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If you have a budding interest in wine, you’ve probably heard of Vivino, the app that allows users to scan the label of any bottle and call up reviews from other users. With 65 million downloads across the globe, it’s also the world’s largest online wine marketplace boasting a database of over 100 million ratings and reviews.
On Sep 19, Vivino’s first retail store in the world will soft-open on the first level of Raffles City.
The store is opening in partnership with Singapore company Wine Portal, a wine distributor in seven countries that is also behind wine bars Park90 and GrandCru Wine Concierge, as well as e-commerce platform Grand Cru.
Launched in Copenhagen in 2010 by Heini Zachariassen and Theis Sondergaard, Vivino, now headquartered in the United States, was started “with the mission to democratise wine, allowing everyone to rate and review the wines they try”, said Morten Fillipsen, vice president, Vivino’s Global Commerce.
“The idea originated from a desire to make wine accessible and enjoyable for all, providing users with personalised suggestions, a community-driven rating system and a vast marketplace. It started as a digital platform to bridge the gap between wine lovers and the complex world of wine, making it easier to discover and enjoy quality wines.”
Vivino’s physical store aims “to disrupt the traditional wine retail industry by offering a unique, technology-driven retail experience that combines the best of digital innovation with the tactile, engaging nature of in-person shopping,” said Tracy Koo, CEO of Wine Portal.
The over 100 wine labels available at the Vivino Wine Shop will be curated based on Vivino’s extensive data on Singaporeans’ preferences, with more than 95 per cent of the wines carrying a Vivino rating of over 4.0. Prices will range from S$19.90 to S$555.
The store will also feature exclusive access to some of the top 1 per cent of all wines in the world as voted by Vivino’s community. Vivino’s global best-sellers such as Felix Solis Mucho Mas Tinto NV, Astrale Special Edition and Hans Greyl Sauvignon Blanc will be brought to Singapore for the first time.
Spanning 2,000 sq ft (186 sq m), the store will also have a wine bar offering a selection of wines by the glass curated on rotation, starting at S$8 per glass. There’ll also be tapas from S$12.
At “Vivino Recommends” kiosks, customers can take interactive wine quizzes that leverage Vivino’s crowdsourced information about the taste profiles of wines. They will receive personalised recommendations for wines that closely match their palate, based on Vivino’s extensive database of over 100 million user ratings and reviews.
But if you’re the social sort, the store will also host events and activities, including opportunities to meet with winemakers, wine tastings and workshops. Planned events include a tasting with Tuscan wine producer Frescobaldi on Oct 27 and a showcase of Tuscan wine estate Barbanera on Nov 27. And a “Vivino Tasting Club” will offer monthly tasting sessions for new wines.
“The wine retail sector has been slow to adopt integrated digital experiences, and we see a significant opportunity to tap into the digitally savvy consumer base,” Koo said.
“Today’s consumers, especially digital natives, are drawn to experiential shops that offer more than just products – they seek engaging and immersive experiences,” she continued.
“The Vivino flagship store is designed to meet these expectations by providing personalised wine recommendations powered by technology via Vivino Recommends kiosks. This empowers consumers to feel confident about their wine preferences and purchasing choices before pushing the boundaries of their comfort zones to explore and discover more.”
Having a store located in Singapore means that its “strategic location in Southeast Asia positions it as an ideal launchpad for further expansion in the region”, Koo added.
Vivino Wine Shop will soft-open on Sep 19 and open officially on Oct 9 at Raffles City Shopping Centre #01-44B.
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