QR Codes are cropping up everywhere: on menus, posters, even business cards. The wine industry is beginning to venture into QR Code territory, as well.
So should you scan that QR Code on your wine bottle? Yes! Here’s why.
Benefits of a QR Code on a Wine Bottle
A QR Code, short for “Quick Response” Code, enables a user to instantly obtain information simply by scanning the QR Code with a mobile device. The QR Code can take the consumer to the winery’s website, share recipes, offer discounts or promotions, and introduce the winemaker/owner via video.
“[It’s] a quick and easy way for consumers to learn about the specific product they are holding in their hand and creating direct communication with the winery,” says Robert Sherwood, CCP/President of Holoshape Products and a team leader at Real Provenance, which provides QR Codes and related services for wines, ciders, and spirits.
QR Code on Your Wine BottleQR Code on Your Wine Bottle
Consumers will also have a permanent record of what they’re drinking on their cell phones because they’ve scanned the Code, says Fred Reno, CEO/President of Thomas Jefferson Wine Company and another team leader of Real Provenance.
A QR Code on your wine bottle additionally helps a winery ensure that the information a consumer receives is accurate.
“Often if you go to a tasting room the manager tells you things that are not true. This way there’s not a filter. There’s no salesperson making stuff up,” says Reno.
“You don’t want the consumer to walk away with wrong or incomplete information,” he adds.
There’s another benefit for both the consumer and the winery: QR Codes reduce wine fraud, a rampant problem in the wine industry.
For instance, Real Provenance’s QR Code includes a hologram that not only catches a consumer’s eye but also provides anti-counterfeit protection.
“We authenticate the codes and can identify if a Code is cloned,” says Sherwood.
Note that the amount of information in a QR Code can vary. Many QR Codes on wine bottles are static, simply taking the consumer to the winery’s website. Real Provenance’s system provides more content and data analytics.
“Our QR Codes are on steroids,” says Sherwood.
The first winery to implement the Real Provenance system, which launched in late 2021, is DuCard Vineyards, in Etlan, Virginia.
“I’m 99% direct to consumer and we tell our story extensively at the testing room, But when my wine is in a restaurant, I’m not there to provide the consumer with fun and interesting information. With this technology, a diner can scan the QR Code and watch a video I recorded. I become the diner’s personal sommelier and the diner gets to hear the whole story – the aromatics, history, awards and more,” says Scott Elliff, founder and owner of DuCard Vineyards, which is just beginning to use the Codes.
“It’s a new way of connecting with the customer, which is what we’re all about,” he notes.
Small But Growing Trend
Curious, I made a point of looking for QR Codes the next time I went to our local wine retailer. I could find only two wines that had QR Codes. But both contained memorable videos; Siduri’s was particularly quirky and fun to watch.
So go ahead and scan that QR Code on your wine bottle. Go exploring. These Codes contain a lot of information and can be entertaining.
A QR Code on your wine bottle may not change your wine buying habits, but it will enhance your understanding of the wine you’re drinking and provide some added fun.
We hope this information about whether you should scan that QR Code on your wine bottle helps you out. Please let us know what wine bottle QR Codes you’ve come across and what you’ve thought of them.
Have any suggestions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to send us a message at info@winewithourfamily.com.
