iPhone App Review: Pocket Wine

I’m raising a glass to the Pocket Wine iPhone App – I absolutely love it, Salud! From beginner wine drinkers to expert wine connoisseurs, and everyone in between, this wine app is a fabulous, user-friendly, simply informative tool for wine enthusiasts of all levels.

Based on describing wines in six different styles, users are easily able to identify common (or uncommon) wines with one of those styles. Three white styles are described as Aromatic, Crisp or Rich, and three red styles are described as Fruity, Smooth or Powerful. Clicking on any of the six styles will bring up a lengthy list of wines that fall under that particular category. Click on Aromatic, and some of the wines you’ll find are Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc and Albarino. Click on Powerful, and the wines listed include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Nebbiolo – to name a few. Clicking on any of the varietals will bring up detailed information of the typical characteristics associated with that wine; including, aromas, flavors, body style and a brief history on the grape – where it’s grown, when it should be consumed, and common food pairings. The information is direct, easy to understand, and in no way overwhelming.

But, this wine app has so much more. Aside from the six different styles, there is a Grapes tab that lists varietals from A to Z, starting with Agiorgitiko and ending with Zweigelt. Click on any of varietals for its detailed information. A search bar can be used to look up a flavor, a country, a wine region or an appelation; in addition to, food or meals or pairings for certain food or meals. There is also a Food tab, which helps users pair meats, seafood, pasta, pizza salads and more – there’s even a very handy Do’s and Don’ts section which simply explains good food and wine matches, as well as, bad food and wine matches.

Another tab that is a great feature for beginner wine drinkers is My Taste. The My Taste function was developed to give users an indication of what their preference is in relation to the six styles (Aromatic, Crisp, Rich, Fruity, Smooth, Powerful) described in the Pocket Wine App. This function allows users to create a unique profile based on their answers to a food preference questionnaire. The users answers to the questionnaire will be categorized, using percentages, on what styles may be best suited to their tastes. My answers showed that I would most likely prefer Rich white wines and Smooth and Powerful red wines. Quite accurate, indeed.

The information provided in the Pocket Wine iPhone App is straightforwardly and unpretentiously useful – every function has a relevance. It is truly an enjoyable portal to the incredibly wonderful world of wine. I highly recommend it! Cheers all.

The Pocket Wine App is designed for both iPhone and iPad. It’s downloadable for $3.99 – well worth the cost. To download this App from the iTunes store, click here.