Friday, September 2 2011
Sale-ing Away In September
Pretty good for a 28 year-old
I may have mentioned this before, but for those who don't know, I'm in charge of the Winexpert Retail store. I confess, that really means just I get the title, but it's actually my right-hand woman, Linda who runs things with the able assistance of Joanne and Shirley. I'm a lucky boss to have competent, hardworking folks like these out there making me look good.
The retail store is where all of Winexpert got started. Back in December of 1983, Doug and Ross Tocher opened up a wee homebrew shop called Brew King, a little ways up the valley from where we're now located. They worked hard and prospered and eventually decided to go into the manufacturing end of the business, producing and selling packaged juices and concentrates to other consumer winemaking shops in BC, and eventually spreading to the rest of Canada, the USA and now the world. From small acorns, mighty trees grow!
Unlike 99% of the consumer winemaking stores in BC, we don't offer ferment-on-premise services. All of our stuff is for the take-home trade, which is where the DIY meets the road. While I'm a big fan of the on-premise concept (not everyone loves the smell of fermenting grape juice, but most people love their own wine), I want to get my hands on the wine and wrangle it myself.
And so do a lot of other folks, although not quite as many as there were back in the mid-90's when things really took off. We don't see quite as many younger couples coming in as we did in the early days, which I think is a darn shame. During a recessionary time like the one we seem to be in right now, it makes sense to maximise your dollars, and making your own wine at home is a great way to have your cake (wine) and eat (drink) it too.
It's time somebody did something. So I am. This September, we're going absolutely bonkers with a sale. Check this out:
Holey Shamoley! We're giving this stuff away! You can't afford not to make your own wines!
A few retailer-words: the bring a friend thingy applies to new customers, the Chai Maison buy one get one 50% off can't be combined with the White Zin offer, 10% off can't be combined with other offers, but yup, it's on every single thing in the store, and you'd be kooky not to take advantage of this! On the 17th I'll be manning the grill, making burgers and hot dogs for you and the kiddies (and for me, of course). It's a really fun time:
Thrillin' and Grillin'!
No wine for the kids. Well, no wine for anybody, but that goes double for the young 'uns. Maybe that's why she looks dubious.Come on down: this is one of my rare appearances where there's no agenda, so if you have winemaking questions or just want to shoot the breeze, I'd really enjoy chewing the fat with you--and I'm not just talking about my delicious burgers! Get a friend hooked, er started on winemaking and get $20 bucks for yourself (which can be combined with other offers), have a burger and we'll have a great sunny day.
Winexpert Retail: 1622 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam. Just off the Mary Hill Bypass (turn at the light on Broadway) 604 464 1882
See you there!
| Posted by Tim the Dealmaster AT 3:41PM | 3 Comments |  |
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Comments
Steve
Posted 5 weeks ago
Tim,
Love the blog and I’ve been reading your articles for some time now as I work on perfecting the art of home wine making (I’ve also purchased your mag – Guide to Wine Kits). Anyhow, will you be posting in the near future some information on the new upcoming WinExpert Selection International kits with Grape Skin? I was wondering how much testing and input you provided in helping to create these new kits? Is there a major benefit to using grape skins when making wine from kits and what has been your experience?
Keep up the great work as you continue to educate using your own style and wit!
Thanks for the kind words, Steve--and for the four cents I get from each copy of the Guide--only 40 more and I can get a cup of coffee!
I'll probably be talking about the Selection International with Skins in the near future, but more about drinking them rather than making them--but to answer your question, they have more of the stuff that makes wine worth drinking and life worth living--flavour!
I'll keep writing as long as people keep reading, but I can't promise wittiness.
Tim
Phil K
Posted 5 weeks ago
Love to be there, but I am in Florida. I have to say that one of the guys that works for me turned me on to wine kits (actually, he sent a couple bottles home for my wife - she loved them and let me know that I had a new hobby). Now, a year and a half later I have referred half of the people who work for me to one shop or another all across Florida (I travel around the state constantly and have a series of stores I stop at to pick up supplies). I also have in my office 24 gallons at some point of fermentation and an additional 24 in long term bulk aging (keeps me from sampling too soon) along with the beginnings of a wine cellar. Sheesh.
I will say that the Limited Edition wines are very much worth the effort. I found some Limited Edition kits in South Carolina that had been misplaced in the warehouse and were several years old. The manager sold them to me for a song - I bought new yeast (of the correct type) and made them up. Even though they are now laying on their sides getting some good age, I can tell you that in their youth they were special.
Cheers,
Phil
Phil,
Like any good enabler, we like to say that the first taste is free, and then you're ours for life (cue evil laugh).
Glad you're enjoying the wine, and even happier that your sharing that with other people. Like I always say, give a man a bottle of wine and he's buzzed for an afternoon. Teach a man to make wine, and he's buzzed for the rest of his life.
I think the Limiteds are the best thing that we do: not only are they great wines, they're always different and fun and give us the opportunity to try something new and out of the ordinary.
Cheers, and happy winemaking,
Timi
Leona
Posted 29 days ago
Will there be veggie burgers or dogs?