Cappuvino

Every year, the Carp Agricultural Society organizes a Ladies Night Out, an event that attracts 900 women from all over the region.  For the second year in a row, we had a display table to promote our ferment on premise store, and this was the first time that I go as a Sommelier to answer questions.  This year, we donated a premium wine kit for a good cause, valued at $125, and a special congratulations to Sarah Hamilton, winner of the $100 gift certificate for the Swan at Carp draw.

Talking to the ladies reminds me that in a village like Carp, you must offer a product and service  that exceeds expectations, as your reputations travels very fast.  This is one reason why we offer our version called Girls Night Out, where four women enjoy an evening of bottling their wine with cheeses and other delicacies.  Truly a unique experience, even for a little village called Carp.  You can find out more HERE.

Of course, not all work is fun, but judging by the picture of Kathy and myself, you need to implement fun into your routine.

Natalie

We spend the last month preparing for a 60 second promotional video which is now posted on our Website.  From writing the script, to the actual video shoot in front of  a green screen, the whole process was exciting. Did you know that 80% of videos on a homepage gets played?  If you had to do a short video of your work, what would you do?

Fortunately, Dave Gardner from Home Video Studio was very patient with me, as it took many takes to get just the right shot.  Feel free to contact Dave, as we highly recommend him.

Cheers;

Natalie

Walk into any “big box store” and you’ll notice NOTHING is made locally.  The one thing I love about wine is the country of origin really defines the winemakers philosophy.

The French & Italians drink wine with food, therefore you’ll find an “earthy” taste that enhances food.  California and Chile have a fruiter taste, as they drink the wine on it’s own.  In fact, we can even make the same arguments for the different wine regions within a county (Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Chianti are but a few examples).

But how about wine accessories?

For example, the Vinturi wine aerator (Oprah’s Favorite 2008 product) is made in the US, or the Eisch breathable glass is made in Germany.  Gifts ideas you won’t find at the dollars store, and will not loose it’s value come boxing day in the “Great Value” bin.

Cheers;

Natalie

Greetings,

While visiting the LCBO, I saw a bottle that caught my eye; in the shape of a perfume bottle.  I purchased this Italian Pinot Grigio for a special occasion.  Many studies suggest that the number one criteria for wine purchases is the design of the label (manufactures go into in-depth study on which color & shape combination will attract customers).

The actual wine turned out to be a disappointment, as the acidity was too high and never softened with decanting.  It occurred to me that I only lost my purchase price, but when my customers buy wine from Cappuvino, I have to make sure that they like it, because they have another 28 bottles to drink.

For this reason, we always promote our 100% satisfaction guarantee, because unlike the LCBO, you can choose another wine if you did not like your selection.  I also spend time with my customer to better understand their preferences.

Cheers;

Natalie.