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Schild Estate Wines Launches Direct-to-Consumer Partnership with WineCollective!

Australia’s Schild Estate Wines Launches Direct-to-Consumer Canada in Partnership with Wine Collective Inc.

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(Calgary, AB) Starting October 2016, Schild Estate Wines will be servicing the Canadian market in a new and innovative way.

Schild Estate Wines is a family-owned, Barossa Valley vineyard that strives to provide consumers with the highest value products in terms of origin, quality, environment and community. Schild Estate Wines have been represented in the Alberta market for over 10 years by the dedicated team at Artisan Wines, allowing Canadians to experience some of the best the Barossa has to offer.

This October, enabled by their ecommerce solutions provider, BlackSquare, and Canada’s largest monthly wine club, WineCollective, Schild Estate Wines is now able to offer more Schild varietals than ever before, direct to Canadian purchasers. This new innovative structure works within the existing regulatory framework in Alberta, and ensures that all Alberta liquor taxes and fees are paid in full.

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Judy Schild, Sales and Brand Ambassador for Schild Estate Wines says they’re excited about the opportunity to enter the Canadian market in this new and unique way:

“We’re looking forward to sharing our passion and teaching Canadians about Australian varietals and wine making techniques. Making the wine available to them is only the first step.”

Matthew Protti, CEO of WineCollective says that this is a big step for the Canadian direct-to-consumer wine industry:

“It gives producers the opportunity to sell their products internationally, something that has been difficult in the past. We’re excited to have this new model which works with both producers and importers to bring new and unique wine to Canadians.”

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David Luetkehoelter, President/Owner at Artisan Wines is happy to be working with WineCollective and Schild to enable this opportunity:

“We continually look for new ways to bring awareness to the brands in our portfolio with passion and integrity. This new channel is advantageous for importers, producers and all customers. We look forward to Schild’s successful launch of their club in Canada.”

To participate in the Calgary and Edmonton launch event, please see details below.

About the partners:

WineCollective
WineCollective picks the best wines for our wine club members. We seek out the best wines available within the Alberta liquor wholesale market and once the wines have been tasted, rated, reviewed and selected by our professional staff, we work with our retail store (Highfield) to fulfill all the monthly orders and gifts. WineCollective does all the work in order for you to enjoy the spoils. A professionally curated selection of wine that shows up on your doorstep, once per month.

Schild Estate Wines
Since 1952, the Schild family have lived and worked in the Southern Barossa, growing grapes and creating wines with authenticity and passion, from real Barossa earth, in a place they call home. Moorooroo Limited Release Shiraz is a wine that represents everything the family hold dear. The wine has historical significance, it is a variety the Barossa is best known for and it comes from a vineyard cared for by generations of Barossa families. History, wine and family are the backbone of the Schild brand and that is what has kept our customers so loyal to the Schild Estate brand. Schild takes pleasure in sharing their heritage with their customers because they feel more connected with the Barossa and the people who live there. In turn this enables them to appreciate more thoroughly the wine they are drinking.

Artisan Wines
Built on the foundations of people, passion and integrity, Artisan Wines has built an impressive portfolio that showcases notable wines from around the world. With something for everyone, the team is dedicated to connecting customers, the cornerstone of their success, to quality product while delivering exceptional service.


We’re Hiring! Join the WineCollective Team!

We are in search of a dynamic Customer Relations Assistant!

Full-time. Latest start date, October 17.
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5
Salary TBD based on experience, 2 week vacation after 6 months

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Must Possess:

  • Proficiency with, or ability to quickly learn, new software platforms
  • Excellent written and verbal communication
  • Professional phone etiquette
  • Positive nature, and be an inherent people pleaser
  • Attention to detail, ability to multi-task and prioritize
  • Self-starter who takes initiative
  • Strong understanding and working knowledge of social media platforms
  • Knowledge of liquor laws and regulations
  • Basic wine knowledge and desire to continue wine/beer education
  • ProServe Certification (can be completed online)

We are a dynamic company that is looking for a multi-talented individual to wear several hats. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys challenges, can think on their toes, is keen to take initiative and solve problems, but also be a rockstar team player and communicator.

Responsibilities will range from customer service, light manual labour, photography, wine and beer tasting and proof-reading. There is also an opportunity for someone with design and editing experience to hone their craft. With many tasks at hand, it is imperative that candidates interested in this position are amazing at multi-tasking, time management and assessing priority of responsibilities. A key responsibility of this role will be to assist the Communications Coordinator with disseminating critical information through CRM campaigns, social media and blog posts. This is a great entry-level opportunity for a driven and dynamic individual to develop skills within the communications field.

It is essential to have a comprehensive working knowledge of the following software platforms, or be eager at learning: Lightroom, Photoshop, Dropbox, Highrise, Basecamp, WordPress, Zendesk and Mailchimp.

Beyond all, ability to present yourself and the company in a professional, but friendly and approachable manner. The Customer Relations/Administrative Assistant will be the first line of communication with customers and must convey a positive and helpful attitude at all times. We are a growing company that operates on a fast-pace. All team members must be able to improvise, take initiative, identify opportunities for improvement, create efficiency and have fun!

Submit resume with references to jobs@winecollective.ca by Friday, October 7th.


Vote for WineCollective!

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

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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


Don’t leave your meat hanging…

Support it with wine!

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Keep an eye out for your Charcuterie & Wine pairing card in August packs!

Charcuterie and wine can be a difficult pairing if you over think it. Though there is a wide variety of flavours and dishes, avoid trying to make a match for each meat. Opt for a Sparkling or a Rosé which will be best suited to almost everything on your cutting board.

Charcuterie is dominated by fats, spice and salt. These are all components that are important to think about when selecting a wine. High acid wines cut through the richness in fatty foods, which would otherwise leave your palate oily. Skip high alcohol wines with spicy foods, instead select wines that have more sweetness to balance the heat. Salty foods can make a wine seem flabby, another reason to look for wines with higher acid levels.
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With so much going on, on the plate keep the wines simple and light to medium bodied. You do not want your wine to fight for your attention. Your selection should help cleanse your palate and support your charcuterie.
KEY TIPS
  • Low alcohol wines
  • Pick red wines with lower tannins (Pinot).
  • Avoid wines heavily oaked wines.
  • No pickled acutrements (unless you are serving Sherry or Beer).
  • Not the time for your Shiraz or Napa Cabs.
  • Look for regional pairings: Spanish wine & Iberico ham.
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TRY THESE WINES
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Check out Carnivore Club for the best selection of cured meats, delivered!  Use the promo code WINECOLLECTIVE to get 15% off your first box.
Partnered with your WineCollective package, the combinations are endless! New to WineCollective? Give us a try! Receive $15 off your first purchase using the code: MEATANDWINE15

Evolution of WineCollective Tasting Cards

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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!


Uncork New York… at home!

This month WineCollective featured a wine from New York, a very under-represented wine region. There is only a handful of producers to be found here in Alberta. First, here is a crash-course in all things New York wine.

  • 5 AVA’s: Long Island, Finger Lakes, Hudson River, Niagara Escarpment and Lake Erie.
  • Over 400 wineries between all regions
  • 17 dominant varietals, from Cabernet Franc and Merlot, to ones we have never heard before, Catawba and Seyval Blanc
New York Map
newyorkwines.org

Long Island has been a registered AVA for 40 years. Sandy soils and moderate climate produce mostly red wines in Bordeaux style, or Meritage. 66 wineries with over 2,000 acres of vines.

Finger Lakes region specializes in sparkling wines and ice wine from Pinot Noir and Riesling. Almost double Long Island, there is 119 wineries and over 9,000 acres of vineyards.

The Hudson River is the grand-dad of New York wine production. Varietals here are the vinifera and American species. Commonly found are, Seyval, Chardonnay, red blends and fruit-based wines, with just 200 acres of vines.

Niagara Escarpment, only receiving AVA status in 2005, also boasts some of the warmest climate. Varying soils create unique micro-climates among the 883 acres of vineyards, from dolomitic limestone, to gravel along the lakeshore.

Lake Erie is the second largest grape producer in the US, with California being first. The majority, about 95% is Concord grapes for juice production.

WineCollective attended a seminar on the cooler climates of the Finger Lakes region. Here, the wines are predominately white and are similar to the varietals that you will find from Canadian wineries. From Riesling to Cabernet Franc, tonnes of character and diversity can be found in the Finger Lakes.

Here is a quick way to find out what Finger Lakes wine is right for you!

Is Thai take-out is on your menu at least once a week?

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  • We fell in love with the variety of Riesling we tasted, from dry to off-dry, the flavours ranged from lemon, wet stone, white cranberry, to ripe melon, lime zest, and all with mounds of acidity. There are tonnes of exemplary Rieslings to choose from, try the Boundary Breaks Clone 239 from Seneca Lake vineyards.

Find yourself in the Chilean aisle of the liquor store?

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  • Brotherhood Pinot Noir is produced from the oldest winery in America, with tonnes of Chilean talent. Philip Dunsmore, Vice President, moved to New York from Chile to work at Brotherhood. Expect Burgundian style, new American oak and a brambly-smokiness.

Always looking for something new?

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  • Lemberger is a German name for an Austrian grape, Blaufränkisch. Found mostly in Washington, there is about 15 producers in New York country with plantings. The Fox Run Lemberger is bountiful with black pepper, which can indicate a cooler vintage.

These wines have never before been featured in WineCollective packages. Find them at member pricing today in the WineCollective online store!


It’s here! WineCollective Two!

From the admired vineyards of Kaesler Winery comes the highly anticipated WineCollective Two! This is the second in a series of limited edition wines featuring unique global winemakers and we could not have been more fortunate to come across this gem.

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Kaesler Winery is located in the Barossa Valley of Australia, a region known for their explosive Shiraz. The WineCollective Two is 100% Shiraz sourced from three estate vineyards, 29, 49 and 53-years-old.

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Old-vine Shiraz, Kaesler Winery. 

Initially, 2011 was not expected to be a stellar vintage, with reviewers quick to critique due to a rainy harvest. However, winemaker at Kaesler, Reid Bosward, knew something that others did not; the wine needed more time. The remainder of the vintage was secretly stowed away in the winery, with a plan to release it only when it was truly ready. The result is a wine that has surpassed all expectations of the vintage. When we traveled to Kaesler and tried the hidden wine from 2011, we knew this was the WineCollective Two.

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Fun Fact: Kaesler is also responsible for one of Barossa’s most iconic wines, Old Bastard Shiraz, with vines planted in 1893. Part of the WineCollective Two harvest is sourced from direct neighbouring vines!

We are proud to partner with the iconic Kaesler Winery. Visit WineCollective.ca/Two for more information on the wine and series!

A limited amount of the WineCollective Two is available, only 1,560 bottles were made! Keep an eye out for the WC2 in select July packages & find more in the eStore, July 15th!


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.


Join Us! Try Before You Buy!

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

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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!

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


Introducing the WineCollective Two!

We’ve been long awaiting the release of our next wine series selection, the WineCollective Two! Finally, it has arrived and we are thrilled to showcase this unexpectedly delicious wine produced by world renowned Kaesler Winery.

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The WineCollective Wine Series is aimed at presenting classic varietal specific wines from their most expressive regions. The Barossa Valley, and greater Australia, is famous for their juicy, rich Shiraz.

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Kaesler Winery was established in Barossa in 1893 and is a well recognized name on WineCollective and Tannic. We are honoured to partner with Kaesler to bring members the WineCollective Two, a 2011, 100% old vine Shiraz!

WineCollective Two is sourced from a cooler vintage, but from an outstanding vineyard. We stumbled upon this wine with great luck! Learn more about the story of this wine, and it’s release, by visiting WineCollective.ca/TWO


The Ultimate Father’s Day Gift – WINE & MEAT!

For Father’s Day this year, we have partnered with our friends at Carnivore Club to bring Dad the ultimate gift! Forget the ties or golf shirt, wine and meat is more up his alley…

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The duo gift includes a WineCollective package, featuring two bottles of red, exclusive wines as well as a custom WineCollective corkscrew. A Carnivore Club crate will also be shipped to your Dad, including 9 artisan crafted cured meats. The perfect pairing and only $98.49!*

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Father’s Day is Sunday, June 19th! Order by June 8th to guarantee delivery before June 17th.* Packages are available for purchase until June 18th.

For more information or examples on Carnivore Club, check out our WineCollective blog on the subscription service after we received our first shipment!

If you have any questions about our Father’s Day package, please contact us!

*Price does not include taxes or shipping.

*Carnivore Club package is shipped separately from Toronto, ON. Shipping times may vary.


Celebrate Mother’s Day with Wine!

The time of year has come where you get to spoil the most important woman in your life – Mom. After years of care, we think she deserves something special to brighten her day, and week!

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This year, show your appreciation with wine! Our Mother’s Day Special features six bottles of wine, valued at $150, and selected by our in-house tasters.

Included in the package is:

– 3 bottles of red, 2 bottles of white wine and 1 rosé, including exclusive selections, available only to WineCollective, and pro awarded wines.

FREE WineCollective tote and dropstop!

FREE $15 gift certificate for your recipient to spend on her own subscription, or more wine from our members-only, online store!

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A gift message will be sent to your recipient after the purchase is complete. Or, choose not to send the email and print the message to place in a card.

* If Mom lives in AB or BC, purchase up until May 3rd and we will guarantee delivery before Mother’s Day.

* If Mom lives east or north of AB, gifts must be purchased by April 25th to guarantee delivery before Mother’s Day.

This limited time package is only available until May 8th!