Scanner takes the guesswork out of wine drinking

A new device provides precise measurements of the drinkability of wine.

For those new to oenology, choosing the right wine can be daunting. A new device, developed in a partnership between tech researchers and sommeliers, aims to take the guesswork out of choosing fine wines. Called MyOeno, the pocket smart scanner analyses wines and sends all the information to the user’s smartphone. The scanner, which is designed to be dipped into a glass of wine, uses visible and near-visible spectrum analysis to examine the wine. The device measures the absorption of different wavelengths of light and uses a proprietary algorithm to identify characteristics such as strength, tannins, acidity, and aging.

MyOeno is designed to be used with its free app, which acts as a personal sommelier to users faced with a daunting choice between hundreds of bottles at a store or restaurant. After drinking, users rate each wine and add tasting notes in the app, so that over time MyOeno builds up a personalized profile of the drinker, and can recommend bottles based on their individual likes and dislikes. Users can also take a picture of a label and ask MyOeno to check whether the wine is likely to match their tastes, or enter the wine by keyword and find its acidity, intensity and tannins. The app can also recommend the ideal cellar aging time for each wine.

MyOeno is another in a growing list of devices and apps designed to give almost everyone access to specialist information. These include an app that can spot pancreatic cancer and fitness apps that keep track of your health goals and then send snaps of the fitter you to your social network. MyOeno is currently finishing a round of fundraising on Kickstarter and already has products ready to ship and in stores. with prices starting at around 92 USD. Will app-linked devices like this eventually replace experts in other fields?