It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged about Wine 2.0, the term used to describe the intersection of wine and Web 2.0. But I guess it’s time for a gut check as Cork’d chairman Gary Vaynerchuk announces the gradual wind-down of the site after 4 years of operation.
Gary purchased Cork’d a couple years back and until last year really didn’t do too much different than the core social wine tasting note application that made the site unique when it launched. And that’s too bad as there are some interesting things that could have been done with the platform if it were more integrated with Wine Library. In the final analysis, it was probably too much work to filter the content to make it useful but I suspect it was the overall size of the active community that made this decision inevitable.
Users have time to export their content to other tasting notes sites such as CellarTracker or Adegga. And Gary is hinting at another wine related social site in his sign-off video below. RIP Cork’d.
via Cork’d
Gary’s “speech” seems like a lot of blabber. Just say it Gary… Cork’d lacked traction because it offered nothing unique and was of little value to the wine consumer versus other competing solutions. It was a boat (aka: a hole in the water into which you throw money).
Interesting that you should mention Adegga. I think many Americans see Adegga as very European and maybe not for them. I would suggest exactly the opposite. I (as a European) have been using it for a couple of years and am lucky to have struck up a number of online “friendships” with Americans. What they get out of using Adegga is a greater understanding of European wines and for me it works the other way. I get to know more about US wines. In that of course there are the frustrations that in many cases we can’t get each other’s wines! I’d encourage those who used to use Cork’d to give Adegga a try. You’ll be delighted also at how friendly it is.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with Adegga, Colin. I’m going to have to spend more time inside that community.
I loved Cork’d and was a member. What happened?
I think it was a failure to monetize the audience and perhaps lack of focus by Gary V. Too bad as they could have done something interesting with the concept.