My Initial Review Of The Vivino Wine App

Being a wine fan, I was eager to try an app I had read about recently. The app, Vivino, proclaims that the user can "take a photo of any wine label to tap into the wisdom of more than 8 million wine lovers."  Who am I to turn down the good advice of so many fellow wine lovers? After downloading the free version of Vivino I headed off to my favorite local wine store (as if I needed another excuse to buy more wine) to put the app to the test.

 

I took photos of thirteen labels, including a photo of two labels together just to see what I would get as a result. Vivino identified 12 of the 13 labels, providing information about the wine, user reviews, and an average price for the chosen bottle. In the case of the photo with two labels Vivino provided information for one of the wines, prompting me to take a photo of the other label, upon which I received information as I had with the others.

Just a few from my budding collection

 

The responses were extremely quick. In the one case in which Vivino did not immediately identify the wine, a vintage produced at a small winery in my area, the app allowed me to submit information identifying the wine and the vineyard.

Vivino also provides lists including "Best wines over $20 right now" and "Best wines under $20 right now" as well as "5 wines from the world's smallest wine country."

While I am just getting started with the Vivino app, I am completely satisfied with my experience thus far and look forward to using it on future wine shopping excursions. The free version of the Vivino wine app exceeded my expectations and I have already recommended it to many of my wine loving friends. I'm considering an upgrade to the Pro version as well.

More thoughts and ramblings on twitter @MattBellWrites

The Vision Board: Charting Your Path Through 2015 And Beyond

Several weeks ago many of us set new goals or resolutions. Lose weight. Save money. Be kinder. Travel more. The intent is usually to improve upon something. Sadly, resolutions will often be broken and goals may remain unattained as we progress into 2015.

I have found myself in this quandary as well. This year I am doing something different. I always write my goals down but this time I also established my Vision Board.

I wish I could take credit for this idea but, alas, I borrowed it from a friend. The idea is fairly simple but rather ingenious in my opinion and I don't know why I never thought of it.

My Vision Board is a place where I put reminders for all of my short, medium, and longer term goals AND it is in a place I will set it every day. I hung a large magnetic dry erase board by my desk in my home office and went to work.

I need to lose some weight so I wrote down my goal weight for each month. I wanted to increase my physical silver holdings this year so I put a picture of silver coins on my board. Photos of the books I will read and the places I plan to travel to are found on my board. My garage redo goal is up there, complete with pictures of the garage I want. All this in addition to my usual practice of writing my goals down elsewhere.

2016: Rocky Mountains or Bust!

I also wrote the names and numbers of a few of my most important contacts, people that I can call and rely on to get me going on the occasion I may need a swift kick in the butt. I even have branched out to next year, putting a trout magnet on the board to remind me of the fishing trip I am taking in 2016. And of course a picture of my wife and children to remind me why I do what I do.

Most importantly I see this board every morning before I head to the office. As I begin the day checking email, contacting friends, and reading some news, I look at my Vision Board and review my goals. Three weeks into the year and I find it helps. Perhaps most of all I enjoy charting my progress on the board to remind me of goals I have already accomplished this year.

More thoughts and ramblings on twitter @MattBellWrites