Online wine tastings compute to big savings

BERKELEY, Calif. - As the recession continues to pinch budgets, some tech- (and cash) savvy wineries are rethinking the tradition of jetting their winemakers around the country for in-person tastings with top critics.

Instead, wineries such as California's Kendall-Jackson are embracing low-cost, eco-friendly virtual tastings via the Internet.

The setup is pretty simple. Wine critics are shipped the bottles to be sampled, then e-mailed tasting notes. If they don't have a Webcam, the winery sends that along. And the winery's tech people do a test run to make sure it all works.

The tastings are the same as in-person sessions but instead of sitting across a restaurant table, critic and winemaker view each other by videoconference.