Regions: Champagne with Charles Curtis MW

1 hr 16 mins

We're back with the inimitable Charles Curtis MW to kick off the year in style and talk about the region he knows and loves (and drinks) above all others - Champagne.The author of Vintage Champagne: 1899-2019, Charles has an extraordinarily deep understanding of the region and its wines. In this episode, he takes us on a tour of the region, painting a verbal picture of the hills, the towns, and the vineyards, and offers his critical insight into current trends, top producers, and typical styles. Champagne is increasing establishing itself as a serious wine to be enjoyed as such, not just a fun and fizzy marker of celebration. This shift in perception among collectors is in no small part due to proponents like Charles championing the tremendous quality in these bottles. For those who want to learn more about the world of Champagne - the difference between house and grower Champagne, the various terms you'll find on a label, and the key characteristics of the different grapes in the blend - this is an episode not to be missed.

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Paul Michael

InVintory vs OENI: French Competitor vs Premium Wine App

October 28, 2025

6 min read

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Wine collectors are increasingly turning to wine inventory management apps to track, value, and enjoy their collections. With 65% of collectors now using digital tools to manage their cellars (Industry Survey, 2024), the choice of app can significantly affect the ease and accuracy of managing a growing or valuable wine selection. Made by collectors, for collectors, InVintory and OENI both promise strong solutions, but how do they stack up for serious users?

What Collectors Actually Need Beyond Price

For serious collectors, a wine app needs to do much more than just keep a list of bottles. The digital transformation of the wine industry is being driven by the demand for faster intake, accurate pricing, and smarter bottle retrieval. Recent data shows that 58% of wine brands are investing in mobile apps to improve customer engagement, while 45% of wineries have integrated AI-driven wine recommendations into their platforms (wifitalents.com, 2025).

Additionally, 29% of wine buyers now rely on recommendation algorithms to choose products, reflecting how digital engagement is reshaping every step of the wine collecting experience.

Advanced features like 3D cellar visualization, accurate market valuation, and easy import/export can make or break the collector’s digital experience.

This shift isn’t just about technology for its own sake—it’s about saving time, reducing errors, and unlocking new value from a collection. Collectors now expect features such as 3D wine cellar modeling, wine collection valuation tools, and multi-device access, rather than settling for basic list-keeping.

Invintory vs OENI: Feature Depth and Reliability

Comparing Invintory vs OENI, both apps offer a strong core feature set, but there are important differences. Invintory stands out with its 3D bottle-finding technology, intuitive design, and a sommelier-managed database. Its VinLocate feature allows users to visualize bottle locations, reducing search time by up to 50%. The app also supports label scanning, making it easy to add bottles on the fly, and offers import/export support from platforms like Excel and CellarTracker.

Label scanning technology—recognized as a transformative addition in wine apps—makes it easy to add bottles on the fly, streamlining what is typically one of the most tedious collector chores.

OENI, on the other hand, provides an extensive wine database, aging analysis to help track drink windows, and a 3D virtual cellar for visual organization. It includes food and wine pairing powered by a database of over 5,000 dishes, and monthly updates on market prices for collection valuation. OENI also implements user data encryption in transit and offers the ability for users to request data deletion, which addresses privacy concerns.

However, there is currently a notable lack of up-to-date, specific user reviews or third-party quotes describing OENI’s real-world performance, especially regarding its 3D visualization and import features.

For a deep dive into how 3D features can save collectors hours, see 3D Wine Cellar Apps: How Bottle-Finding Tech Saves Collectors Hours.

When Price Wins and When Capability Wins

Not every collector needs the most advanced technology, and sometimes price is the deciding factor. OENI offers a freemium model, with its Plus plan priced at €59.99/year and a 30-day free trial. Invintory’s pricing is structured into Free, Premium, and Elite tiers, but detailed public pricing for Premium and Elite is not available.

With the global wine market projected to reach $450 billion by 2027, protecting and optimizing one’s collection with advanced digital tools becomes an even more compelling case for premium apps.

For collectors with small or casual cellars, a basic, affordable app may do the job; for larger or more valuable collections, investing in advanced features often pays off in time saved and better organization.

In the broader market, some users prioritize cost over tech: a wine enthusiast with a modest collection might choose a lower-priced app that covers the basics, while advanced collectors are willing to pay more for market valuation, 3D visualization, and AI-driven recommendations.

For a detailed look at how pricing works for different tiers, see wine inventory app pricing.

Import and Migration Realities: Saving Time and Preserving History

Importing a wine collection from spreadsheets or another app is often the first hurdle for new users. Invintory users can migrate data from Excel, CellarTracker, or Vivino and benefit from label scanning and a sommelier-managed database, resulting in a 40% reduction in time spent on inventory management (invintory.com).

Migration from spreadsheets is a major transition for collectors industry-wide—a recent case study showed one winery improved space utilization by 20% after digitizing its records, underscoring the universal value of making the switch.

For OENI, while import from Excel is supported, there are no public user stories or stats available that describe real-world migration outcomes.

If you’re transitioning a large collection, see How to Import 1,000 Bottles into a Wine Inventory App (Fast) for more tips.

Choosing Confidently: Checklist for Collectors

Picking the right wine collection management software comes down to your goals:

Do you need 3D wine cellar modeling for organizing and finding bottles quickly?
Is accurate valuation and drink window tracking important for your collection’s value?
Will you need to import a large list from Excel or another app?
Do you want food and wine pairing or expert recommendations built in?
Is price the deciding factor, or do you need features that will scale with a growing collection?

For those looking to future-proof, some apps are beginning to integrate with smart home systems for optimal monitoring.

When you’re ready to upgrade, consider the strengths of each option and check out From Spreadsheet to Wine App: Why Collectors Upgrade Their Tracking.

Expert Insights: What the Pros and Collectors Say

Industry voices agree that digital solutions are transforming wine collecting. As NBA player and collector Josh Hart puts it, “InVintory has changed the game for wine collectors. I've tried different platforms and none even comes close. The ability to find bottles in my cellar within seconds is amazing” (invintory.com).

Industry surveys show that 58% of wine brands are investing in mobile apps to improve customer engagement (wifitalents.com, 2025).

In addition, nearly half of wine companies use AI for quality control, highlighting the industry’s overall shift toward intelligent automation.

While direct public user feedback for OENI remains scarce, expert commentary from OENI’s own promotional materials highlights its comprehensive features and ease of use: “Oeni stands out as one of the best wine cellar apps for enthusiasts, and for good reason. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, Oeni makes managing your cellar a simple and enjoyable experience” (oeni.app).

For a broader perspective on app comparisons, see Invintory vs CellarTracker: Which App Fits Serious Collectors?.

The Future of Wine Inventory Apps: Trends and Innovations

The wine industry is embracing digital tools at a rapid pace. As of 2025, 45% of wineries have adopted AI-driven wine recommendations, and 35% have implemented blockchain for provenance verification (wifitalents.com, 2025).

For example, blockchain is being used for provenance verification, allowing collectors to authenticate wine bottles through tamper-proof digital records.

These innovations are making their way into apps, enabling smarter cellar management, better provenance tracking, and even AI-powered food pairings.

*As technology evolves, collectors can expect even more powerful features from their favorite mobile wine cellar apps—from automated inventory suggestions to tamper-proof provenance tracking.*

For more on future-ready features, see 3D Wine Cellar Apps: How Bottle-Finding Tech Saves Collectors Hours.