A new Chicago startup has launched to help connect the city's restaurants and wine shops with boutique wineries.
Taylored Wines, an online platform aimed at making wholesale wine buying easier, officially launched Wednesday and already has an impressive client list. Restaurants like Chicago Cut and Mastro's Steakhouse, along with wine shops like Knightsbridge Wine Shoppe and Lush Wine & Spirits, have started using the service to find wines.
Here's how it works: Buyers browse the site and search by varietal or winery, and they can view wine region, tasting notes, suggested food pairings, pricing, and other details. Users can also schedule an in-person tasting and buy wine within the platform.
“Wine aficionados in Chicago absolutely love to unearth unique wines,” Taylored Wines Founder Rachel Portell said in a statement. “We have developed a more efficient and convenient way for wine buyers to discover, taste and order the kind of exceptional boutique wine that connoisseurs have come to expect. We have the opportunity to revolutionize the future of boutique wine distribution benefitting both high quality wine producers and wine buyers.”
Portell noted that the wine industry has been slow to embrace technology, with taste scheduling and orderings largely taking place over the phone. The Taylored Wines platform will give a digital portal to buyers, and will give wineries a new way to showcase their offerings.
Taylored Wines' portfolio currently includes wines from boutique wineries in both Napa Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
The company says it plans to expand its offerings to include additional wine regions from more countries, and it expects to be in other U.S. markets this year.
Images courtesy of Taylored Wines
