HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Welcome to Pressing News, the monthly newsletter
published by Fine Vine Wines, LLC, designed exclusively to assist
the home vintner in the pursuit of their hobby!
THIS MONTH ON THE VINE!
WELCOME
I would like to thank each one of you for visiting our site.
I hope it was an enjoyable experience and you were able to find
everything for which you were looking. As I indicated on our
web site, we started this business in 2003, so unlike big business,
we are extremely flexible and nothing we have done so far is “etched
in stone.” As a result, being an early user of our site
and subscriber to our newsletter gives you the ability to influence
the future of our site and our company!
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 winemaster@finevinewines.com.
I want to extend my thanks again for making
finevinewines.com your home for your wine making needs. It continues
to be my hope that every time you visit finevinewines.com you
have an enjoyable experience and you find everything for which
you are looking.
CHANGES
AT FINEVINEWINES.COM
As we start our third year in business, we have
decided to make some changes at finevinewines.com in our pricing
and in our discounts. The first thing we did was to adjust all
of our pricing on Winexpert products to be in line with the market
place. This resulted in lower prices on almost every kit! We
will continue to "Tweek" our prices throughout the first quarter,
so be sure to check in, every now and then, to discover our lower
prices.
In addition, we are reducing the entry point
into our FVW Growers Club to $500 from $1,000. We did this to
reward all of you that have continued to use us as your source
for your home wine making needs. Remember this 5% discount is
good on ALL purchases and is in addition to any special pricing
in place at the time of the order. When you log in, the system
will automatically give you this discount. For those of you that
have spent more than $500 and are not in the club right now,
watch your e-mail for your welcome letter.
We are also changing our registration coupon
to 5% on everything. The old coupon that excluded starter kits
seemed to cause a lot of confusion, so we are lowering the amount
of the discount, but extending it to all items. If you have the
old 10% coupon and have not used it yet, it is still good. In
addition, since I do not have the skills to exclude kits on one
coupon, but not another, the 10% will be good on all items, as
well.
Since we are lowering our standard prices, we
are also reducing the mutli-kit discount to 5%. When you buy
more than one kit at a time, you pay the current price of the
highest priced kit and receive 5% off all additional kits purchased
at the same time. This change will not affect any of the orders
I currently have in house. Those orders will still receive the
10% discount.
We also want to thank you again for your support
and please let us know if we do not meet your expectations. We
want every experience with us to be a great one.
FEATURED
ARTICLE - 10 Most Common Wine Making Mistakes
- Using the Wrong Equipment
When you start making your wine, don't just grab anything
you see to make your wine. Some items like wooden spoons
cannot be sanitized easily and might taint your wine.
Proper winemaking equipment is made of food-grade plastic,
glass, oak or stainless steel and is designed to give
you the best results possible.
- Dirty Equipment
Cleaning means removing ALL visible residues. This step
is really important. It's kind of like washing your dishes—you
aren't likely to make dinner with dirty pots and pans.
Always use an unscented detergent on your equipment and
rinse well. Once everything is clean, you can start sanitizing.
- Poor Sanitization
Sanitizing means treating equipment with a substance that
will reduce or remove bacteria. There are several sanitizers
you can use, including metabisulphite solution and Iodophor.
They all work a little differently. Clean and sanitize
everything that touches your wine—fermenters,
carboys, hoses, thermometers and spoons. It's easy and worth
it: ninety percent of winemaking failures can be traced to
poor cleaning or faulty sanitation.
- Ignoring or Changing the Instructions
Follow each manufacturer's instructions carefully. Wine
kit manufacturers usually have plenty of experience making
wine, and their instructions should be clear and easy
to follow. These people find the best procedures for
getting the best possible results from the ingredients
in the kit.
- Using the Wrong Water
Many people think they need to be concerned about the water
they use in winemaking. In reality, this is one of those
'problems' that is not a big deal. If your tap water is
drinkable, chances are you can make wine with it. That
said, some water can leave your wine hazy or give it off
flavors. If you know your water is very high in minerals,
is metallic, or has high levels of chlorine, you should
think about getting a water filter or using bottled water.
- Not Adding the Yeast Correctly
Be sure to follow the kit instructions when adding your yeast.
We recommend sprinkling the yeast over the surface of 18
to 25°C (65 to 80°F)
juice and not stirring. If the temperature is wrong, the yeast won't be happy.
And if you stir it in, you can suffocate it.
- Poor Temperature Control
Kit instructions tell you to ferment your wine within a specific
temperature range. We recommend 18 to 26°C (65 to 80°F).
Yeast likes these temperatures and it doesn't like fluctuations.
In other words, yeast is going to be happy in the same
kind of environment that people find comfortable. Temperature
control is important, but you don't need to get obsessive
over it. Thousands of people make great wine in a closet
in their apartment. Just use your common sense. If you
live in Manitoba, don't make wine in your garage in the
winter. If you live in Texas, don't make wine in your attic
under the sweltering summer sun unless your attic is air-conditioned.
- Adding Sulphite and Sorbate at the Wrong Time
If you add these too early, your wine will stop fermenting
and the yeast won't convert any more sugar into alcohol.
The wine will end up extra sweet and the alcohol level
will be low.
- Leaving out the Sulphite
Kits include a package of sulphite which you stir into
the wine. Sulphite prevents your wine from spoiling,
so please don't leave it out. Wine without added sulphite
may have a shelf life as short as one month. Some people
blame sulphites for headaches, allergic reactions and hangovers.
In reality, these conditions are usually caused by compounds
other than sulphite. Winemakers have been using sulphite
for thousands of years, and modern winemakers (like you)
still can't do without it. However, if you think you are
sensitive or allergic to sulphites, please consult your doctor.
- Not Stirring Enough
Eventually you need to clear your wine. You do this by
adding natural substances like gelatin and clay called
bentonite. These come with the kit and need to be dispersed
thoroughly throughout the wine. This means stirring and
stirring and stirring. Stirring also is important to drive
off excess Carbon Dioxide.
---If you would like to offer your comments
and/or suggestions, please send them to geocorn@finethevinewines.com.
NEW
PRODUCTS
This month we have a new toy called "The
Wine Whip De-Gasser" #4667. It has been specially designed by Ferrarri
to help you get rid of the Carbon Dioxide in your wine. It fits
on the end of your drill and is only $6.99. To see a picture
of this product click here.
TOY
OF THE MONTH
In keeping with our new slogan, "The
Winemaker's Toy Store", we continue to feature a home
wine making "toy" each month. We will not discuss any
toy unless we have tried it and found it beneficial.
This month's toy is the indispensible "wine
thief". This handy little toy is used to remove a little of your
wine from the carboy for tasting and/or testing. I would be lost
without mine! I have 3 different wine thiefs for sale and they
are all on special this month for over 15% off! I have also included
the plastic test jar in this month's special for those of you
needing this item to use along with your wine thief.
Part
Number |
Description |
Regular
Price |
Current
Price |
Order |
<%
While ((Repeat1__numRows <> 0) AND (NOT rsJuice.EOF))
%>
| 2602 |
Wine Thief Glass |
$4.79 |
$3.99 |
Order |
| 2601 |
Wine Thief Plastic |
$5.05 |
$4.49 |
Order |
| 2598 |
Wine Thief/Test Jar Combo Fermtech |
$7.15 |
$5.99 |
Order |
| 2600B |
Plastic Test Jar |
$3.66 |
$2.99 |
Order |
<%
Repeat1__index=Repeat1__index+1
Repeat1__numRows=Repeat1__numRows-1
rsJuice.MoveNext()
Wend
%>
To use one of the first two thiefs, you insert the thief into
the carboy and put your thumb on the opening in the top to "trap"
the wine. Just like you used to do as a kid with a straw. The
Combo Thief has a spring valve at the bottom to trap your wine
and can be used as a test jar for your hydrometer.
This is a toy that every serious wine maker needs in their bag
of goodies.
INCREASE
IN SHIPPING COSTS
FedEx has notified me that basic shipping rates
will increase in January by about 3% across the board. In addition,
they will start imposing a fuel surcharge on Ground shipments
due to the increased cost of oil. FedEx has had this fuel surcharge
on their Express service for over 10 years, so I am not surprised
to see them add this to Ground, as well.
UPS is also increasing their rates, so switching
freight companies is not an option. And, in case you missed it,
the US Post Office is asking for a significant increase in postage
next year.
As always, I will do everything I can to keep
the shipping costs to the absolute minimum. If you are going
to spend your money with me, I would rather keep it than send
it to a shipping company.
In addition, sales tax on shipping charges will
now be calculated for all Texas residents.
I have been incorrectly not charging tax on shipping charges
for intrastate shipments.
As an aside, watch for price increases from
all of those companies that give you FREE SHIPPING. Someone has
to pay the increased costs.
FORUM
The Discussion
Forum now has 82 registered
users and is starting to see more new activity. Whether you
are an expert or a novice, it is an excellent place to ask
questions, exchange ideas and meet other home wine makers.
The discussions have also led me to bring in additional products,
as well as, dig through my books for some answers. In addition,
there are several polls in which you can vote and see the results.
You can also create your own poll.
I have also added a "Forum Specials" section.
In this section, I will post additional specials that will be
available first to forum members. Initially, I will use this
area to post limited quantity items, especially wine kits that
are approaching expiration. I chose this method for notification
as I realize everyone already gets too many e-mails. In order
to be fair to everyone, I will try to always post any specials
on Sunday. These specials will be available on a first come,
first served basis.
If you haven't logged into the forum, try it
sometime. I think you will find it most informative and enjoyable.
MONTHLY SPECIALS
See Featured Wine
CALL
US!
If you have any questions about our products,
our service and/or wine making, please call us. We are not Corporate
America! We are here to serve you. I bring this up, because a
number of my callers apologize for bothering me or using my toll-free
line. You are definitely not bothering me and I have a toll-free
line so you WILL call me.
Sometimes, I am unable to answer the phone.
If you get the voice mail, please leave your name, number, brief
message and a best time to call. I will return your call as soon
as I can. I now have the Company Line forwarded to my cell phone
when I am not in the store. As a result, I am now available almost
24-7. I do need to sleep!
If you don't want to call, just send me an email.
I usually answer my email daily. In addition, your emails and/or
calls do not have to relate to wine. I will discuss any topic
you like, so please remember, I am your resource and I am here
for you.
FEATURED
WINE
This month we are featuring not featuring a
particular wine. Instead, we are offering all of our Cellar Classic
Wine Kits at 20% off. If you have ever wanted to try one of the
"big" kits, now is the time.
To see this month's special pricing on Cellar
Classic wine kits, click here.
CUSTOMER
APPRECIATION PROGRAM
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 a 5% discount on everything you buy from
us. Find out more on the web site.
CUSTOMER
REFFERAL PROGRAM
Effective March 1, 2004, we have a customer
referral program that provides for 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:
- You must be a registered user of finevinewines.com,
- The person placing the order must register and provide your
name in the appropriate field on the registration screen, and
- The discount is only good for future orders with finevinewines.com
and is not redeemable for cash.
That's all you have to do to get another discount from finevinewines.com.
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.
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Vine Wines.
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