Bibendum app re-launch aiming to become the Instagram of the wine world

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 04 July, 2016

Bibendum is re-launching its educational wine app, Plonk, with the aim of re-creating the success of photo-led social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Now that the merger with Conviviality is well on its way, the supplier is aiming to create an "engaged community of wine drinkers" via their app, with more capabilities to help consumers remember what they were drinking at parties and other social occasions.

Bibendum says the photo-centric app will help users remember the wine by remembering the moment at which they were drinking it, with the opportunity to to record the name, vintage, grape varieties and flavours in the wine alongside the photo and the name of the occasion, so they can go back and re-discover the wine the day after.

Users can also browse photos posted by others in the same way that they can on Instagram, Tumblr and others photo-centered social media apps.

Brenda Kelly, head of marketing at Bibendum said photography, social media and wine go hand-in-hand.

"Most wine apps allow you to capture and keep wine information, but they don't necessarily address what you were doing when experiencing it. We don't think of wine in isolation, it's always within the context of a great experience with friends and family," she said.

"We want to remember both the wine and the moment and that's where Plonk comes in. With Plonk, we can build a gallery of wine moments and then be able to look back, browse and relive those moments all over again."

Bibendum says the educational element of the app will remain and has been updated, including information on different grape varieties, quirky facts about grapes and styles and recommended food matches.

But, going forward, the app will focus on the "fun side" of wine, following the rise in popularity of photo-led social media platforms with consumers of all ages.

"Despite the fact that lots of people regularly drink wine, restaurant wine lists and the wall of wines on the supermarket shelves continue to intimidate and overwhelm," Kelly, added

"Unlike any wine apps currently on the market, Plonk taps in to the fun side of wine by tapping into the social occasion, helping users grow in confidence and making learning part of the fun when they are out and drinking."

Plonk users can take the Taste Test to find out the kinds of wines they might like to drink; create a gallery of photos from any wine occasion, tag what they've been drinking, rate it and share it via Facebook or Twitter; explore other wine lovers' photos; and discover more about grapes, styles and food matches.

The app also helps users find out more about their favourite grapes and food matches.

Plonk is available now via the App Store and Google Play.

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