The wine apps I’ve listed below were specifically developed for use by a smartphone. See also Wine Cellar Software for products that help you manage your cellar. There are other wine apps out there however many provide information that you could get equally well directly from a website so I won’t list them here.
If you have enjoyed a wine at a restaurant or private household and want to buy some, the Vivino app can help you track it down if you can’t get the information any other way. Once you’ve scanned the label, its image recognition software connects the photo to its database and tells you the wine’s rating based on customer reviews, and its average price. Also, if you are at a restaurant and wondering which wine to pick, you can use Vivino to scan the wine list to see the rating and review of each wine on the list. Vivino is free and both Android and Apple versions are available.
According to Jancis Robinson, “it clearly has the largest and cleanest set of data regarding wine labels, and has probably garnered the critical mass to retain its top position almost indefinitely. It is certainly the best choice for anyone who wants the most useful results when scanning a wine label, and it also has a host of handy added features.” See this article on her website for a review of seven wine label scanning apps.
Delectable operates in a similar fashion to Vivino but there are some differences. Vivino has the world’s largest selection of wine, whereas Delectable focuses on featured wine from around the world. Vivino offers wine recommendations based on customer reviews, whereas Delectable also leans heavily on professional reviews. Vivino offers mostly quite affordable wines whereas Delectable has a heavier focus on features. Delectable is free and both Android and Apple versions are available.
Somm
was developed in Toronto and is designed for everyone who appreciates good taste and excellent culinary and hospitality experiences. With the app, you can access special culinary events, private reserves, and monthly wine bundles when you become a Somm Cru or Grand Cru Member. Plus, you can unlock exclusive benefits at top restaurants, boutique hotels, wineries and more. As well, you can put a Sommelier in your pocket with their simple food and wine pairing tool and curate your own digital cellar to save and rate your favourite wines.
The LCBO app allows a customer to search the LCBO’s entire inventory by keyword or item number or by scanning the product code. You can also find see if a product is available at your favourite stores and get serving suggestions. Other features include a store locator to find stores by city or postal code or by using a person’s location; a favourites list for adding products and stores for quick access; and detailed product information. Android and Apple versions are available.
Decanter Know Your Wine
was developed by Decanter magazine from the UK and provides an easy way to learn about wine. It is free to download and comes with over ten free modules. Further modules can either be purchased or acquired via an annual subscription. It is useful for would be sommeliers, those enrolled in a wine course, or simply anyone who would like to expand their wine knowledge. Android and Apple versions are available.