A boutique wine importer used a WhatsApp AI chatbot to speed enquiries, personalise recommendations and simplify repeat ordering without extra staff.
A private collector asks for exclusive vintage Sauvignon Blancs and receives tailored recommendations with provenance, tasting notes, and next-step ordering.
Hi there—this is Adrian. I’m looking for a few truly exclusive vintage Sauvignon Blancs (not current release). I usually lean Loire, very mineral, low-ish oak. Anything special available?
Hi Adrian—welcome back to Cask & Coast Wine Imports. I’ve got you down for crisp, mineral whites (and you’ve previously rated “flinty/Silex” styles highly), so I’ll keep this tight and serious.
A couple of quick filters so I don’t miss:
1) preferred vintage window (e.g., 2005–2016)?
2) budget per bottle?
3) how many bottles per selection?
In the meantime, I can already see a few Loire parcels that match: mature Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé with strong provenance and no overt oak.
Great memory. Looking for 2010–2018 mostly. Budget up to £180/btl. Ideally 6 bottles total, could split across 2–3 wines. Provenance matters—perfect storage, ex-domain if possible.
Perfect—based on your Loire/mineral preference and the vintages you’ve set, here are three options with clean provenance. All are dry, tension-led, and age well.
- Didier Dagueneau “Silex” Pouilly-Fumé 2014 (x2 available)
Provenance: ex-domain allocation; shipped in refrigerated container; stored since arrival at 12–13°C, 70% RH.
Notes: struck flint, grapefruit pith, fennel; dense mid-palate, very long saline finish. - Edmond Vatan “Clos la Néore” Sancerre 2012 (x1 available)
Provenance: private cellar purchase with full storage logs; recork not required; immaculate ullage.
Notes: waxed lemon, chalk dust, gentle lanolin; powerful but controlled, Burgundy-like texture. - François Cotat “Caillottes” Sancerre 2016 (x6 available)
Provenance: direct import; long, slow élevage typical of Cotat; stored cold since landing.
Notes: lime leaf, wet stone, smoke; tight today, unlocks with air—great longevity.
If you tell me whether you prefer more flinty vs more waxy/viscous, I’ll shape a 6-bottle mix.
This is exactly the level of detail I needed. I’m more flinty than waxy. Can you propose the best 6-bottle mix and confirm pricing + delivery lead time to London?
Got it—flinty/mineral focus. Best 6-bottle mix for impact and confidence:
- 2x Dagueneau “Silex” 2014 — £175/btl
- 4x François Cotat “Caillottes” 2016 — £92/btl
Total: £718 (6 bottles). This keeps everything in the flint/saline lane and avoids the waxier Vatan profile.
Delivery to London: next-day dispatch if you confirm before 2pm; typically 1–2 business days door to door. Fully insured; temperature-controlled courier available (+£18) if you prefer.
Want me to reserve the 2x Silex now? It’s the tightest allocation and tends to move quickly.
Yes—please reserve the 2x Silex. Also, can you share drinking windows and whether you recommend decanting for the Cotat?
Reserved: 2x Dagueneau “Silex” 2014 under your name for the next 24 hours.
Drinking windows (conservative):
Silex 2014: now–2032. Best 2026–2030 as it turns more smoky/savoury.
Cotat Caillottes 2016: 2024–2034. It’s still coiled; it rewards patience.
Serving/decanting
For Cotat 2016: I’d do a slow-ox rather than a hard decant—open 60–90 mins ahead, keep cool (9–11°C). If it’s very reduced on opening, a brief 10–15 min decant helps.
If you confirm the mix (2 + 4), I can send a secure payment link or place it on account.
Restaurant owner asks for summer seafood pairings; chatbot references past Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay buys, recommends crisp whites, and confirms a quick order.
Hi there—this is Marco from Harbour & Vine. We’re updating our summer menu (lots of seafood: oysters, grilled prawns, lemony sea bass). Can you suggest a few wines that’ll pair well? We usually pour a couple of crisp whites by the glass.
Hi Marco—good to hear from you. This is Cask & Coast Wine Imports.
I’ve got your last few whites in mind: you’ve leaned on Pinot Grigio for bright, clean acidity and a richer, lightly oaked Chardonnay for guests who want more weight.
For your seafood-heavy summer menu, I’d steer you toward:
- Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige style): crisp pear, lemon peel, saline finish—great with oysters.
- Vermentino: citrus, herbs, sea spray—excellent with grilled prawns.
- Unoaked Chardonnay: white peach, subtle creaminess, high freshness—ideal with lemony sea bass.
How many BTG lines are you aiming for—2 or 3?
That’s exactly the vibe. We need 2 BTG lines: one super crisp for oysters, one with a touch more body for the sea bass. What do you have in stock right now, and pricing per case?
Perfect—2 lines makes this easy.
BTG #1 (oysters / raw bar): Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige-style
Tasting: lemon, green pear, wet-stone minerality, salty finish.
In stock: yes
Price: $168 / 12-btl case
BTG #2 (sea bass / grilled seafood): Unoaked Chardonnay
Tasting: white peach, citrus blossom, rounded mid-palate, clean finish.
In stock: yes
Price: $192 / 12-btl case
Minimum order: 3 cases mixed. Delivery: next-day if we confirm by 3pm.
Want to place 2 cases Pinot Grigio + 1 case unoaked Chardonnay to start, or bump it to 3+3 for summer volume?
Let’s do 2 cases Pinot Grigio and 1 case unoaked Chardonnay. Next-day delivery works. Can you ship to our usual address?
Done. I’ll keep it on your usual Harbour & Vine delivery address and contact.
Order summary
• 2 cases Pinot Grigio (12 btls) @ $168/case
• 1 case Unoaked Chardonnay (12 btls) @ $192/case
Total: $528 (before tax, if applicable)
If you confirm “YES” here, I’ll lock it in for next-day delivery and send the delivery window as soon as it’s scheduled.
YES
Confirmed—your order is booked for next-day delivery to the usual address.
I’ll message you shortly with the delivery window once routing is finalized.
If you want a third option later for the prawns, I can also suggest a Vermentino that sits nicely between the two (citrus + herbal lift, seaside finish).
A retailer checks Zinfandel stock and delivery timing; Cask & Coast confirms availability, suggests add-ons from order history, and books a slot.
Hi there—can you confirm stock on the Ridgeview Old Vine Zinfandel (750ml)? We’re running low and I need to know if we can get a top-up this week.
Hi! You’ve reached Cask & Coast Wine Imports—happy to help.
Ridgeview Old Vine Zinfandel 750ml is currently in stock: 46 bottles (3 x 12 and 10 loose).
If you tell me your ideal quantity, I can reserve it straight away. Also—based on your last two orders (you took the Ridgeview Zin plus the Paso Robles Syrah), you might like one of these as a fast add-on:
- Sonoma Field Blend (similar ripe-fruit profile, great value)
- Lodi Petite Sirah (bolder, pairs well with Zin buyers)
What delivery area are you in, and how many bottles/cases do you need?
Great—can we do 2 cases (24) of the Zin. We’re in Shoreditch. What’s the next available delivery slot?
Perfect—2 cases (24) of Ridgeview Old Vine Zinfandel reserved for you for the next 2 hours.
For Shoreditch, the next available delivery slots are:
- Tomorrow 10:00–13:00
- Tomorrow 14:00–18:00
- Thu 10:00–13:00
If you’re restocking for a busy run, a quick suggestion from your usual mix: adding 1 case Sonoma Field Blend tends to move well alongside Zin on shelf.
Which slot should I book, and do you want just the 2 cases or add the Field Blend too?
Book tomorrow 10–1 please. And yes, add 1 case of the Sonoma Field Blend. Can you confirm totals and any minimum order rules?
Booked: Shoreditch delivery tomorrow 10:00–13:00.
Order summary:
- Ridgeview Old Vine Zinfandel 750ml — 2 cases (24)
- Sonoma Field Blend 750ml — 1 case (12)
Total: 3 cases / 36 bottles.
Minimum order: you’re all good—our standard minimum is 2 cases for free scheduled delivery in your area.
If you’d like, I can also add a note for the driver (e.g., call on arrival / preferred drop-off point). Want it delivered to your usual receiving address on file?
Customer can’t remember a wine from last year’s delivery; chatbot checks order history, identifies it, confirms availability, and places a reorder.
Hi! I had a case delivered from you guys sometime last year and I can’t remember what it was called. Any chance you can help me figure it out?
Of course — happy to help. This is Cask & Coast Wine Imports.
If you message me either the email/phone number used on the order or the delivery postcode, I can pull up your order history and narrow it down.
Also, anything you remember helps: red/white, country, label colour, or what you drank it with.
It would’ve been under this number. Postcode was 3066. I’m pretty sure it was a red, Italian maybe? Had it with a roast chicken.
Thanks — found you.
I can see two deliveries last year to 3066:
- 14 May: 12 x Langhe Nebbiolo “SottoCosta” 2021 (Piedmont)
- 22 Nov: 12 x Etna Rosso “Nerello” 2020 (Sicily)
Quick check: was the label more cream with black text (Nebbiolo) or dark/volcanic vibes (Etna)? And was it lighter, perfumed/cherry, or more smoky/mineral?
Definitely more of a cream label. And yeah, kind of light and cherry/perfumed. That sounds like the Nebbiolo.
That matches perfectly — it’ll be the Langhe Nebbiolo “SottoCosta” 2021.
Good news: it’s in stock. Same format as last time: 12-bottle case.
Would you like to reorder:
- 1 case (12 btls)
- 2 cases (24 btls)
And should we deliver to the same address in 3066?
Yes please — 1 case, same address.
Done — I’ve put through 1 case (12) of Langhe Nebbiolo “SottoCosta” 2021 for delivery to your 3066 address.
Delivery window is typically 1–2 business days. Would you prefer:
- Standard (next available), or
- Hold until a specific date?
If you’d like, I can also add a note for leave at door or signature required.
Standard is fine. Signature required please.
Perfect — set to Standard dispatch with Signature Required.
I’ll send tracking as soon as it’s booked in.
While I’ve got you: if you liked that Nebbiolo with roast chicken, you might also enjoy a slightly lighter, super aromatic option we just landed. Want a one-line suggestion for next time, or keep it simple today?
Introduction
A boutique wine importer built its reputation on highly personal relationships with restaurants, specialist retailers and private collectors. As demand grew, the team faced a familiar challenge: customers expected fast answers and tailored guidance at any hour, yet the business still wanted every interaction to feel like a conversation with someone who truly knew their palate.
Enquiries ranged from simple questions about pricing and availability to detailed requests for food pairing suggestions and allocations. Order management created additional pressure, especially when repeat customers wanted to reorder favourites quickly or check delivery schedules during service hours.
Why WhatsApp was the right channel
The importer chose WhatsApp because it matched how customers already communicate.
- No apps to download
- No new logins or passwords
- A personal familiar experience
Restaurants could message between prep and service, retailers could confirm stock needs on the shop floor and private customers could ask for recommendations the moment they were planning a dinner or gift.
Implementing the AI powered WhatsApp chatbot
The business introduced an AI LLM WhatsApp chatbot as the first point of contact for all inbound messages. It was designed to protect the premium service feel while removing the bottlenecks caused by manual triage.
A first response that feels personal
The chatbot replies instantly 24 7, acknowledging the request and providing a helpful next step. It draws on conversation history to recognise repeat customers and recall preferences such as preferred regions, grape varieties, price ranges and typical order volumes.
Recommendations based on real customer history
For long standing restaurant accounts, the chatbot can reference prior buying patterns and suggest new arrivals with similar profiles. When a restaurant customer asked about new stock, it referenced previous Barolo and Nebbiolo purchases and recommended newly imported options aligned to that style. It also made it easy to reorder previous favourites with a quick confirmation step.
For retail and private customers, it adapts both tone and detail based on experience. A customer who previously praised crisp mineral whites received targeted recommendations with concise tasting notes, helping them choose quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
Order management and routine questions handled instantly
The chatbot manages common operational queries, reducing back and forth and freeing staff to focus on high value conversations.
- Pricing and current availability
- Minimum order quantities
- Delivery schedules and lead times
- Reordering past favourites
Smooth handoff to the human team
When a request needs human judgement such as allocations, special sourcing or account changes, the chatbot escalates it to a team member and includes the full conversation context. This keeps the experience seamless and avoids customers repeating themselves.
Multilanguage support for a wider customer base
As the importer worked with diverse hospitality teams and international buyers, language could slow down enquiries and increase the chance of misunderstandings. The chatbot provided multilanguage support so customers could ask questions in their preferred language and receive clear answers immediately. This improved confidence in ordering, reduced clarification cycles and helped the importer serve more accounts without adding headcount.
Benefits and results
Faster responses and better customer engagement
- Instant replies at any time of day improved customer satisfaction and reduced missed opportunities
- Customers received relevant recommendations instead of generic promotions
- Repeat customers felt recognised, strengthening loyalty
Increased repeat orders without added workload
- Reordering became simpler, especially for restaurants with consistent buying patterns
- Retail customers returned more often because guidance was quick and tailored
- The team handled more total enquiries without expanding support staff
Improved operations and a more consistent service standard
- Routine questions no longer interrupted the team during peak hours
- Escalations arrived with context, speeding resolution and reducing errors
- Service quality became more consistent across customers and time zones
Specific examples of impact
Restaurant accounts
A long standing restaurant customer enquiring about new stock was met with recommendations aligned to past Barolo and Nebbiolo purchases. This shortened decision time and increased confidence in trying new imports.
Retail and private customers
A customer known to prefer crisp mineral whites received targeted suggestions with concise notes rather than broad campaigns, leading to higher engagement and more confident purchases.
Day to day operations
Delivery and minimum order questions were answered instantly, reducing internal interruptions and keeping the team focused on relationship building and account growth.
Conclusion
By introducing an AI powered WhatsApp chatbot, the boutique importer preserved the warmth of a personal wine merchant while gaining the speed and scale of automation. The business achieved faster response times, more repeat orders and stronger customer relationships, all while keeping staff overhead stable and expanding service through multilanguage support.
