Vivino Wine Scanner is coming back to Windows Phone 8 real soon

Vivino (www.vivino.com (opens in new tab)) is the go-to wine app and service for those who enjoy fine grape potables after a long day of work. It's very popular on iOS and Android because it allows you to use the camera as a scanner to log your collection, including ratings, tips and reviews. That information can then be shared on their network or posted to your Twitter or Facebook. It's similar to Untappd but instead of beer it's for wine.
So why talk about Vivino now? Because in the coming week, give or take a day, the app is getting a significant makeover for Windows Phone 8 and 8.1. Vivino is on Windows Phone 7 already, as we covered the app's release back in February 2011. Unfortunately, the app has had no further updates and like an un-picked grape, it slowly went sour. But that's about to change.
The team behind Vivino though is back and re-invigorated by the recent traction of Windows Phone, and, as a result, they have a whole new app that is in the final stages of preparation. Vivino Wine Scanner is not a web app, but a natively written, fully functional Windows Phone 8 offering with a working camera scanner to log those bottles with ease. I've been running the beta for a few days now and can give the app high marks for design and functionality, including:
- Snap a photo, recognize and save wines. We manually identify the few wines not immediately recognized
- Simple and straightforward - find all you want about wines, prices or ratings
- Add wines to your Wish List to ensure great future experiences - and know where to buy which wines with our Nearby function
- Get personalized recommendations based on your taste
- Connect with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, Gmail or Contacts and be inspired by their wine experiences.
- Browse wines, ratings and reviews from more than 4.5 million users
- Like and comment on their ratings
- Scan offline, we keep your image and resume when you are connected
- Upload old pictures from your photo album and store on your wine list. Know when to drink by adding a Drinking Window to your wines
The app is smooth with a clean design, including some neat transition and animations as you scroll. Vivino also has a paid 'PRO' option via an in-app purchase that will unlock
- PRO: Simple cellar management with My Cellar: Log the wines you own, sort them by price, rating or date and add notes.
- PRO: Get in the Fast Track for manual matching - it really is a fast track.
- PRO: Support Vivino, so we can keep improving the app. Your help is much appreciated.
Vivino is yet another high profile app returning to Windows Phone 8, and I'm super excited about its return. Wine lovers need a good cataloging and recommendation app for Windows Phone, and the team behind have Vivino have, in my opinion, delivered.
Stay tuned as I'll tell you when the app goes live, but as previously mentioned, it's in the final stages of preparation (as some of you beta testers are aware). For now, you can check out our screenshots and get those wine glasses ready.
So who's looking forward to this app's reappearance? Sound off in comments.
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Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.
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Interesting!
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I drink wine from time-to-time but didn't know of this app. I'll give it a try.
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Nice! Happy to see it come back as native, the web app was pretty shocking.
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I've been testing the beta for the past few days it's on par with the iPhone version, very nice app.
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I've been trialling it too - pretty much exactly the same as the Android app - I only need JeFit for WP now and I can ditch my old Android completely
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Great! I'll buy the Pro version
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Nice :) Great interface btw.
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Good to hear, loved this on WP7 and using it on Android at the moment but that will change when it reappears on WP. This looks pretty much identical to the Android version, just with the app bar at the bottom.
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At last! Do you (or the devs if they are listening) know if it will integrate with CellarTracker?
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It doesn't look like it, at least not thru the app.
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what phone is in the picture of this article? ICON? Does it also have a case...? It doesn't look like a 925 with the snap on charger case...
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1520
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Nice. I have the red one. The white one looks good..
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Ah well....Thanks Daniel.
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Always good to know that an app has returned. :)
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Exciting, ill get pro for sure I miss this app on my s5
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Not available in Italy :) ? We all love wine here dude ;)
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App isn't out yet ;) Link is to the old one from 2011.
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I'm an Italophile in Dublin and I love wine too, can't wait for this app.
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My wife is going to be very happy when this app is available. We ran into the CEO of Vivino at the SF Chronicle wine tasting competition in March and asked him about a WP app, "Soon I hope." was the response. Genuinely nice guy. Glad to see it makes sense for them to bring the app back to WP.
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I'm happy to see this app. Hopefully it gets more updates than the old version.
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Finally, used it on WP7, and now on my workphone (Iphone5s), but will use it on my L1020 and buy the PRO version if only to show support.
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Vivino seems to be emailing those that emailed them to complain about the lack of a Windows Phone app asking whether they want to test the app out early (at least I got an email about it). Looks like they're finally taking Windows Phone seriously!
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Nice. I miss this app. (can't get the old app on my Icon).
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Hell yeah!
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Seems slurrier
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Fantastic. As a converted iOS vet this is the best news ever.
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Does this have the Social in app community (not only FB, Twitter, G+,...) similar to Untapped?
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Finally, an app I'm excited about! Love wine so this is just perfect. This can't come soon enough :)
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This is great news. I emailed them about a year ago asking about the update for WP8, and they said they weren't going to do it. Thrilled it's coming back and will pick up the pro version to show support. Great app, and I really miss it.
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Icon USA wont dl
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I had this on Windows Phone 7 and used it a lot. I am really happy to see it come to Windows Phone 8!
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Been waiting for an app like this on WP8! Will be downloading when it is released!
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Yay! I'll buy it as soon as it gets released :)
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FINALLY! :)
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Yes!
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That's great news. I contacted the guys at vivino last year asking them to support windows phone and the replied that the user base I small and doesn't justify developing an app for it due to limited resources. I'm so happy to see that they changed their mind. Thank you
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As an upstate new yorker....gotta love seeing Wegmans in that screenshot. Making moves. And if you didn't know... http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/why-wegmans-is-the-greatest-super...