There are a lot of apps out there that have been designed to help take some of the mystery out of picking out a bottle of wine. While several of them are actually quite helpful, I honestly think that the Thumbs Up Wine App may be my favorite, thanks to several features that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
The app was brought to my attention several months ago, but at the time it was only available for iOS and I am unabashedly an Android user, so while I was able to see what the app could offer through the site’s videos, I wasn’t able to actually take it for a test drive myself. That, thankfully, has recently changed, and those of us using Google’s operating system can now take advantage of this app on our phones and tablets as well.
The Thumbs Up Wine App has several features that make it stand out, not the least of which is a listing of what the wine should cost at your store and what the actual value of that wine is. But beyond that, using the app is as simple as clicking on a few buttons to decide what you’re looking for, and the app does the work of providing you with numerous options that fit within the criteria you’ve set forth, including what store you’re in. Check on the video below on how it actually works.
I love the addition of easy to understand tasting notes, and a picture of the bottle to help you find it on shelves lined with bottles that have been designed to stand out. Having used the app to pick out wine at a shop I can speak from experience and say that having the photo helps.
While the free version of the app will help you find wines at your local store, if you’re like me and keep track of just about every bottle you buy, the paid version will definitely appeal to you. By upgrading to the paid version you’re able to add wines to a “My Wine” section that allows you to rate the wines, add notes, and keep track of what you’ve purchased. Here’s a bottle that I’ve already grabbed using the app (review to come later, but short version, it was really good).
While the above image is from My Wine section, it’s the same result you see when pulling up wines in the store, with great notes, average retail price (mine was within a dollar, so close enough), and the real value of the wine. This app is definitely worth trying out, even if you just go with the free version. It’s available in the Google Play store as well as the Apple App store.
