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WineAlign trying to uncork the potential of online communities

Blog TO writes about Toronto startup, WineAlign, a website that allows users to discuss and review wines on the LCBO shelf. Founded by Toronto entrepreneur Bryan McCaw, WineAlign has accumulated over 11,000 members since its launch in late-2008.

"Bryan is one of those entrepreneurs who had an Oprah "Aha!" moment that led to building a business. He's a serial entrepreneur and after selling his second business he went to the LCBO to find a bottle of wine to celebrate. "I paid $100 for it, there was no interaction, I brought it home and it tasted bad," he says. "So that was the real inspiration for WineAlign." He says the site answers the question "What wine do I buy today?" whether someone is looking for the best Cabernet Sauvignon or something to pair with salmon."

"WineAlignThe site is integrated with LCBO inventory, so users enter search parameters including how much they want to spend, the type of wine they're looking for and where they're located. The site returns a list of wines in-stock at the closest store that match that criteria. Users can also read reviews from top wine critics and submit their own reviews - something McCaw says sets his site apart. "We differentiate by allowing users to vary the influence of wine critics and other users on their wine results; this is the "Align" part of WineAlign. Users can review their own wines and those reviews form a part of the aggregate wine score."

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original source Blog TO
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