By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Considering that there is an app for almost anything these days - chess, push-ups, board games, restaurants, pro sports - it only makes sense that wine regions will roll out apps as well. By "app," we're referring to an application for our wonderful wireless technology.
This week, Finger Lakes Wine Country launched their own app, which can be downloaded for free.
So how is it?
I prefer to let readers check it out and answer that question in the comments section. But I'll start with some quick feedback:
It looks very nice. A series of appealing images scroll through. More importantly, it's easy to use. Half a dozen menu items are cleanly presented, allowing users to check out upcoming events, search maps of the Finger Lakes for wineries, and more.
My favorite is a tool called "nearby me" that pinpoints the user's location (if they choose to divulge it) and then lists precise distances to nearby attractions.
So how is the wine section? In a word, solid.
A series of maps helps users find dining spots, wineries, places to stay and things to do. And it's reasonably comprehensive. The maps are easy to use, with push buttons denoting each location.
The listings for specific wineries need some work. Users get an address, phone number, and map listing - all good. But they should also get a listing of tasting room hours right at the top. And the biographical section is a one-paragraph blob; it contains wonderful information but is hard to get through without paragraphs.
So my early verdict is that this is a clever design and another nice step toward regional relevance. But I'm no tech expert.
What say you?