Encouraging consumers to try new wines is a goal that has united vintners around the globe for many years, as evidenced by the trial-sized tubes, wine-tasting games, and technology-enhanced wine bars and wine tastings we've covered. Working along similarly cooperative lines, a bricks-and-mortar tasting room recently opened in San Francisco that promotes the wines of eight boutique producers through a series of dedicated tasting stations.

Launched last fall, the Press Club is a tasting cellar located at the foot of the Four Seasons Hotel in the heart of San Francisco. Featuring both a common area and eight winery-exclusive tasting bars, the Press Club incorporates the best efforts of eight different Northern California vineyards, each of which is represented onsite by its own employees: the Chateau Montelena Winery, the Fritz Winery, Hanna Winery & Vineyards, Landmark Vineyards, Miner Family Vineyards, Mount Eden Vineyards, Pahlmeyer and Saintsbury. Patrons at the Press Club can taste flights offered by any of the individual wineries, or they can mix and match among them. A menu of accompanying bite-sized treats, meanwhile, draws from a selection of savory delights and sweet surprises inspired by the fresh fruits, produce and dairy of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The Press Club's social experience caters to individual wine enthusiasts, friendly gatherings and private group events. Wine is also available by the bottle for retail sale.

Much like the online efforts of Naked Wines, the Press Club's focus on local producers creates a unique bouquet that blends not just excellent wines and tryvertising but also a heady dose of (still) made here appeal. And while its model is particularly well-suited to the urban areas close to wine country, there's nothing to say such an establishment couldn't do stunningly well in, say, Chicago or London, as long as the right partnerships were in place. One to emulate—with vintners' blessings—for wine lovers near you! (Related: Urban winery & wine bar in NYC.)

Website: www.pressclubsf.com
Contact: www.pressclubsf.com/contact/contact-us

If wine tastings can be conducted via Twitter, it should come as no surprise to find a wine-recommendation service that's accessible by SMS. Sure enough, Hello Vino is a new wine pairing and suggestion tool that can be accessed both via the web and from any mobile device.

Users in search of wine advice merely visit Hello Vino online or text the word HELLOVINO to 368266. The tool then guides them through a simple question-and-answer process, asking first if the wine they seek is for with a meal, for an occasion, of a specific taste or style or from a particular region. Depending on their choice they are then asked a few additional questions, the ultimate result of which is a short list of specific wines that could fit the bill, including for each the vintage, region and price.

California-based Hello Vino just launched a few weeks ago, and it's not yet clear exactly how its revenue model will work. Partnerships with local merchants or vintners seem a likely possibility, however, since that would also help complete the picture with information—currently missing from the service—on where to buy the wines that are recommended. One to test out, partner with, and take to the next level! (Related: Selling wine by SMS — Food pairing made easy.)

Website: www.hellovino.com
Contact: hello@hellovino.com

Spotted by: Roberta Steinberg

Warm beer in airport restaurants resembling barns has, no doubt, caused many of us to wonder where air travel's glamour got to. Helping revive the notion of classy business travel, Heineken has teamed up with design agency UXUS to create an airport lounge that offers a respite from the chaos of the terminal gate.

The Heineken Lounge opened in Newark Liberty International Airport in December 2008, and democratically presents all travellers with the luxuries typically reserved for first and business class passengers. Private conversation nooks, custom white leather sofas, spherical light fixtures and green aluminium tables combine to create a contemporary brand space. In addition to Heineken, a variety of beers are served on tap, alongside a fully-stocked cocktail bar.

Although Hong Kong's International Airport has had its own Heineken bar for some time, Newark's lounge is more of a 'third place', offering work necessities such as wifi, as well as movies and other entertainment. One to emulate, if branding budgets allow ;-) (Related: Being space for a microbrew — Beer cans that sleep two — Baby brand space at Schiphol Airport.)

Website: www.heineken.com — www.uxusdesign.com
Contact: www.heinekeninternational.com/contactus.aspx — europe@uxusdesign.com

Spotted by: RK

Like the Ibis Singapore hotel we featured last week, London restaurant Little Bay is taking a leaf out of Radiohead’s book, letting diners set their own prices. While many restaurants are battling the credit crunch by offering 2-for-1 deals or other forms of recession pricing, Little Bay's Farringdon branch will accept anything from a penny to GBP 100 for its efforts, which is a bold move, considering their menus lists dishes such as foie gras terrine and steamed butter fish.

The promo has attracted considerable media interest in London, shown the restaurant to be kind in difficult times, and it may even boost revenue—the owner has seen some customers paying more than 20% of listed prices. It can also serve as a reality check, showing a business how much its customers value its product and service. Not one for the faint-hearted ;-) (Related: Pay-what-you-want restaurants.)

For more on corporate generosity, check out our sister site’s February trend briefing: Generation G.

Website: www.little-bay.co.uk
Contact: farringdon@littlebay.co.uk / +44 (0) 207 278 1234

Spotted by: Cagla Pakel

All restaurant tables are not created equal, as seasoned diners well know. One of the first we've seen to recognize that fact explicitly, however, is Wagaboo, which now lets consumers reserve a specific table online.

Prospective visitors to Wagaboo's restaurants in Madrid and Barcelona (another is coming soon to Lisbon) simply enter into Wagaboo's online form the restaurant, date and time they're interested in, along with their smoking preferences and the number of people in their party. They can then view a seating map of the appropriate section (smoking or non) of the restaurant they've chosen. Wagaboo automatically suggests a table based on the number in the party, indicating its selection with a red dot. Patrons are free to choose another from those still available, however, with free ones indicated in green. After making their selection, consumers then confirm their reservation with their name and contact details.

Whereas restaurant table assignment typically depends on a combination of availability at the moment, staff workloads and restaurant discretion—with the best tables often given to the best customers—Wagaboo's system democratizes and adds new transparency to the process. What happens when a party's reservation comes to an end isn't entirely clear, but one can't help wondering about the implications for patrons who like to linger. It's a system that won't work for every type of establishment, but in difficult economic times, it could be an extra method of attracting customers, and rising to the expectations that other industries have created—in this case, airlines, theatres and other events venues. (Related: Table snagging service.)

Website: www.wagaboo.es
Contact: contact@wagaboo.com

Spotted by: Leticia Pérez Prieto