Why Bother Learning About Wine--Use Technology!

We're all for technology that simplifies and informs, but sometimes we see a new service that sounds a little silly to us.

eWine Match, a service of Foster's Wine Estates in Napa, allows you to text message an ingredient or cuisine type to a very easy-to-remember number (411511); the service will respond with a few options that'd fit.

A technical achievement by a local company (FINE Design Group did the underlying work for the service)? To be sure. Seems to us that this takes the fun out of actually trying our wines for yourself, or doing a little prep work before you hit the supermarket.

We can just imagine:

"Hey SFist Jer, what are you cooking tonight?"
"Stew."
"Are you buying wine?"
"Yes! Of course!"
"What kind?"
"I don't know -- let me fire up my phone."

We know we've used this line before when it comes to the intersection of technology and cuisine, but doesn't this make what should be fun and/or educational into something that's static and clinical?

The thought of whipping out our cell phone to see when the bus is coming, or to help give us directions when we're lost? Great. The thought of doing it to help pick a wine? The very thought deflates us.