Quini turns wine drinker reactions into real-time data source

Brian Jackson —

[itbusiness.ca] When you first approach Quini’s wine rating Web app or iOS app, its presentation has the appearance of a consumer-facing app. But linger in the app’s more subtle depths, and it finishes with a play to provide real-time data to the wine industry.

Developed by Vancouver-based Rachis Wine Assessment Inc., Quini began as an interactive tool that its wine-loving founders envisioned would help users learn about wine. The mobile app and web tool launched just last month seeks to help consumers pick out a bottle from the racks at the wine store, then rate it across different attributes in categories covering three senses – appearance, aroma, and taste – plus the wine’s complexity and an overall opinion. Along the way they’ll expand their wine vocabulary and learn more about what it is they like – or don’t like – about the wine drinking experience.

Quini is available as a free download on iPhone and iPad, and the web tool is also free to access. That’s because the business model comes from monetizing anonymized consumer data rather than selling the app to consumers, explains Quini CEO Roger Noujeim. He sees an opportunity to provide wineries, wine distributors, and large restaurant chains with a real-time, user-generated data set.