Join the waitlist for the November app launch here!
What if choosing wine felt as easy—and as personal—as picking your morning coffee?
That’s exactly what Jess Thevenoz set out to do with Theodora, a new kind of wine-tech startup that helps everyday drinkers cut through the jargon, skip the guesswork, and finally find bottles they’ll love.
After years of standing in the wine aisle hoping the pretty label would deliver, Jess realised the problem wasn’t her palate—it was the system. The wine world speaks a language most people don’t understand, creating a culture that feels elitist, intimidating, and exclusionary.
So she built Theodora to change that: a smart, human-centred recommendation platform that learns your tastes and points you straight to wines that match them—no expertise required.
In this episode, Georgie Brown and Jess talk about:
Why wine is both the most connecting and excluding product on the shelf
How Jess went from data analytics to building a personalised wine companion
The “wall-of-wine” moment that sparked her startup idea
Why the wine industry’s language problem alienates drinkers
Cultural shifts in how Gen Z and millennials approach alcohol
The psychology of wine gifting and social signalling
Theodora’s vision for making wine shopping feel friendly, confident and fun
Whether you’re a seasoned sipper or a supermarket-shelf struggler, this is an episode that’ll make you rethink the way you buy (and talk about) wine.
Key Takeaways:
From data to drinks: Jess used her background in startups and analytics to tackle one of retail’s most overwhelming categories.
Wine isn’t about jargon: Theodora strips out pretentious tasting notes and focuses on what you actually like.
Design flaw, not user flaw: The intimidating wine aisle is a UX problem, not a knowledge gap.
Personalisation is power: Your palate is unique—Theodora’s tech learns it so you don’t have to.
Cultural shift: Younger generations are drinking more intentionally and want experiences that feel approachable and informed.
Beyond the bottle: Wine gifting, restaurant rituals, and social pressures all play into how we buy—and enjoy—wine.
The future: App launch in November, expansion to restaurants and the UK, and even a “Spotify Wrapped” for your wine palette.
Chapters / Timestamps:
00:00 — Redefining the wine aisle
01:30 — Meet Jess Teviner & Theodora
03:40 — From data analytics to wine tech
06:15 — The “aha” moment in the supermarket
08:45 — Why the wine aisle feels broken
12:00 — What we get wrong about wine education
15:20 — Good wine vs good wine for you
18:40 — Breaking down jargon and elitism
21:30 — Cultural shifts in drinking habits
25:00 — How Theodora works (and why it’s fun)
31:00 — Personalisation and trust in recommendations
36:00 — How Theodora differs from Vivino and others
41:00 — The restaurant “wine dance”
44:30 — Wine gifting, branding & social signalling
48:00 — What’s next for Theodora
52:00 — Where the name came from
55:00 — Startup shout-out: Sleep or Die
Links & Resources:
Join the waitlist for the November app launch here!
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