Wine lovers are exploring new flavours and discovering more about the wines in their glasses at this year’s Standard Bank Private WineX, where technology is helping visitors navigate the tasting experience.

The annual wine show is under way at the Sandton Convention Centre, bringing together wine producers and enthusiasts for an opportunity to sample different wines, learn about varieties and engage with the people behind the labels.

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Running from October 28 to 30, the event features 120 exhibitors and 700 wines, offering visitors a wide selection of wine styles and regions to explore.

App tailors tasting recommendations

One of the developments at this year’s event is the introduction of the Smart Event Guide, an artificial intelligence-powered tool designed to help visitors find wines that suit their tastes and interests.

Developed by Cape Town-based technology company Smart Operator, the guide allows visitors to use their phones to explore the event layout, find producers and receive recommendations based on their flavour preferences, curiosity and budget.

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Technology connects enthusiasts with winemakers

The technology also provides an educational element to the tasting experience. Visitors can access prompts to help them identify wine characteristics, understand wine terminology and prepare questions for winemakers.

Smart Operator CEO Fasie Malherbe said the aim was to use the technology to encourage personal interaction rather than distract visitors from it.

“The Smart Event Guide is designed so you can put your phone away,” Malherbe explained. “Every recommendation points you toward a person: a winemaker to meet, a question to ask them, a wine to share.”

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