Ep 2317 AI for Enthusiasts: tasting with Megan de Angelo and Danielle Callegari | wine2wine Business Forum 2024

Apr 10, 2025

Megan de Angelo leads the Italian wine portfolio at Colangelo and Partners, while Danielle Callegari, a professor at Dartmouth, writes about Tuscany wines for Wine Enthusiast. They dive into the intersection of AI and wine tasting, debating if technology can truly capture the essence of a wine. The duo shares insights on the subjective nature of wine descriptions, the evolution of wine criticism, and the importance of personal experiences in evaluating wines. They also highlight the emergence of unique Ligurian wines, encouraging a broader appreciation in a changing market.

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INSIGHT

Subjective Wine Language Limits Consumers

Wine descriptions often use exclusionary language that can alienate consumers.
Personal experience with wine is unique and can't be universally imposed by critics.

ANECDOTE

Expressive Wine Notes Journey

Danielle first wrote poetic wine reviews that were rejected as confusing.
She and Jeff Porter now infuse their tasting notes with excitement and optimism to connect personally.

INSIGHT

Scores Confuse and Limit Enjoyment

Scores confuse consumers because wines often have many different points assigned.
Numerical scores push people away from wine's playful, personal nature.

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Welcome to Episode 2317, where we present a session recording from the wine2wine Business Forum 2024. Today’s session is entitled “AI for enthusiasts: a tasting with Megan de Angelo and Danielle Callegari”.

Italian Wine Podcast is proud to be a media partner of wine2wine Business Forum and is pleased to present this series of market-focus sessions, recorded in Verona in November 2024.

wine2wine Business Forum is an international wine business event held annually in Verona, Italy since 2014. The event is a key reference point for wine producers and wine professionals from around the world, providing an opportunity to network, develop and expand their wine business worldwide.

Today’s session:

Does AI have a place in wine tasting and evaluation? While technology can enhance efficiency, it raises important questions:

Can AI provide personal insights and professional expertise in wine tasting?
Is a numerical score enough, or do consumers need descriptive context to truly understand a wine?
Will AI assist wine professionals, or replace the human touch that makes wine evaluation an art?

Join Megan de Angelo and Danielle Callegari as they discuss how AI is shaping the wine world—and whether technology can ever replace the personal connection between wine and the people who appreciate it.

Find more about the session at:

https://www.vinitaly.com/en/events-calendar/wine2wine/ticket-wine2wine-business-forum-2024/ai-for-enthusiasts-a-tasting-with-jeff-porter-danielle-callegari-italian-wine-reviewers-for-wine-enthusiast-magazine/

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