In the post-COVID reality start-ups like Palate Club are the future

Despite attempts to ease the lockdown in the US a second wave remains an ever-present threat. Even once the lockdown is eased restaurants and bars will find themselves in a difficult position. People are still often wary of going outside, particularly to crowded places. This means that wine delivery services like Palate Club will become an increasingly important part of everyone’s lives.

A lifeline for wine lovers

The food and wine industry, in particular, has taken a hit, and it would have further suffered if not for delivery services who become the bridge between eateries and patrons who would still like to grab a bite. Moreover, in wine country California, with all its vineyard tours and wine tasting events, to go a day without a bottle of red or white seems wrong. Luckily, a certain wine club can ship your favorite labels to you.

Palate Club is unique in that it uses real data and algorithms in order to send you wine that is personalized to your palate. Through its namesake app, users can rate wines they like and discover more about their tastes. The more you interact and evaluate bottles sent to you, the more your profile is developed—thanks to artificial intelligence.

Just as Spotify recommends music that you might like, or Netflix suggests what to watch next, Palate Club’s secret sauce is its data science. If you’re stuck at home with an empty glass in your hand, fear not—this wine club in California will ship wines to you picked by master sommeliers. And if you happen to say no to a certain label, it will replace that bottle—free of charge.

The ultimate wine experience

Founded by entrepreneur and innovator Nicolas Mendiharat, Palate Club began as a desire to improve the experience of buying wine online. As a connoisseur constantly on the hunt for his next favorite wine, he noticed one thing that’s common in a lot of online wine shops—how overwhelming it is. Often times, one has to sift through a thousand labels and still not arrive at a decision, because there is certain pressure in having to know what you like, while at the same time finding competitive pricing and flexible shipping options.

After joining a lot of wine clubs and still ending up unsatisfied, Mendiharat decided to create his own, with a caveat—he doesn’t want to join the “wine club epidemic” and is determined to cut through the BS of promotional products and flowery wine reviews that, in the end, usually mean nothing. For that very reason, he realized that the only way to do this right is with the innovative use of statistics.

When a bottle, sourced from only the best vineyards all over the world, becomes part of the selection, Palate Club’s experts enters the wine’s detailed profile into the database. Using a formula of more than a hundred of these traits alongside a user’s ratings, the app’s AI calculates the next possible wine to ship to you according to your palate. The more you rate, the more the technology gets smarter. It also reveals additional data about the user—you learn not just what you like, but also why you like it, in the process.

Lockdown doesn’t mean stopping business

With the help of companies who offer delivery options, orders can continue to come in. For restaurants, that might mean partnering with the likes of GrubHub or UberEats. If you prefer to enjoy an adult beverage in the comforts of your home, then wine delivery in L.A. like Palate Club is here to carry out your wishes.

Indeed, the gig economy and direct-to-consumer industry has genuinely influenced the way we shop and consume products. Drivers can drop off food at your doorstep, and wine retail relies on the shipment channel to prop sales. With these services being continually available in a time of pandemic, you’re never lacking for choices. That makes staying indoors a lot easier.

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(Featured image by Pexels via Pixabay)

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