We've seen several innovations at the intersection of wine and technology, including Aromicon's "virtual taste search engine," which we featured just last week. Dutch startup 94wines is now bringing a new technological twist to the table, so to speak, by offering a line of numbered and colour-coded wines that can be personalized with digital content.

Launched a week ago, 94wines offers a line of French wines in which each variety is indicated by a number and a bottle colour rather than a name linked to its maker, vintage or region. Consumers begin by taking a short quiz of six questions regarding their likes and dislikes. That, in turn, produces their personal WineID, which can then be used to guide their choices from among the company's series of wines. The use of numbers and colours makes wine preferences easy to remember, while personal ID profiles allow friends to see each other's preferences for gift-giving purposes.

Perhaps even more interesting, however, is that—much the way Enthusem allows consumers to create printed greeting cards with digital attachments—94wines customers can attach electronic content to any bottle of wine. Upon placing an order, they simply upload a text, photo or video file (one is allowed per bottle of wine), which 94wines stores on its server. 94wines then converts that content into a QR code, which it attaches to the bottle. (QR codes are included on all 94wines bottles, so if consumers don't upload their own content, the company includes a standard message instead.) Recipients can view the attached content using their mobile phone's camera or by entering the code at 94wines.com. There's also a free 94wines application for iPhones that includes an advanced QR reader along with the WineID test, an overview of the 94Wines assortment and the ability to view the profiles of friends. Per-bottle pricing at 94wines ranges between EUR 5.99 and EUR 9.99, with no extra charge for personalization.

Another shining example of the OFF=ON trend, 94wines currently delivers primarily within the Netherlands, with delivery elsewhere in Europe by request only. One to partner with or emulate for personalization-happy oenophiles in other parts of the world...? (Related: Wine tastings via Twitter — Selling wine by sms — Wine tastings, smart cards included.)

Website: www.94wines.com
Contact: info@94wines.com

Spotted by: Angelique Brinkman

While over a billion people live without clean water, the world is drowning in the waste of millions of water bottles. The Hydros Bottle could provide a simple solution. Available for the US market by the end of the year, the 700 ml bottle features an integrated filter that cleans water as you drink. The bottle was originally developed by the University of Pennsylvania to provide purified water to increasingly mobile, urban people in the developing world. However, the researchers discovered water quality problems closer to home, with high levels of heavy metals and toxins in the tap water in some areas of the States.

The Hydros Bottle's filter reduces arsenic, particulate and dissolved lead, mercury, copper, chlorine and cadmium, which is more than some well-known household filters. The company is also aiming to wean Americans off bottled water by outlining the potential savings: at USD 6, one recyclable filter lasts for 320 refills, amounting to a saving of over USD 500 compared to bottled water. The bottle plus one filter costs USD 25; replacement filters are USD 6 each. Hydros Bottle is treated to prevent odours and can be branded with company logos. (Note that bottles with different types of integrated filters are available for the outdoor sports market; see Trailspace for an overview.)

Hydros Bottle's plans to develop a customizable filter for the developing world are temporarily on hold, but the company is still actively engaged in projects to promote worldwide access to potable water. One to partner with locally? (Related: Reusable water bottle flattens and folds when empty — Generator turns plastic bottles back into oil.)

Website: www.hydrosbottle.com
Contact: www.hydrosbottle.com/contact.php

Spotted by: Eduardo Orozco

Much the way Dulcinea delivers sustainably baked goods once a week to busy New Yorkers, so Le Dolci aims to do the same for time-pressed Londoners.

While food-of-the-month clubs are not uncommon in North America, Le Dolci offers what it says is London's first weekly cake club. Launched in September, the bakery uses seasonal, organic, free-range and fair-trade ingredients whenever possible in the creation of its biscotti, scones, brownies, pies, Sicilian treats and more. Members of the club get a bundle of home-baked goodness delivered to their doorstep each Friday; it's a different assortment each week, but members can tell Le Dolci of any dislikes so as to avoid disappointments. Three subscription levels are available: Mini, with four to six servings each week for GBP 14 plus delivery; Mezza Luna, with seven to 10 servings for GBP 20 plus delivery; and Grande, with 11 to 15 servings for GBP 30 plus delivery.

So that takes care of New York and London; who will offer a weekly delivery service for sweet-toothed foodies in other parts of the world...?

Website: www.ledolci.co.uk
Contact: info@ledolci.com

Private wine cellars are typically associated with the upper echelons of society, limited as they tend to be to large, old and expensive houses. A UK company aims to change all that, however, with a precast storage system that can be installed in virtually any room of any house.

Spiral Cellars are watertight storage spaces that can be sunk into the ground in an existing ground floor room or incorporated into the build of an extension or new property. Capable of storing almost 1,900 bottles of wine, the spiral-shaped systems rely on the surrounding earth for insulation but also employ a unique air-flow system to maintain constant temperature without requiring any power. Three size options are available, ranging from the Mini Cellar—capable of storing at least 650 bottles—up to the White Spiral Cellar, which can accommodate up to 1,870 bottles. Pricing begins at GBP 9,200. A variety of trap door styles and optional extras such as LED lighting are also available.

Spiral Cellars has installed more than 23,000 Spiral Cellars in France and the UK over the last 25 or so years; one to bring to the growing ranks of oenophiles in other parts of the world...? (Related: Urban tasting room plays host to 8 local wineries — Wine selling & storytelling.)

Website: www.spiralcellars.co.uk
Contact: info@spiralcellars.com

Few would dispute the benefits of eating locally grown food, both for the environment and for human health. Access is the challenge, which is why we've seen such goods sold in vending machines, delivered by bicycle and packed in five-dollar bags for commuters. The latest spotting? Local Dirt, a Wisconsin-based site that connects buyers and sellers of locally grown food nationwide.

Farmers and other vendors begin by creating a profile page to promote their produce, as well as listing the quantities and prices of the products they have to sell. Individual and organizational buyers can then search for local food sellers and products in their area—searching by address, ZIP code or via map—and browsing the listings of those near them. Once they've found something they like, buyers can order food for pick-up at farmers' markets or farms. A purchase order is automatically generated and mailed to them for use in picking up the food and paying the seller. Listing, ordering and bidding on items in Local Dirt is free; yearly memberships for more sophisticated features—such as wholesale capabilities—begin at USD 360.

Whether it's by bringing the food to the consumers or the consumers to the food, there's no doubt the resulting boost for local food consumption is a win-win for everyone—and the planet. One to emulate in your neck of the food-producing woods...?

Website: www.localdirt.com
Contact: www.localdirt.com/contact_us-a194.html

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann