Daniele Cernilli’s avatar has already shared information about wines, articles, and recipes in the Reels on our social media channels. Now, with a new feature in the app, it can also listen to users’ questions and respond either verbally or in writing. It’s a different way to explore the Essential Guide and the content on our website.
Co-written by Stefania Vinciguerra and Iolanda Maggio
For about a year now DoctorWine’s avatar has been appearing in our videos. We’ve produced about fifteen of them: short stories dedicated to articles, wines, and recipes, always with a link to the website for those who wanted to learn more. Until now, however, it was DoctorWine who chose the topic. With the app’s latest update, you’ll also have a say.
This is a major development that we’re very proud of: as far as we know, DoctorWine is the first wine magazine in the world to use a tool like this.
But for us, this isn’t just another digital innovation—it’s a step toward what has always been the journalistic goal of Daniele Cernilli and all of us at DoctorWine: to share information. A relationship more direct, immediate, and personalized with our readers. The Avatar was created to respond, explain, and guide. To connect with the broad audience of wine enthusiasts as they choose the right wine at the right time or to answer any question about the world of wine.
You can ask which wine pairs well with a dish, look up information on a grape variety, or get help navigating wine appellations and labels. The question can be typed or spoken; the avatar responds and can continue the conversation. It’s a simple-to-use feature, designed especially for those moments when you’re not quite sure where to start your search.
A question paves the way
Anyone who reads DoctorWine knows this. Our approach to communication has always been to provide authoritative, clear, and useful content. With the Avatar, this mission extends across time and space. Always with you, always just a click away. No longer just articles to read or guides to browse through, but a continuous and fast interaction, capable of guiding you in choosing a wine, understanding a region, or simply satisfying a moment’s curiosity.
Do you know how much work goes into a page in the Essential Guide to Italian Wines: tastings, comparisons, visits, and editorial discussions. On top of that, there are the articles published every day on doctorwine.wine, featuring producers, regions, in-depth articles, and recipes. The avatar uses this wealth of content to answer questions and suggest new reading paths.
Imagine this: You’re at the supermarket and want to choose a wine to pair with tonight’s dinner? Ask the DoctorWine Avatar. Need to bring a special bottle for a special occasion? Ask for its advice. Are you at a restaurant, faced with a never-ending wine list and little time to make a decision? Just point out the dishes you’ve chosen and let him guide you.
DoctorWine’s voice, in a new form
The avatar looks and sounds like Daniele Cernilli, but the work of the entire DoctorWine team. This is something that interests us greatly: using new technology to make information and insights—built up over time by the editorial team—more accessible. And giving users the freedom to choose what to ask.
Of course, we’re only just getting started. Like any evolving project, this one will grow, be refined, and continue to improve (including learning the pronunciation of some “strange” words —he insisted on saying “Bolghéri” instead of “Bòlgheri,” driving Vinciguerra crazy; she once spent an entire afternoon correcting him like a somewhat slow-witted schoolboy). And that’s precisely the most interesting part: the DoctorWine Avatar isn’t a destination, but an ongoing process.
Change is happening fast, and DoctorWine is choosing to be part of it
In a world where information is everywhere, it’s increasingly the quality of the interaction. DoctorWine chooses to be there, even in this new form, while maintaining the same approach. Rigor, clarity, and a passion for wine.
The new feature was unveiled on October 3 in Milan during the event dedicated to the presentation of the Essential Guide to Italian Wines 2027
It’s available by updating the DoctorWine app on iOS and Android. Give it a try with whatever question comes to mind—whether it’s about a wine you know well or one you’re not familiar with at all.
AVATAR DOCTORWINE SIMULATION VIDEO
