as a label to know I’m looking at the same wine I started out searching for.
Let me direct you to an effort from the wine information and data experts at Cruvee called “OwnIT.” Their charge is to develop a centralized repository for all things wine by allowing wineries and the wine industry to control the information (content, brand and identity) that is disseminated to the world online and ensure it is accurate.
Sounds like a great and worthy cause, but I also work in technology in the financial industry and I know this will be a huge effort. There are many moving parts. The data model is actually the easy part. The hard part will be cleaning the data and getting participation from the required parties. It relies on the industry to take ownership of their online brand identity and the information (or mis-information) out there and get on board. Many wineries already have, but only time will tell when and if others will follow. Do wineries understand the importance of the accuracy of their identity online? Historically, wineries have been slow to embrace technology. It also relies that online businesses (marketers, e-tailers, blogs, online communities, etc.) on the other end to consume the information from the service instead of scraping from the dirty data floating around the webworld.
A tough challenge for sure, but worthwhile, for both the wineries’ and the wine consumers’ benefit. I support it and if you want better information and easier access to wine information, you should too.
Cheers!
Great post and we couldn’t agree with you more that this initiative will only work with the wineries taking part and owning their brand identity. Having a single place to facilitate this data will definitely give them a better way to control their message and brands. We further believe that this FREE service will also break the hesitations, if not be a catalyst, for wineries to adopt new technology.
Thanks for the post, we are excited to have wineries embrace this movement. OwnIT!
Good stuff, Evan. I wish you and your team and partners much luck and let me know how I can help.
Ed, I have to say I’m impressed. Your content is improving by the day. You may even be getting a little too nerdy for wine geeks…just kidding.
Thanks, Theo! I appreciate that… yes, I am a little nerdy on the wine side, but a) I enjoy that stuff and b) I think it’s a little niche that separates me from others… though, we’ll see how many find any of it interesting
You should see more from me soon as the Atlanta Wine Bars Examiner also, so stay tuned…
This is way overdue but I am curious to see how it works out!
Cheers!
Atlanta Wine Bar Examiner? Is that a public office?
Let me know if you want any suggestions or need someone to join you.
I will probably take you up on that offer Theo… feel free to send me an email with some recommendations of some of your favorite wine bars and we’ll go hit them all.