The global venture accelerator Monaco Foundry has signed on a new startup, Yes We Wine. Founded in 2019, the app is the first collaborative platform entirely dedicated to wine professionals and enthusiasts, specialized in analyzing tasting notes and providing strategic recommendations in real-time.
The two cofounders, both 38, are industry professionals who one day over drinks in New York were discussing how they stored hundreds of tasting books in various drawers and closets. “So much of the information about wine becomes lost because you cannot possibly memorize it all so we decided to become the Vivino for wine professionals,” says Greg Mckensie.
The pair have 30 years combined international experience (the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, France) heading development of French wines. “We have been able to work for all French brands and unions and know perfectly the international markets and how they function, as well as the working habits of professionals and the chateaux,” highlights Vincent Mercier.
They raised €150,000 in funds and in two years brought Yes We Wine to market, offering truly state- of-the-art digital solutions, from digital tasting to remote tasting and from notebook to data analysis software. “We want to offer the best digital tools for professionals in the wine and spirits sector to become the leader in this niche market, and generate $1 million by 2023,” Mckensie states.
With a turnover of €50,000, the app counts some 4,000 professional users in 70 countries, with clients including Grands Crus de Bordeaux, Grands Vins du Médoc, Millesima, Best Sommelier of Belgium and WSET (the largest global provider of wine and spirits qualifications). A partnership with VINEXPO is also in the cards. “Wine professionals can now view which markets most taste their wines, identify the type of client and precisely analyze tasting notes for a given wine or vintage—all at their fingertips,” describes Mercier. Additionally, the app owners are “proud” to have been identified by the Microsoft for Startups program.
“Why use a paper notebook to write down tasting comments when the latest digital technologies know our tastes better?” Mckensie asks. “Remember Michelin roadmaps? Today we have Waze ...”