New York City (November 3, 2023)—M. Shanken Communications, Inc., the publisher of Wine Spectator and Whisky Advocate, is introducing Shanken Ratings Network (SRN), a new platform serving retailers with easy access to comprehensive ratings, tasting notes, and expert analysis from Wine Spectator and Whisky Advocate. Shanken Ratings Network will offer retailers a monthly data feed of new ratings and reviews matched directly to their store portfolios. The new initiative offers streamlined access to relevant ratings for retailers while enhancing the shopping experience for their customers.
Using the SRN platform, wine and spirits retailers can license ratings and reviews from Wine Spectator and Whisky Advocate for use on websites, social media, advertising, in-store promotions, shelf-talkers, and other point-of-sale material. Membership to SRN will be the only way for retail stores to display Wine Spectator and Whisky Advocate ratings. SRN’s database includes over 425,000 wine and spirits ratings and reviews, with new ratings added every month.
Shanken Communications Chairman Marvin R. Shanken has tapped industry veteran Jason Glasser to lead the new technology platform. “We are excited to provide a service that adds tremendous value for any retailer aiming to empower their customers with valuable information,” said Shanken. “Jason and our SRN team are committed to delivering our ratings accurately in real time.”
“Industry members have long relied on Wine Spectator and Whisky Advocate ratings and reviews for help in selling products across the supply chain,” said Glasser. “Now through the introduction of SRN, retail stores will have automatic access to this valuable and coveted content and will immediately improve the online offering for their customers.”
Total Wine & More, the nation’s largest independent retailer of wines and spirits with annual revenue of over $5 billion, was the first retailer to join SRN, further boosting the consumer experience at its 250 stores across the country.
SRN also formed a strategic partnership with City Hive, a leading B2C e-commerce platform with a proven track record connecting consumers and retailers. City Hive represents over 3,000 retailer locations and will markedly expand SRN’s reach.
Membership information and additional details on how to join SRN can be found at WineSpectator.com/SRN.
About M. Shanken Communications
Headquartered in New York, with an office in Napa Valley, M. Shanken Communications, Inc. publishes Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events, including the world renowned New York Wine Experience. Whisky Advocate (WhiskyAdvocate.com) is the leading whisky magazine in the U.S. and hosts multi-city WhiskyFest™ events, which are the longest-running and best-attended whisky festivals in the country.
