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Konzelmann & WineCollective Wine Label Design Contest!

Cheers to Canada’s 150th!

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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).

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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!


Tell your friends about WineCollective!

WineCollective Referral Program allows you to share your love of wine with your friends…. and be rewarded for it!

We’ve heard you ask time again for a referral bonus & we’re thrilled to now offer a reward for both you and your wine-drinking pal.

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Anytime a friend signs up for a WineCollective subscription* and puts your full name in the referral field at checkout, you will get a $15 credit on your account. More, your referred friend will receive a $15 credit on their account too!

Credits are automatically applied to the next charge on an account, so whichever comes first; the next month’s charge, a store order, or even a gift purchased for someone else.

So, start spreading the word! Get your family, friends and co-workers in the club and let WineCollective reward you for it!

 

*Must be a personal subscription. Does not apply to gift purchases.


New Year’s Day Bubbles Contest!

If you follow WineCollective on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you may have noticed our obsession with the combination of Friday and bubbles. Something we like to call #ChampagneFriday!

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This week, we’ll be celebrating the ultimate #ChampagneFriday on New Year’s Day and we would love for you to join us!

This Friday, January 1, 2016, tag or tweet us a photo of you enjoying some sort of Sparkling wine (Prosecco, Spumante, Cava, Champagne, etc) for your chance to win our Bubbly Prize Pack!

Simply use #ChampagneFriday2016 when posting your photo.

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For those celebrating NYE tonight with a likely inability to participate tomorrow 😉 all entries submitted after midnight, New Year’s Eve, will be included!

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To join in on our #ChampagneFriday2016 action, find us on Twitter and Instagram @WineCollective or at Facebook.com/WineCollective

HAPPY NEW YEAR & CHEERS!

The WineCollective Team.


WineCollective on The Marilyn Denis Show!

We are quite excited to share WineCollective‘s first TV appearance on The Marilyn Denis Show in part of Marilyn’s 10 Days of Giveaways!

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Visit The Marilyn Denis Show and watch the full episode online!

Through out the month of December, Marilyn is surprising audience members with her annual gift giveaway shows. WineCollective was featured in the Hostess Gift Guide and each audience member walked away with $100 to spend on a personal subscription or Holiday Wine Experience Package!

Other features included gifts from our friends at Carnivore Club, Ten Thousand Villages, Retro Festive and more! For your chance to win the same gifts as audience members, you can enter the online draw!

For those lucky audience members joining us, Welcome to WineCollective!


Fairtales, Legends, Fashion & Wine!

Last weekend, WineCollective & Highfield were extremely fortunate to take part in the Calgary Philharmonic’s Fairytales and Legends Fashion Gala!

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Featuring Holt Renfrew fashion, styled by the ladies of Styleista, this event brought together Calgary’s elite and huge sponsors. The magical event took place at Devonian Gardens, transformed into a magical forest with ambient and fashion show music from the orchestra’s finest.

WineCollective donated a variety of wines to the event’s huge raffle prize, valued at $2,000 with gifts from Craft Beer Market, Big Surf, Anējo and Lake Breeze wines. Highfield donated all of the spirits for the pre-event and fashion show after party.

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For our participation, Calgary Philharmonic spoiled us with four VIP tickets to the gala! After a quick contest, WineCollective member Michelle B and guest, joined Amber and Larissa for the evening.

We’d like to thank CPO for having us and giving us the opportunity to take part! Next year, we hope to be back with more donations and creative ideas (involving wine of course!) to further inspire this enchanting fundraiser.


Win tickets to Beerfest!

Wine always comes first at WineCollective, but we also love beer! Both Calgary and Edmonton have upcoming beer festivals and we want to make sure you have no excuses not to go! You might not be a cicerone, but who doesn’t enjoy a cold one?

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Village Beer has released their new seasonal brew, Undertaker! Find it at Highfield and enter your name to win YYC Beer Fest tickets!

We have a specially created, unique coupon code that will give you 15% off your tickets. Enter the code, WINE15 when purchasing your tickets online for either the Calgary International Beerfest or the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival.

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The Calgary International Beerfest will be held at the BMO Center on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd. There are several ticket options, weekend pass, VIP or general admission 1 day tickets. Your coupon code from WineCollective, WINE15, will give you 15% off any admission tickets.

If you are in Calgary, stop by Highfield by WineCollective and enter your name in a draw to win a pair of tickets to the Calgary International Beerfest. We will be drawing the lucky winners on Monday, April 27th. You can find several Beerfest breweries in store, including Ribstone Creek, Big Surf and our neighbours Village Brewery.

Not able to stop by Highfield by WineCollective? Do not worry, we have you covered. Simply tweet, instagram or Facebook us @WineCollective. We want to see a photo of you enjoying your favourite brew, do not forget to include #YYCBeerFest. We will enter all posts with this hashtag to win tickets to the Calgary International Beerfest.

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The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is at the Expo Centre at Northlands on Friday, June 5th and Satuday June 6th. If you are in Edmonton, use the coupon code WINE15 to get 15% off your tickets. Stay tuned for free tickets in May!


Wine ‘n Dine with VINES Magazine

2014 Holiday Package receivers have been patiently waiting for their first issue of VINES Magazine, one of the additional gifts added to WineCollective packages (of 3 months or more) this Christmas alongside our custom made dropstops and corkscrews.

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VINES is a Canadian magazine for wine and food lovers. Whether you know nothing of the wine world, or are a sommelier, the magazine shares expert advice and insider tips that are sure to increase anyone’s wine knowledge and passion!

The March edition is the first of 6 issues that will be published and received by WineCollective gift receivers this year. The issue will include a look into fermentation in concrete eggs and details on a new ‘One Faith’ project, aimed at crafting First Growth style Bordeaux in the Okanagan. Additionally, you will also find a feature on Adam Hynam-Smith, host of Food Network Canada’s Restaurant Takeover.

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We want to thank the VINES team in helping us bring their magazine to WineCollective members. We are truly excited and hope that through their enthusiastic articles on food, travel and of course, wine, our own community will become more engaged and obsessed with the industry of enjoyment!

If you are not a holiday package gift receiver but would love to discover VINES, please check out their subscription deals!


Champagne Chair Contest

Each year, Design Within Reach launches a Champagne Chair Design contest. Using only the foil, cage, cork and label of two bottles, winners have managed to create spectacular furniture designs that we wish came in human, and not doll sized form. Below are this year’s winners, 3rd, 2nd and 1st place respectively.

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2nd_winners

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You may have already assumed that these designs are not the easiest to create. In fact, participants are able to use whatever tools they can get their hands on including drills, X Acto and Jewellery knives.

As we can not believe we have never found this contest before, we have decided to launch our very own Champagne Chair Design Contest for WineCollective members! We hope that from recent Champagne and Sparkling WineCollective features, members have some corks and cages still laying around.

Using the materials from two bottles, and which ever tools you would like, we are challenging you to create a chair that you would love to sit in yourself! To participate, simple leave a photo of the chair, as well as a comment on how you built it, materials used, etc, in the comment section below, or, on our Facebook page.

The winner will receive a very special Champagne and Sparkling package, custom created to suit their tastes!

We are very excited to see what you all come up with! For questions, please reach out to us, or leave a comment below.

Happy Champagne Friday!


Your WineCollective Dropstop

This year, in WineCollective Holiday Packages, we included a custom dropstop to assist you in serving all of the delicious wines you receive. In case you pulled the gift out from your shipment and sarcastically whispered, “thanks for the sticker,” we bring to you a step by step guide on using this small, yet handy tool.

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Step 1. Whether the bottle is capped with a cork or screw top, open it up!

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Step 2. Remove the dropstop from its packaging and roll it into a funnel.

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Step 3. Stick the funnel shaped dropstop into the mouth of the bottle.

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Step 4. Pour away! No need to twist the bottle at the end of the pour.

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Step 5. Check out the bottle, and notice no drops down the label.

Step 6. Drink and enjoy!

Don’t be mistaken, your dropstop is reusable! Simply wash with mild soap and warm water and you’re ready to pour again!

You can find the WineCollective dropstop in store too for only $2.90 for club members!

We look forward to sharing with you details on all of the additional gifts added to WineCollective holiday packages. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on Vines Magazine. Members gifted three months of wine or more, receive a complimentary year subscription to the publication, beginning in March!


The ever-growing wine industry in British Columbia

Early this week, WineCollective got the chance to take part in the B.C. Wine Institute’s B.C. Wine Seminar, hosted at Bar C in Calgary. With a lack of marketing and education on B.C. wines in most wine courses, the B.C. Wine Institute wanted to provide an exclusive look at the ever-growing wine industry in the beautiful Canadian province.

Much like Burgundy and Alsace, British Columbian wine regions are located at the perfect 30-50 degrees Latitude range for healthy vine growth. However, it wasn’t until the 1980’s that Canadians became convinced of the regions’ potential.

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A brief history of BC wines!

1907: Earliest record of a serious attempt at grape production in Salmon Arm.

1930: Extensive plantings of labrusca varietals.

1974: Federal government brings in 4,000 vinifera vines for new plantings.

1990: VQA (Vitners Quality Alliance) standards are put into place.

1993: BC VQA wine sales reach $10 million.

2006: BC VQA wines sales reach $134 million. 133 wineries in operation.

2013: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery wins Best Pinot Noir at Decanter World Wine Awards.

Today: Over 220 wineries in B.C., and sales reach $205 million.

Today, winemakers in British Columbia aim to create wines with a sense of place. With hot temperatures through out the province, mineral rich soils, and a shorter growing season, B.C. wines are beginning to create a name for themselves when considering their characteristics. With a shorter growing period, grapes are harvested with higher acidity and sugar, which translates to less intervention by the winemaker. From north to south, the different B.C. regions are giving noble varieties a new place to thrive!

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B.C. wine regions include the following. The Okanagan Valley is B.C.’s largest wine region, responsible for over 87% of all vineyard area.

  • Okanagan Valley (sub regions: Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos)
  • Similkameen Valley
  • Fraser Valley
  • Gulf Islands
  • Vancouver Island
  • Other B.C. regions (including Shuswap and Grand Forks)

White Grape Varieties in B.C.

Northern Okanagan and island regions are making delicious white wines from Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Viognier, and Pinot Blanc.

Red Grape Varieties in B.C. 

Southern Okanagan has been able to produce everything from soft and fruity to big and bold red wines. Merlot leads in production followed by Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Foch, Malbec and Petite Verdot.

Both Oliver and Osoyoos have over 1485 Growing Degree Days (GDD – a measure of heat that impact plant growth) in comparison to Napa Valley with 1450. With statistics like these, B.C. wine makers are beginning to experiment with new varieties such as Tempranillo, which requires plenty of sunny days.

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Though the B.C. wine industry has sprouted in just over 20 years, it is still far behind from prestigious regions and even wineries. All together, B.C. produces 1 million cases of wine per year. Meanwhile, some wines (ex. Dr. Loosen Riesling) reaches 2.5 million cases per year on its own.

A ’boutique region,’ B.C. has something new to offer to the wine world and it is up to Canadians, like is, to spread the word! Visit WineCollective today for numerous Canadian features including:

Clos du Soleil Signature

Cedar Creek Mac & Fitz Red or White

Brickyard Riesling

We’d love to hear about your B.C. wine experiences. Have you visited a winery, or have an ultimate favourite B.C. wine? Share your story for a chance to win a Canadian wine gift pack!


2014 Sugar Bowl Fundraiser

On August 16, WineCollective was proud to support the 6th annual Sugar Bowl fundraiser on behalf of the Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation (AWBMF).

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Amber Webb-Bowerman was a beautiful Calgary writer and journalist who was murdered in May 2008. Since then, the foundation has hosted the Sugar Bowl, a lawn bowling event, in memory of her.

As a member of a lawn bowling team named, The Cupcakes, Amber was a huge fan of the social sport. Today, the charity uses the funds collected from the Sugar Bowl to support scholarships and writing programs such as WordsWorth Writing Residency, organized by the Writers Guild of Alberta.

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Photo by Andrew Crossett

Each year the fundraiser is held at the Rotary Park Lawn Bowling Club in Calgary. We joined other supporters, like our new neighbours Village Brewery, and donated some delicious wines for the 80 participants to bid on. Despite the rain, this year’s Sugar Bowl raised $8,000. Over the years, the foundation has raised more than $75,000.

Thank you to the board members of AWBMF for reaching out to us for a donation. We are always happy to help out to our wine club members with donations for worthy events and fundraisers, and encourage you to contact us for support!


Wine for Father’s Day!

Celebrate your dad this year by sending him a WineCollective gift package. Sure beer is great, and we bet that your old man enjoys one or two after a long day’s work. But, considering that he probably needs something stronger to take away the pain of baseballs to the crotch, or handing over his lovely daughter to her new favourite man, wine is definitely the way to go. Plus, you can’t share a bottle of beer!

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This year, Father’s Day falls on Sunday, June 15. Purchase a WineCollective gift subscription for your dad by May 31, and he will receive his first shipment during the week of the 15th.  While we won’t be able to get the wine in time for Sunday dinner, the gift will continue on throughout the month with 2, 4, or 6 bottle packages to choose from.

We’d love to help you show your thanks and appreciation for pops. You can use the coupon code DADSLOVEWINE at checkout for $15 off your gift!

This coupon is usable until June 30 and also valid in the members-only WineCollective store. These orders will be shipped out at the same time as subscription packages, but you will have full control of the wines your dad will be receiving. With the store newly stocked, we have amazing selections to choose from that we think your dad will truly be fond of.

2011 Arele Appassimento

A classy wine from a family-run estate in Veneto, Italy. With a blend of plum jam and herb characteristics, this blend of Corvina, Merlot, Rondinella and Oseleta is well rounded and versatile in food pairings.

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2012 Bartier Bros. Illegal Curve

The label features a hockey player as a tribute to Canada’s most loved sport, and quite possibly, your dad’s favourite sport as well. Composed of Cabernet France and Syrah it pairs deliciously with steak, which we think your dad also enjoys.

 

2010 Mas Sorrer

A fortified wine, meaning additional brandy was added for an extra kick and alcohol content. From Spain, this wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Syrah blend and it needs some big flavours to pair with the cherry, smoke and meat notes.

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2012 The Field Marshall

A Mouvedre, Shiraz, Carignan and Cinsault blend from Western Cape, South Africa. The label tells the Boer & Brit story of the Anglo-Boer war fought 200 years ago. Today, the descendants of enemies make amazing wines together. The wine is earthy and rich with spice.

Take advantage of the coupon code and send your dad a gift he will love to enjoy, and possibly share! We promise you, he has enough ties.

Happy Father’s Day to all of the great dads out there.

Cheers!