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Very Special Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

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The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift is for More than Just Sipping

Repurposed glass-cut wine bottle holding a bouquet of flowers.

Once again we are celebrating all of the incredible moms who impact our lives. And once again, we are looking for ways to share our appreciation in creative ways. Which is why we’re proud to share our WineCollective Mother’s Day gift ideas! We offer amazing, hard-to-find wine from around the world, but our gifts are so much more. Go beyond the wine and see some innovative ways mom can enjoy her WineCollective subscription.

Mother’s Day Craft Ideas

DIY Cut Glass Bottle Craft

The top of the wine bottle has been cut off and it is acting as a vase, holding a bouquet of flowers.

While our favourite way to appreciate wine is to drink it, there are many more ways to enjoy wine (and your favourite bottles). One of which being: displaying flowers! Floral arrangements are synonymous with Mother’s Day and we think there is no better way to display a fresh bouquet than in your favourite wine bottle.

We see so many beautiful, artistic wine labels and it’s a shame to have them end up in the recycling bin. Why not proudly display them? You can keep the entire bottle in tact to hold a few stems, or cut the glass bottle at the base of the neck for a wider opening. There are many online tutorials for wine bottle cutting, including this one that we used. They’re great Mother’s Day gift ideas and a great use for the bottles Mom will have from her new WineCollective subscription.

DIY Candles for Mother’s Day

A DIY candle made inside of a class-cut wine bottle.

Now that you’ve mastered the art of wine bottle cutting (it can take some practice and elbow grease), why not make homemade candles? Once Mom has enjoyed some of her wine, this is a great afternoon activity to enjoy together.

  • By cutting the wine bottles to whatever height you like and carefully sanding the edges, you will have the perfect candle vessel.
  • There are many tutorials available and video guides on how to make candles at home. We love this craft idea and even think it would be a great Mother’s Day gift to present Mom with her WineCollective gift subscription!

Since our gifts start shipping in June, let Mom know she’ll be getting some wine soon. Or wait and make some candles together, when you’re able to.

A Wine Education

A glass-cut wine bottle holding a candle, and another holding a succulent, decorating a coffee table.

Now that you’ve learned the special ways Mom can enjoy her WineCollective Mother’s Day gift, what about the actual wine?! We have been sharing wine with Canadians since 2009 and pride ourselves on not only providing an amazing selection of bottles, but also sharing a full wine experience. Mother’s Day gift recipients receive:

  • 3 bottles of wine (all-red, all-white or mixed)
  • monthly wine guide including tasting notes, food pairings, and more
  • access to special member pricing in our online store
  • sustainable shipping products that are compostable in most Canadian locations

With our special Mother’s Day Package mom will also receive curated recipes with her first shipment.

WineCollective is a great Mother’s Day gift idea because you are not just providing Mom with wine to enjoy. She will learn about wine from her favourite wine regions, and some that she hasn’t explored yet! We can all use some daydreaming about Tuscany or the Andes Mountains. Now is the perfect time to give Mom the best wine experience possible! It’s just what she deserves.

Shop Mother’s Day Gifts

Frosé Friday

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Embrace the Rosé

Since we work with wine pretty much everyday, it’s nice to switch things up sometimes. And since it’s still the summertime, what better way to mix wine and sunny days than to whip up a batch of Frosé! We know that Rosé has a bit of a reputation. However, we think it’s completely undeserved. Rosé is a beautiful, delicious wine that livens up your tastebuds, cools you in the heat, and refreshes your palate. We love a crisp, chilled glass on fall evenings too. Made from red grapes, Rosé is technically a red wine — which some “red wine snobs” might argue. But if you ask us, it doesn’t matter. All we care about is drinking really great wine and we promise you, there are some exceptional Rosés to be enjoyed!

Choosing the Right Rosé

We chose a mid-August Friday to break up the day with some Frosé — which is not typical for most offices. However, we are a lucky bunch who get to enjoy wine during work hours. One of our favourite Rosés for the summer in particular is a past WineCollective feature: Rosé Piscine. It’s a Rosé made to be served super chilled and on the rocks! A match made in Frosé heaven. Here is the recipe we used, which is a combination of resourcefulness, internet tips, and good old-fashioned determination.

WineCollective Frosé Recipe

  • Pour a bottle of Rosé Piscine into ice cube trays
  • Freeze for at least 6 hours. Because of the alcohol, the Rosé cubes won’t be frozen solid — which is perfect!
  • Empty all of the Rosé cubes into a blender
  • Add in 6 quartered strawberries
  • Add in 1 TBSP honey or agave syrup to taste — if you want to sweeten it up
  • Pulse blend until mixed. Don’t over-blend!
  • Serve with halved strawberries for garnish

Time to Stock Up!

Our store is full right now with great Rosé options, including the Rosé Piscine. We also have a 6 bottle pack of a French Rosé new to Canada, for those on extra hosting duty. There’s always a perfect time for Rosé, as far we’re concerned.

Cheers!

Bowls for Beswick Charity Event

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On Saturday August 10th, some of our WineCollective crew got their game faces on and hit the lawns for a charity lawn bowling event! The weather was gloomy, but everyone was ready to bowl despite the lack of sunshine. We had a really great time competing against 15 other teams and helping to raise $4200 in support of The Sharp Foundation in Calgary AB. As a sponsor for the event, we took extra joy in seeing such a good turnout.

We’re always happiest when we can give back to our communities and spend some time in meaningful ways. Cheers to another successful event this year! We can’t wait to do it again in 2020.

Old World vs New World Wines

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This month in WineCollective’s subscription packages, we are featuring a number of wines that would be considered “Old World”. Sound too snobby for you? Let’s break it down a bit.

 

What is “Old World” wine?

Wines that originate in countries that first started winemaking – including France and Italy, which both produced wines featured in this month’s subscription! Old World countries are mostly located in the Mediterranean, but also includes countries like Turkey, Armenia, And Moldova.

 

Is “Old World” wine better than “New World”?

This is fully dependant upon the wine drinker’s tastes. Old World wines are more heavily restricted in how they can be produced and favour tradition over experimentation. Similar to trends in clothing where vintage is cool – Old World wine vs New World can ebb and flow in popularity. Both kinds have a lot to offer and both have fantastic options to imbibe.

 

Grapes Matter

Some grape varietals can be found in both old and new world wines, but have very different taste profiles. An example of the this is Syrah (France) vs Shiraz (Australia). Syrah wines are known for deep, rich flavours whereas Shiraz is generally very fruit forward. Similarly, the two main regions for Sauvignon Blanc are France and New Zealand. Both countries grow the same grape, but produce very different wines – again with France offering a more earthy palate over New Zealand’s fruit-forward profile. These are of course generalizations and you will encounter the occasional wine that falls out of line with tradition.

 

 

Does it really matter which “world” wine is from?

That depends! Sick of hearing that answer? The thing is, wine preference is highly personal and as we just mentioned, the same grapes can have a different taste depending on where they are grown. A collector, for example, might care more about originating country than someone who is stocking their home to share wine with guests. What’s important is knowing the tenets of selecting wine and prioritizing what you favour: style, level of sweetness, and primary flavour. These factors are often way more important when choosing a wine than originating country – especially when you are learning and getting a feel for what you enjoy.

 
Want to learn even more about the different worlds of wine? Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly does a great taste and explains the differences between an old world and new world Pinot Noir:

 

 

While “Old World Wine” carries an air of sophistication in its name, it by no means overrides the great wine that can be produced in a “New World Wine” country. We encourage wine drinkers to experiment, be flexible, and have fun in the process of learning what wine works for you. One of the things that makes WineCollective so great is that we allow you to explore new wines without the hassle of guessing at the liquor store. Wine discovery should be fun and exciting! If you want to learn more about the different worlds of wine every month, we encourage you to take a look at our subscription offerings. Happy exploring!

Rosé All Day, Every Day!

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This year, we’re pairing the hottest season with the hottest wine trend – welcome aboard the Rosé train!  You may have noticed your local wine shops and restaurants focusing more on this delicious style, and we are cheering them on!

Here are just a few reasons why we love Rose:

  1. The mercury can get a little high during the summer, so having something cool and refreshing to drink is key. Rosé provides the delicious flavours of red wine but in a lighter style.
  2. Pairing foods with Rosé is so easy! You don’t have as much of the tannic structure you get from red wine, so the possibilities are wide open. Rosé also has a little more oomph than chilled white wines so you can pair with heartier plates.
  3. A variety of styles to suit any palate. Rosé ranges from light and delicate to robust and flavour forward.  

Long gone are the days of sickly sweet pink wines! The Rosé produced these days offers incredible complexity and depth of flavour; it’s a great alternative to white wines for red wine drinkers!

Rosé is a summer staple, it has been a popular trend in Europe for decades and word is spreading. The increase in popularity has reached wineries and winemakers around the world who are now investing their time and resources into producing the highest quality of Rosé. Production of Rosé has expanded from France, Italy, Spain and America to countries such as Greece, South Africa and New Zealand. Rosé is now being considered a serious style of wine worldwide.

The styles of Rosé reach far and wide! The range of grape varietals used has expanded significantly over the years. The primary grapes used include Grenache, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah to name a few. Each varietal produces a different profile on the flavour spectrum, from light and dry to full-bodied and fruity. Rosé is considered one of the most food-friendly styles of wine. With a moderate flavour profile, it is incredibly versatile, pairing best with warm climate cuisine. Below you’ll find a list of the top ten styles and flavour profiles of Rosé accompanied by suggested food pairings.

Grenache

Profile: Fruity, floral, dry and acidic

Flavour: Strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, cucumber and a hint of lemon zest

Pairing: Dishes with aromatic spices and nightshades. Also, Middle Eastern or Indian and Greek

Provence

(usually a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Syrah)

Profile: Fresh, lean, fruity and dry.

Flavour: Rose petal, fresh watermelon, minerality and hints of spice.

Pairing: Steak salad, seafood, lighter salads or pasta.

Pinot Noir

Profile: Elegant, fruity, dry and acidic

Flavour: Strawberry, citrus zest, watermelon, celery and earthy notes

Pairing: Green or floral spices, savoury seafood, braised lamb or chicken

Tempranillo

Profile: Savoury, light and fruity.

Flavour: Raspberry, strawberry, watermelon, and herbaceous characteristics.

Pairing: Tapas, grilled vegetables and Spanish cuisines.

Sangiovese

Profile: Bold, dry and fruity

Flavour: Cherry, strawberry, clove, allspice and red fruit. Hints of a slight bitterness

Pairing: Chinese, Thai curry, Italian dishes and Moroccan cuisine

Tavel

Profile: Rich, savoury, full-bodied and structured.

Flavour: Summer berries such as cherry, hints of spice, nuttiness and earthy characteristics.

Pairing: Seafood Pasta, cold fish appetizers, herb sausage and brisket

Mourvèdre

Profile: Floral, fruity and full-bodied.

Flavour: Red fruit, floral notes, cherry, pomegranate, plum and sweet anise.

Pairing: Spicy Asian dishes or Mexican cuisine.

Syrah

Profile: Savoury, full-bodied, rich and dry.

Flavour: White pepper, red pepper flakes, cherry and grapefruit. Subtle notes of floral and cured meat.

Pairing: Linguine, shrimp, paella, grilled meats, pizza and chilli.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Profile: Savory, fresh, and acidic.

Flavour: Green bell pepper, cherry, black currant, minerality and a zesty aroma.

Pairing: Beef, lamb, tuna steak and salmon dishes.

Zinfandel

Profile: Sweet, refreshing, and fruity.

Flavour: Peach, strawberry, succulent pear, cotton candy and green melon.

Pairing: Seafood, glazed ham, spicy Thai.

Over the last few years, Rosé has really taken off in North America. Every time we open our Facebook or Instagram, we see images of people enjoying Rosé by the pool, on the lake or with friends in the backyard – and we can’t help but want to join!

We invite you to celebrate the Summer of Rosé with us, use the coupon code ROSEEVERYDAY18 to receive 20% off when you sign up for a new WineCollective subscription or when you place an order in our members-only store! Then, show us what’s in your glass this summer by tagging @winecollective in your photos. And for those of you still having flashbacks to the overly sweet flavours of Rosé, be sure to give these wines a second chance at making your taste buds burst, we promise you won’t be disappointed!

 

Last Minute Holiday Gifts

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Let’s face it, the holidays have a way of sneaking up on us. That doesn’t mean that your loved ones and ‘besties’ aren’t important, but sometimes your best intentions of gifting the perfect present gets pushed to the last minute. While you have been busy attending school winter concerts, company parties, baking dozens of cookies and prepping for family feasts, we have put together some of the easiest and most enjoyable holiday gifts.

All gifts are available to purchase until December 31st – you have tons of time!

All gifts begin shipping in January – give them wine/beer when they need it the most!

12 month gift options – your present lasts all year!

Bonus *FREE bottle of wine/beer each month!

Wine Gifts from $149.99 – $1,549.99

Beer Gifts from $69.99 – $999.99

Eau Claire Distillery Cocktail Caddy $109.99

All Australian Wine package $149.99

*Free bottle is a $25 wine or $15 beer gift card included in each month, in the 2-12 month gift options.

Backyard Bashes with WineCollective

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Do you want to be the host or hostess with the mostest this season? At WineCollective, we have been gathering trendy ideas for creating a lasting impression at your summer gathering and we wanted to share some of our awesome finds with you, just in time for Canada Day!

Not-so-seaside Soiree

Land locked and looking for the perfect beach party this summer? Look no further, we found some great, no beach required ideas for throwing the perfect not-so-seaside beach soiree. When we think of hosting, the name Martha Stewart comes to mind. Check out this awesome recipe from Martha to create your very own stove top clam bake, perfect for creating the ultimate beach party in your own backyard. 

Clam bake photo and recipe from marthastewart.com

To pair with this delicious grouping of seafood, we recommend a delightful Portuguese Arinto, or perhaps a lovely French Muscadet easily enjoyed in our backyard ready Wine 2 Go cups . 

For some seaside decor, we liked the idea of writing guests names on pebbles to create beachy table place cards for your guests. Follow that up by draping an old fishing net and some sandbox toys over your bar and spend the evening imagining the crashing waves rolling in.

Campire Cookout

Looking for a more rustic approach to your Canada Day festivities? How about a campfire cookout complete with a build it yourself s’mores bar? Use Hi Miss Puff’s idea of  extra large mason jars to hold your chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. No fire pit required with these awesome do it yourself s’mores pots we found from Elisabeth Mcknight’s blog.

Photo and s’smore pots from Elizabeth McKnight.

Still want all the campfire coziness without the smoke and tiresome wood chopping? We loved the idea of this smokeless twilight fire pit from Sunset, to brighten up your party. And ditch the unsightly plastic coolers and complete your outdoorsy theme while keeping your beer cold in this super clever canoe cooler from RusticWeddingChic.com.

Photo and string light fire pit idea from Sunset.

Twilight Social

Prefer more of a classic garden party motif, complete with a welcoming ambience and good times all around? We’ve got you covered with some awesome ideas for creating a stunning twilight social.

Photo from ID Lights.

The best part about this theme is the opportunity to use so many kinds of lights to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. For this look, we recommend finding all kinds of interesting bulbs and lanterns to keep the idea fresh, while delicately accentuating the natural beauty of your yard. We love trees wrapped in lights and lights hanging from branches and fences and pretty much everything!

Although we enjoy the idea of using mason jars as lanterns, we prefer our version of this classic look. Use these specially designed bottle lights to turn your empty wine bottles into beautiful lanterns; casting romantic rays on your pathways and gathering areas, or use them as centrepieces to softly illuminate your starlit dinner.

For this twinkling atmosphere, we suggest some equally dazzling fare such as these delicious and beautiful Nordic open faced smoked salmon tea sandwiches , an ideal way to incorporate your garden into your cuisine, perfectly paired with a delicate and juicy rosé.

We would love to hear about some of your summer or Canada Day entertaining ideas, we hope you have enjoyed ours! Get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @WineCollective to share your ideas for creating an inspired gathering this season!

Konzelmann & WineCollective Wine Label Design Contest!

Posted on by Wil Knoll

Cheers to Canada’s 150th!

canada-flag-map

In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, WineCollective and Konzelmann Estate Winery have teamed up to produce wine that will showcase our country.

We need your help!

Konzelmann will be producing a red and a white wine and both need a unique label to celebrate Canada’s birthday. We want YOU to design the labels. Each winner will receive over $1500 in wine-related prizes and ultimate bragging rights!

The theme is ‘Canada’s 150th Birthday’

You can highlight our history, culture, food, diversity, nature, or even, Canadian wine! If you’ve ever dreamed of designing your own wine label, this is your chance!

Who can submit?:

Anyone! All we ask is that you create a label in honour of our fine country and keep the design within the designated specs. Contestants must be of legal drinking age in your residing province.

How to enter: Send your designs to contest@winecollective.ca
Deadline to enter is January 1st at 9 am MST.

The Winner

The winner will be decided by a public vote. All submissions received, and meeting criteria, will be shared publicly by WineCollective. The public will vote for their favourite labels. The voting deadline is January 31st, 2017 at 11:59 MST. The winner will be announced February 10th!

The winning labels will be featured on wine produced by Konzelmann and featured in WineCollective packages. Besides bragging rights, the winner will receive a case of the wine with your custom label, a year’s subscription to WineCollective (48 bottles of wine, a value of approximately $1080), a year’s subscription to Tannic and a $150 credit, and a Konzelmann prize package.

Design Requirements

  • Height 7.62cm (3 inches) x Width 7.62cm (3 inches)
  • 300 dpi resolution/ CMYK colour mode
  • 0.3175cm (1/8 inch) bleed on all sides
  • Straight, orthogonal sides (simple square or rectangle labels rather than die-cut)
  • File size maximum 5MB
  • Files submitted in PDF format
  • Or PSD (all type must be outlined).

label-template-merlot label-template-riesling

Additional information

  • All entries must be submitted to contest@winecollective.ca
  • Please indicate if your label is intended for a red wine, white wine or either.
  • Feel free to send along any additional information with your entry, explaining your art and theme, or why you decided to share your submission.
  • Once your entry is received, you will be emailed a consent form. Prior to your submission being posted, the form must be signed and returned no later than 11:59 pm MST, January 1, 2017.

Nitty gritty details…

  • All artwork must be original. The contestant must own the rights to all the imagery contained in their submission.
  • Any artwork submitted that is not deemed original will be disqualified.
  • Release forms from models, number and confirmation of any licensed images must be submitted.
  • Submissions with trademarked images, nudity, illicit images or profanity will be disqualified.
  • All artwork must fit the designated label outline and meet the outlined requirements.
  • All required label information will be added to the submission if it is not already included in the submission (wine name, vintage, VQA designation).
  • WineCollective reserves the right to disqualify any entries that are deemed inappropriate, offensive or not fitting to the theme.WineCollective may disqualify any entry that does not meet the design requirements or guidelines.
  • All contestants must agree to allowing the printing, reproduction and sharing of the submission. Both WineCollective and Konzelmann may use any submissions for promotional or marketing material.

Good luck to all designers! We can’t wait to see your label on Konzelmann’s newest wines!

Vote for WineCollective!

Posted on by Wil Knoll

WineCollective is a finalist in the 2016 Canada Post E-Commerce Innovation Awards! Vote daily and help us earn the Consumer Champion Award!

Pouring backdrop

Do you love shopping with us? Are your excitement levels off the charts when your monthly box, or store order arrives? Show your love & support, help WineCollective grow!

VOTE HERE!

You can vote DAILY until September 15th.

If your friends and family enjoy (your) WineCollective selections, get them to vote too! Please share and help WC take the crown!

Thank You!

The WineCollective Team

Evolution of WineCollective Tasting Cards

Posted on by Wil Knoll

If you have been a WineCollective member for more than a month, you would have un-boxed July’s package to a surprise! WineCollective Tasting Cards are better than ever – we hope you agree!

TC1

Since our inception, almost seven years ago, WineCollective members have experienced 4 versions of tasting card designs.

In 2010, WineCollective President, David Gluzman, spent many hours printing AND folding each and every card. At that time, our volume was apparently not enough to please the printers (we showed them)! With every crease, David says he remembers thinking, “I hope this will be worth it someday.”

Well… today, with the help of Little Rock, we print over 5,000 cards each and every month. One card for every bottle ordered!

TC2

Our second version was as tall as the bottle itself. While this version was excellent for viewing details, they were not paper friendly. We quickly learned our lesson and moved on to our next design, which stayed with us for 4 years!

TC3

Did You Know?

WineCollective staff completes every part of the Tasting Card from start to finish! Inside HQ, we have a small photo studio, where every bottle is photographed. From there, we taste and create our reviews and notes before our designer, Chris, pieces all the parts together!

Screen Shot 2016-07-25 at 2.12.25 PM

2016 Tasting Cards

  • We’ve expanded our review to include more information on the winery, vineyards, regions and grape varieties.
  • Check out the map! Our new cards contain a map of the region from which the wine was created. We hope this new visual inspires you to visit these regions!
  • Your personal tasting note section has been removed. Instead, tell us your thoughts online! Login to your WineCollective account to view, rate and comment on all of the wines that you receive!

We’ve heard your request! WineCollective will soon introduce a keepsake binder for your tasting cards. Stay tuned!

We would love to hear what you think about WineCollective’s newest Tasting Cards. Leave a comment below!

Join Us! Try Before You Buy!

Posted on by Wil Knoll

Join WineCollective and Redback Wines for a Try Before You Buy event! Open to WineCollective members, friends, family and wine enthusiasts!

winetasting

Tickets are $20 and are available on the WineCollective Store or Eventbrite.

Gerry Thomas Gallery
(602 11th Ave SW)
Tuesday, June 28th
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

WineCollective-Two

Taste over 15 previous and upcoming WineCollective features along with Redback favourites! We will also be pouring exclusive offers like Domaine of the Bee, Hart of Gold and the new WineCollective Two!

Superb discounts on online store orders, snacks and door prizes! Tickets will also be available at the door.

Extra Bonus! Book a reservation at Chef Bar for before or after the event and enjoy $20 corkage!

ChefBar

For questions about Try Before You Buy, email thecellar@winecollective.ca