SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. – April 14, 2021 – The Duckhorn Portfolio’s acclaimed Decoy winery is bringing wine country into the homes of wine enthusiasts everywhere with the launch of its Decoy Wines voice experience. Using any smart device where Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant are embedded, consumers can discover Decoy Wines using a simple voice command to converse about original recipes, exciting food and wine pairings and tasting notes for all Decoy and Decoy Limited wines. Designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, Decoy Wines voice experience functions like a virtual tasting room where users can learn about Decoy’s wines, history and winemaking philosophy by conversing directly with Decoy’s renowned Winemaker Dana Epperson.
There are currently over 128 million monthly virtual assistant users in the U.S., with the use of these devices rising steadily among all age groups. As part of The Duckhorn Portfolio, which includes marquis wineries such as Duckhorn Vineyards, Goldeneye, Canvasback, Calera, and Kosta Browne, Decoy’s pioneering role in the emerging world of voice commerce continues the winery’s history of innovation. From the recent additions of the Decoy Brut Cuvée Sparkling Wine and Decoy Limited to the 2021 unveiling of Decoy Premium Seltzers, Decoy has established itself as a pioneering industry leader. Decoy is one of the first wineries to unveil a Voice Assistant experience to enhance and encourage consumer engagement and will bring awareness to the campaign through a national Point of Sale (POS) program.
“At Decoy, our mission is to make exceptional wines more approachable by delivering the highest quality at an accessible price,” says Epperson. “Building on this philosophy, we are embracing this technology to create new opportunities for our customers to taste and learn along with us. After a year in which it was difficult for many people to come to wine country, we are excited to be pioneering a new way to bring wine country to the people.”
These features are exclusively for users 21 and over, and age verification is required. To activate the experience, users can say, “Alexa, Enable Decoy Wines!” or “Hey Google, Talk to Decoy Wines!” or activate from Alexa Skills Store and Google Assistant Actions Directory. Visuals accompany the auditory experience for smart devices with screens like smart displays, televisions and even some appliances. Consumers without smart devices can also visit www.DecoyWines.com/Discover to access recipes and tasting notes available through Discover Decoy Wines or access the voice experience through the native mobile apps for Alexa or Google Assistant, available in the Apple or Android Store.
About Decoy
Established in 1985, Decoy is recognized for producing attractively priced wines from exceptional vineyard sources, including Decoy’s own estate vineyards in the Alexander Valley. The winemaking program at Decoy is guided by Winemaker Dana Epperson, an expert in working with multiple grape varieties. The Decoy lineup includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a Red Blend, as well as a Rosé and Brut Cuvée. In 2020, Decoy unveiled Decoy Limited, a tier of Limited-production wines made from special lots sourced from California’s most prestigious wine regions, and in 2021, the winery launched Decoy Premium Seltzer. Featuring four refined and refreshing seltzers made using Decoy’s acclaimed wines, sparkling water and tantalizing fruit flavors, Decoy Premium Seltzers are the first premium varietal, wine-based seltzers in the market. The Decoy Wines Alexa Skill and Google Action were designed and created internally and executed on Voicify, the enterprise solution for voice apps and experience.