Entrepreneur Matt Ovenden has announced an AI-powered digital wine platform that includes an AI sommelier: Grapevine.

The Wine Engine, which will launch on June 26, is a wine subscription service aiming to demystify the wine selection process through the use of artificial intelligence.

The AI element of the website is powered by OpenAI and will have an ‘encyclopaedic’ knowledge of wine to help shoppers refine their preferences.

Elements of Grapevine include a quiz to gauge customers’ tastes, simplified tasting notes for ease of understanding and food pairing suggestions.

Designed to be interactive, The Wine Engine said it hopes the AI will answer “any and every wine question – with no question being too big, small or silly”.

Ovenden, previously known for founding Borrow a Boat, has said he wants to transform the world of wine into an accessible and judgement-free space.

He also noted that the site will launch with 400 initial wine options, with plans for further expansion.

Ovenden said: “Wine is a fascinating, historic, culture-rich product – there are stories behind every wine, and wines are uniquely characterised by a mixture of their geographical growing conditions, cultures and food that they were grown for. However, it’s a world still seemingly shrouded in this mysterious cloak, and people are often put off going into a specialist shop or asking questions in case they come across as silly or unknowledgeable.

“We’re not trying to replace traditional sommeliers but instead create a service which people can access at any time, from anywhere. It also removes that potential embarrassment most of us have felt when we believe we’re asking what will be perceived as a silly question. Grapevine should empower people and introduce them to new wines which go above and beyond what you’ll find in the supermarket.”