Michael Baum, CEO & Founder at Wine Experience Platform: VIVANT

VIVANT is the first wine experience platform streaming Live Experiences from wine regions around the world. In the course of 30-60 minute immersive experiences, our members meet the most interesting people in wine and discover the world’s best tasting wines made free of pesticides and herbicides, with respect for the consumer and the environment. Each experience is hosted by an expert wine advisor.

They teach our members how to assess wines like professionals with our groundbreaking Interactive Tasting Method that are paired with Experience Kits delivered worldwide. Members get to assess wines interactively and compare their results to the expert’s wine profiles. Our wine advisors are available anytime and anywhere to answer members’ questions and share their wine recommendations.

Last but not the least, VIVANT blends engaging interaction, personalized education, and lively entertainment, and brings together winemakers, wine lovers, and wine educators committed to a sustainable future.
 
 
The Future of Wine: VIVANT® Presents the World's First Live Streaming Wine  Experience Platform - Wine Industry Advisor
 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
Having spent much of my career as a Silicon Valley innovator and entrepreneur, I have always been seduced by the world of wine, and in 2014 myself and my family became the fifth family to steward Château de Pommard, the 300-year-old storybook domain in Burgundy. We embarked on a biodynamic viticulture journey several years ago and have seen our wines become more aromatic, flavourful and energetic. In this small village of 518 inhabitants, we started thinking about how to share our discoveries, while doing something good for the planet. This is how the concept of VIVANT was born.

The aim of VIVANT is to recreate the magic of wine experiences without the carbon footprint of physical travel. We have brought together an international team of wine educators, product designers, software engineers and media producers to create a new platform where people can meet responsible winemakers around the world and taste their wines alongside expert wine advisors, wherever they are.
 

 

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

 
Build a great team. This is always my advice. Starting a company is hard, very hard. You will survive and eventually thrive only through the strength of your team.
 

What can we hope to see from VIVANT in the future?

 
This month, we are excited to officially launch the platform with experiences from the French wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire and Champagne. Continuing to innovate, we have plenty in store for the future, and 2021 will also see us transport members to wine regions in Italy, Germany, Spain, and beyond, with much more to come.

Most importantly, we hope to accelerate the wine industry’s transition to a sustainable future.

Through our educational experiences featuring sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines and winemakers, our aim is to empower members to make informed consumption choices and enable them to sustainably travel the world. Our initiative 1% for Wine™ pledges 1% of membership fees and wine sales to support innovative new ideas and research to create a sustainable future. Through this, we hope to build a global wine community committed to a better way.