palateBY THE CUSTOM CELLAR

A personal AI sommelier · In development

Your taste.
Your budget.
Your kind
of wine.

Meet Palate. A personal AI sommelier being developed to help you discover wines you’ll enjoy, understand your choices and find your next bottle with confidence.

Join the beta

Made for real tastes. Not wine exams.

palate

A LITTLE DINNER INSPIRATION

YouFriends are coming for roast chicken with lemon and herbs. Around R250 a bottle. I like fresh whites, but nothing too oaky.
PalateCrisp and zesty, or a little more texture while staying fresh?
YouA little texture sounds good.
PalateI’d start with an unoaked Chenin Blanc: fresh acidity for the lemon, with a little more texture alongside the chicken. A fresh white blend could be another good direction.
Unoaked CheninFresh · Textured
Fresh white blendBright · Food-friendly

Next: narrow the bottles to your budget, with a little “why this one”.

A good bottle starts with a conversation.
Less guesswork.More discovery.Always your taste.

WINE KNOW-HOW. WITHOUT THE HOMEWORK.

Less second-guessing.
More good discoveries.

For the curious, the confident, and the “I just know what I like”. Here’s what we’re building.

01 / DISCOVER

Find your kind of wine.

Start with dinner, a budget or “something like the bottle I loved last time”. You shouldn’t need the right wine vocabulary to find a good match.

02 / UNDERSTAND

Know the why.

Plain-language explanations of grapes, regions and styles—and why a recommendation might suit you. A little context makes the next choice easier.

03 / MAKE IT PERSONAL

Build on what you enjoy.

Your feedback will shape future recommendations, so each conversation will start a little closer to your taste.

THE PLANNED EXPERIENCE

A good bottle starts
with a conversation.

  1. 01

    Tell us what’s happening.

    Your occasion, food, budget and whatever you already know you like. No tasting vocabulary required.

  2. 02

    Explore the possibilities.

    Understand the differences, explore food pairings and narrow down your options on the way to choosing a bottle.

  3. 03

    Tell us how it went.

    Loved it? Not your thing? Your feedback is intended to help refine the next recommendation.

A LITTLE MORE YOU, EVERY TIME

Less starting over.
More “you remembered”.

We’re developing Palate to carry useful preferences between conversations—from favourite styles to the bottles that weren’t for you.

The aim is more relevant guidance, not a permanent label on your taste.

Fresh whitesNot too oakyA little adventurous
PLANNED PERSONALISATION · ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
You · Next timeThat Chenin was a hit. Something similar for a picnic?
PalateYou enjoyed the freshness and softer texture. Shall we stay with that style, or try something a little more citrusy this time?
Your feedback. A fresh starting point.

EARLY DAYS. GOOD POSSIBILITIES.

Help shape your next
wine conversation.

Palate is being actively developed. Join the beta to help shape the experience and receive an invitation when testing opens.

Access through familiar conversational channels, including WhatsApp, is on the roadmap.

A taste of what’s next.

We’ll email you about Palate’s development and beta access. Joining doesn’t guarantee a place or subscribe you to retail marketing.

Your email is stored by The Custom Cellar for this waitlist. To leave the list or ask about your data, email hello@thecustomcellar.com.

BY THE CUSTOM CELLAR

Wine experience.
A curious streak.

Palate is being developed by The Custom Cellar, based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Grounded in practical wine retail experience and supported by technical expertise, we’re building around real customer needs.

Illustrated avatar of Candice, co-founder of The Custom Cellar

MEET THE TEAM

Candice Co-founder

Candice brings deep, practical wine retail experience and a curiosity for how technology and AI can make choosing wine more personal, approachable and enjoyable.

Your next favourite
starts with your taste.

Join the beta