Pressing News

SIXTH ANNIVERSARY
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Newsletter published by
 
Fine Vine Wines, LLC
"The Wine Maker's Toy Store™"
1300 N. Interstate 35-E, Suite 106
Carrollton, Texas 75006
 
May 2009
Volume 7, Issue 5
866-417-1114 (Long Distance)
972-323-7921 (Local)
972-323-7955 (Fax)
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DECANT 

6 YEAR ANNIVESARY 
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As of Memorial Day last week, I am thrilled to announce that we completed our 6th year in busines.  We have come a long way from our garage in 2003, but as you will read futher down in the newsletter, this is no time to let up.  We will continue to add more products, expand our role in wine making, provide better pricing and continue to offer the best customer service of any of the Wine Making Supply stores, anywhere.
 
I am not going to write a "history or state of the Company" article this year, but for those of you interested, you can see learn about our history in the June 2008 newsletter.
 
To each of you that has supported this venture, I want to extend my deepest thanks for helping me to live out my dream and for those in the FVW Grower's Club, I hope your able to take advantage of our Anniversary Sale.
 
THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US AT
THE WINE MAKER'S TOY STORE
 
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Fine Vine Wines, LLC, "The Wine Maker's Toy Store". Whether you need home wine making products or just need information, we are here to serve you. I want to extend my thanks again for making The Wine Maker's Toy Store your home for your wine making needs. It continues to be my hope that every time you visit our web site or retail store, you will find something of value.

This month on the Vine!
New Employee
WineMaker Magazine Awards
Small Winery Products
Hanna Instruments Distributor
Oxidation
Peter Brehm Frozen Grapes and Musts
Wine of the Month
Winexpert Promotion
Home Winemakers Club
Toy of the Month
New Products
Bottling Party
It's Back! Chocolate Raspberry Port
NEW EMPLOYEE 
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I am extremely excited to announce that Joseph Schuitema has joined the team here at The Wine Maker's Toy Store.  Joseph has been my free part-time wine maker and technical research analyst for the last 18 months while maintaining his day job at the FDIC.
 
The continued growth in the business demanded that I find someone to assist me with customer service and I wanted someone that shared my passion for not only home wine making, but making sure EVERY customer was satsified and Joseph fits that bill to a "T".  With over 30 years of wine making experience, a deep desire to learn all he can to make the best wine and a passion to share that knowledge with anyone who asks, I consider myself extremely lucky.
 
I needed help as I was spending over 4 hours a day just on the phone.  I thoroughly enjoy talking with each of you, but I was having less time to handle my other tasks like answer emails, update the web site, find new products, take care of the walk-in customers, pay the bills and take a day off.  I realize that over the years, I have personally talked with a huge number of my customers and I will continue to do so, but Joseph will now be available to answer your questions and take your orders.  You can also email him at [email protected].
 
My brother Mark will continue to handle all aspects of the shipping side of the business while Joseph and I handle the walk-in customers, customer service and growing the business.  Please join me in welcoming Joseph to our family.
WINEMAKER MAGAZINE AWARDS 
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We almost did it!  We made a good run at the "Retailer of the Year" with 65 medals, but we were still a little short.  I am extremely pleased with the number of medals and the fact that the average medal was a silver.  In addition, we went from 12 medals to 65.  That is a HUGE jump.  Start saving up your best wines for 2010 so we can win even more medals.
 
To see a list of our 2009 winners, click on the following link:
 
 
To see the complete list of all of the winners, click on the link below:
 
 
Again, my sincere thanks to each of you that entered a wine on our behalf.  I hope those of you that did not win this year will be rewarded next year.
MAJOR EXPANSION OF PRODUCT LINE 
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Texas is now the fastest growing state in the terms of new wineries.  Local wineries have been after me to carry more winery related items, but in the past, we did not have the room, nor the knowledge to do so.  Since we now have more of each, we are going to expand our product line to include more items used by the "large home winemaker" and the "Small Wineries".
 
We are going to reach out to all of the wineries in Texas and surrounding states, as well as, the various state winery associations to find out which products they need and we will try to carry as many as we can.  in that endeavor, we have expanded our equipment line to include more stainless steel tanks and all of the associated replacement parts, bladder presses up to 160 liter size, a 10 plate filter and testing equipment from Hanna Instruments (See below).
 
We have added most of the tanks and presses to the web site and you can see the expanded selection using the following links:
 
 
 
 
 
We are working on the Hanna Products page and will be adding more products this week.  In the meatime, you can see what we have at this link:
 
 
One last note, all of these items have been separated in the Online Catalog to a new class called "Winery Related Items".  All items in this class will not qualify for any discounts.  I have discovered that there are just too many people that cannot figure out my discounts and since most of the items are over $100.00 anyway, I decided to reduce the prices and eliminate them from my discounts.  To the best of my knowledge, the list prices on these items are equal to or less than my known competition.
 
If you have any friends that make enough wine to use these items or know any small wineries, please let them know about my web site.
HANNA INSTRUSTMENTS DISTRIBUTOR
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We decided several months ago that we needed to do more testing of our wines to learn and to help our customers produce better wine.  As such, I contacted one of the leaders manufacturers of testing equipment for wines, Hanna Instruments.  As it turns out, Hanna was in the market for a distributor in Texas to carry their equipment for the wineries, so we called at right time.
 
We will be putting their products on our web site over the next several weeks and placing our first order by the end of this week.  If you want any of their products, please place your order now and I will get them on my first order.
 
 
In addition, if there is anything special from Hanna you would like, please let me know.
IN GOES THE GOOD AIR, OUT GOES THE BAD
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Well, more specifically we are talking about oxygen.  In a future article we will cover good oxygen; in this article we will cover bad oxygen or oxidation.  For some wines, such as Sherry and Madeira, oxidation is an integral part of the wine making process.  However, for most wines it is not.  By understanding what can happen to the wine, the winemaker may avoid having oxidation spoil the wine.
 
Winemaking processes such as racking, taking samples and bottling expose the wine to oxygen.  While these actions will not by themselves cause the wine to oxidize, they do introduce oxygen into the wine.  Oxygen in a protected wine has only a temporary effect such as the flatness of aroma and taste in a recently bottled wine.  However, oxygen in an unprotected wine can cause oxidation.  The winemaker must be vigilant to the adverse effects of oxidation throughout the wine making process and take steps to prevent its occurrence. 
 
Oxidation is the result of oxygen interacting with enzymes and  chemical compounds in the juice or wine.  The signs of oxidation are a browning or darkening of color and the development of unpleasant aromas and tastes in the must or in the wine.  Although there are steps that can be taken to correct some of the problems of oxidation, it is much easier to take action to avoid those effects.
 
If an apple is cut in half and left on the counter, it will eventually turn brown.  The development of the brownish hue is caused by an enzyme known as phenolase or polyphenol oxidase (PPO).  This enzyme acts on the oxygen and the phenols in the fruit to create quinones which undergo further combinations to create melanin.  It is the quinones and melanin that give the brown color to the apple.  The same process occurs in unprotected wine when exposed to oxygen, it turns brown.
 
During fermentation yeast produce small amounts of acetaldehyde.  At low levels it contributes to the fruity aromas and complexity of the wine.  In the presence of oxygen the compound dihydroloxyphenol forms hydrogen peroxide which is a strong oxidizing compound.  The peroxide then reacts with the ethanol in the unprotected wine to produce more acetaldehyde.  At high levels of acetaldehyde there is a decrease in varietal characteristics and the wine smells and tastes like bruised or rotten apples.  Acetaldehyde is one of the first compounds formed when oxygen reacts with ethanol.
 
Acetic acid contributes to the volatile acids in the wine and at the low concentrations produced by yeast during fermentation can enhance the bouquet and flavor.  Acetic acid can also be produced by spoilage yeast, by lactic acid bacteria and by acetic acid bacteria (acetobacter).  The bacteria can be present on the grapes or can be introduced to the juice or wine by fruit flies or contaminated equipment.  The acetic acid bacteria convert the ethanol into acetic acid.  The lactic acid bacteria can convert the sugars in the wine to lactic acid and acetic acid.  At high levels acetic acid gives wine the pungent smell and sour taste of vinegar.
 
Ethyl acetate is an ester formed by the reaction of ethanol and acetic acid.  It is produced in small quantities during the fermentation process and can contribute to the fruitiness in a young wine.  At high levels of ethyl acetate the wine takes on an aroma of acetone or fingernail polish remover.  Although not directly caused by oxidation, it may be an end result of the process.  Ethanol and oxygen interact to create acetaldehyde.  Acetaldehyde and oxygen react to create acetic acid and acetic acid and ethanol react to create ethyl acetate.  Wines that have high acetic acid levels are more likely to form high levels of ethyl acetate.
 
Enough of oxidation, how can it be prevented.  First, once alcoholic fermentation is completed and carbon dioxide is no longer being created, minimize the exposure to oxygen.  When racking, fill the receiving carboy from the bottom up.  This minimizes splashing.  When bulk aging, keep the carboy topped-up; a carboy filled to within 2 inches of the bung has a surface area about the size of a half-dollar exposed to oxygen, where one filled to the shoulders has a surface area the size of a dinner plate.  If it cannot be topped-up or another process will be conducted very soon, then fill the head space with an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen.
 
Secondly, the winemaker can properly use the preservative effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2).  SO2 added to the must or wine inhibits phenolase or polyphenol oxidase, the enzyme that reacts with oxygen to form melanin and the resulting brownish color in the wine.  When SO2 is added to the wine it becomes bound with the acetaldehyde and produces a harmless, odorless molecule.  Finally, the antimicrobial properties of SO2 control the acetic acid bacteria and the lactic acid bacteria.  Adding the proper amount of SO2 can be good but too much creates a new set of problems for the winemaker.
 
In time, all wine will oxidize.  By minimizing the exposure to the bad air (oxygen), the onset of oxidation can be delayed.  The length of the delay will depend on managing SO2 levels through the bottling process.  Some wines will benefit from aging and in those, the addition of SO2 delays oxidation and allows the complexities of an aged wine to develop and be enjoyed.  Wines without added SO2 are not protected and should be consumed very young and enjoyed for their fruitiness.
BREHM VINEYARDS 
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At the WineMaker Magazine Conference in Napa, I had a lot of time to talk with Peter Brehm, the owner of Brehm Vineyards.  Since 1986, he has been providing wine grapes fresh and frozen to wine makers of all sizes. He has a lot of demand in the Texas area and has asked me to be one of his distributors.  Since most of you know how much I have wanted to sell frozen grapes and musts for a long time, this seemed to be a great opportunity.
 
In the spring and early summer, Brehm Vineyards contracts for wine grapes in California, Oregon and Washington.  Prices for the coming harvest for fresh and frozen grapes will be posted in mid-July. These grape offerings are sold before the grapes are actually harvested.  They are offered fresh at Brehm Vineyards processing stations in Petaluma CA (for all California grapes) and in Underwood WA (for all Oregon and Washington grapes). Grapes are frozen for clients not able to pick up their orders fresh. Unsold grapes are then made available in their Year-Round Grape Winemaking program.
 
Peter has three locations where he stores his frozen products and one is in the Chicago area.  As such, I am going to offer his products in the Chicago warehouse for sale now to be picked up or shipped in early July.  I want to focus on only one warehouse to keep the shipping costs down for you and me.  If you are interested, you can see the varietals available and learn about these products and the shipping conditions at:
 
Brehm Vineyards Frozen Grapes and Musts 
 
 
Brehm Vineyards Web Site
 
If you have any questions about these products, just give us a call.
WINES OF THE MONTH
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We have just added the RJ Spagnols Winery Series to our product line, so we are going to have an introductory offer of $10.00 off.
 
These wine kits include 16L of 100% pure varietal grape juice and concentrate selected from vineyards around the world and a 250 gram package of GENUWINE Winery Dried Grape Skins.  This wine kits create an ultra premium wine with an aromatic bouquet, rich lush colour and mouth feel you have come to expect of an ultra premium wine.

Spagnols' revolutionary proprietary process of gently drying crushed whole varietal grape skins, preserves fresh vineyard flavor to add delightful deep hues, lush body, a subtle bouquet or a lingering finish to these select red wines. This patented process ensures the Genuwine Winery Dried Grape Skins retain their original color, and include their nutritional, natural goodness of both the grape skin and solids to consistantly make an ultra premium red wine with intense flavour, an enhanced bouquet and bold character. Each 250g package of Genuwine Winery Dried Grape Skins is the equivalent to 4.5Kg of whole varietal grapes resulting in an authentic and satisfying wine.
 
To see all of the 8 Winery Series Wine kits, click on the following link:

RJ Spagnols Winery Series - $10 off

All of these wine kits are ready to bottle in 5-8 weeks and are ready to drink in another 6-12 months, but they will definitely improve with 6-12 months of additional aging. Remember with all of our "Wines of the Month", we try to anticipate demand, but may not be 100% successful.  If we run out of a special, we will advise you of such and an expected ship date.   We appreciate your understanding.

WINEXPERT BREATHABLE WINE GLASS PROMOTION
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Winexpert is offering you a special deal.  For every Selection Estate Wine Kit you purchase during the month of June 2009, you will get a free "Breathable Wine Glass", retail value $34.95.  These are extraordinary wine glasses that in 1-2 minutes will improve your wine just like you had decanted it for several hours.  This is a limited time offer, so get yours now!
 
To learn more about this promotion, click on the following link:
 
 
To see which kits qualify for the promotion, click on the following links: 
DFW AREA HOME WINE MAKING CLUB
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The next Cork's Crew, the Home Winemaker's Club meeting will be on Saturday, May 13, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the store.
 
The club's website has been recently updated and can be found at http://www.homewinemakersclub.com or http://www.homewinemakersclub.org.
 
If you would like to be added to the club mailings, please give me a call.
 
Hope to see you there.
Toys of the Month
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With the fresh fruit season right around the corner, we are putting all of our yeast on sale for $.10 off.  Whether you prefer Lavlin or Red Star, save 10 cents a pack.  We turn our yeast quite often, so any yeast your purchase from use should have around 2 years before expiration. 
 
To see the pricing on these items, click here.
NEW PRODUCTS
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As you can see from the news above, we have been diligently adding more and more products to our web site.  To see all of the products added during the last 60 days, visit our New Products Page whenever you visit the web site.
 
If you are looking for a product that I do not carry, my distributors are LD Carlson and Crosby & Baker, Ltd.  You can see their complete product list at their public catalogs. If you find anything you would like me to add, please let me know.
BOTTLING PARTY 
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The next bottling party will be June 20, 2009.  We will start at 5:30 pm with food and tasting after the bottling is complete.  We have around 20 carboys to bottle and based on past bottlings, this should take about 2 hours to complete.
 
Hope to see you there. 
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PORT AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER
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Back by popular demand is the Chocolate Raspberry Port!  This is an outstanding wine kit that consistantly wins medals and is one of the most requested wine kits available.  It is now available for pre-order with delivery in early September and the really good news is that it is $4.00 less  than last year, only $104.99 before your discount!  The cut-off date for pre-ordering is August 1, 2009.
 
In addition, Winexpert has 2 new products.  The Selection Estate Italian Barolo and the Selection Estate Okanagan Pinot Blanc.  The Barolo will be a regulary stocked item while the Okanagan Pinot Blanc is a limited release product and will only be available while supplies last.  Both of these new products also qualify for the Breathable Wine Glass offer.
 
Be sure to reserve your Chocolate Raspberry Port before August and get your Okanagan Pinot Blanc for a beautiful white wine.
 
Now with over 100,000 posts!
 
When you have a question or just want to learn more about wine making, don't forget our forum! We have over 1,400 registered members with over 99,000 posts! We have some extremely knowledgeable wine makers with loads of valuable information willing to assist you in your wine making needs. Responses to most posts are made within minutes. We are also known to have an occasional contest available to forum member only with valuable gifts, savings and coupons!
 
Whether you are an expert or a novice, it is an excellent place to ask questions, exchange ideas and meet other home wine makers. If you haven't logged into the forum, try it sometime. I think you will find it most informative and enjoyable, as well as, a great place to meet fellow wine makers.
 
DISCOUNTS
 
The most common discounts are listed below:
 
CUSTOMER REFERRAL PROGRAM
 
We have a customer referral program that provides additional discounts to registered users. We will give you a coupon worth 10% of the first order placed by any person that you refer to our web site. The stipulations are as follows:
  1. You must be a registered user of finevinewines.com,
  2. The person placing the order must register and provide your full name in the appropriate field on the registration screen, and
  3. The discount is only good for future orders with finevinewines.com and is not redeemable for cash.

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PROGRAM - FVW GROWERS CLUB

Please check out our FVW Growers Club. You can get all of the details on our web site, but the bottom line is we want to buy your loyalty! Once you spend $500 with us, you get at least 5% discount on everything you buy from us (10% on orders over $100.00). Find out more on the web site.
 
 
REGISTRATION DISCOUNT (FIRST TIME ORDERS)
 
To receive this 5% off, all you have to do is register with us and place an order for $50.00, or more (excluding shipping and taxes). If your first order is for more than $140.00, we will give you 10% off.  When you register, you will also be given the opportunity to sign up for our monthly newsletter, which is the only recurring email we send. We will not blast you with email after email touting our current specials. We encourage you to register to make the ordering process easier on you.
 
BIRTHDAY CLUB 
 
If you are a registered user and have provided your birth day and month, every year you will receive a coupon good for $5.00 off any order over $25.00.  This coupon is in addition to any other discounts in which you may be entitled.  These coupons are emailed on the first of the month and are good for your birth month only. To join up,  register, go to the My Account section and provide your birth day and month.
 
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
 
We appreciate all of your comments, whether good or bad. To demonstrate our commitment to outstanding customer service, I have created a web page with your feedback. As we receive emails that comment about our service, I will post them on this page:
 
As a reminder, we continue to add products and content to the web site, therefore, if you have any special requests, please let us know. We like to hear what you have to say about our site, our products and/or our customer service, good or bad. Please send your comments and/or suggestions to [email protected]
 
Don't forget we like you to CALL!
 
If you have any questions about our products, our service and/or wine making, please call us. We are here to serve you and enjoying assisting you in any way we can. We have an international toll-free line so you WILL call us.   Someone is usually at the store between 9 am and 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. We always try to answer the phone when you call; however, sometimes, we are unable to answer the phone as we are on the other lines or we have customers in the store. If you get the voice mail, please leave your name, number, brief message and a best time to call. We will return your call just as soon as we can.   If you don't want to call, just send us an email. We usually answer our emails daily. Please remember, we are a resource and we are here to serve you. 
 
We don't want to be the biggest store, just the BEST!

Cheers!
George Cornelius, President
Fine Vine Wines, LLC, The Wine Maker's Toy Store
 
Contact Information
George Cornelius - President  - [email protected]
Mark Cornelius - Shipping Manager - [email protected]
Joseph Schuitema - Resident Wine Maker and Technical Creator - [email protected]
 
phone: 1-866-417-1114