Bryan Webb, Technical Product Marketing & Sales Professional

Letter to the Editor about being fair to all...

2009-09-18T18:55:00.004-04:00

I saw this and felt that I should post it on my blog...

A Letter to the Editor (excellent letter)

So many letter writers have explained how this land is made up of immigrants. May be we should turn to our history books and point out to people why today's Canadian is not willing to accept the new kind of immigrant any longer.

Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to Canada, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in Halifax and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times.

They made learning English a primary rule in their new Canadian households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home. They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labour laws to protect them. All they had were the skills, craftsmanship and desire they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.

Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. Canadians fought alongside men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Sweden, Poland and so many other places. None of these first generation Canadians ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Canadians fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the Freedom as one people.

When we liberated France, no-one in those villages was looking for the Ukrainian-Canadian or the German-Canadian or the Irish-Canadian. The people of France saw only Canadians.

And we carried one flag that represented our country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be a Canadian. They stirred the melting pot into one red and white bowl.

And here we are in 2009 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes a Canadian passport and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being a Canadian is all about. Canadians have been very open-hearted and open-minded regarding immigrants, whether they were fleeing poverty, dictatorship, persecution, or whatever else makes us think of those aforementioned immigrants who truly did ADOPT our country, and our flag and our morals and our customs. And left their wars, hatred, and divisions behind. I believe that the immigrants who landed in Canada in the early 1900s deserve better than that for the toil, hard work and sacrifice those legally searching for a better life.

I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags, fighting foreign battles on our soil, making Canadians change to suit their religions and cultures, and wanting to change our countries fabric by claiming discrimination when we do not give in to their demands.

Its about time we get real and stand up for our forefathers rights, we are CANADIAN Lest we forget it!!! I am a Native of this Country and proud of it!

NO MORE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
NO MORE not saying MERRY CHRISTMAS in stores and our schools!

The Résumé Black Hole

2009-09-16T16:13:00.001-04:00

Does it really exist? How can I avoid it?

Read this interesting article…

Job Hunting? Don’t Forget to Manage Your Online Rep

2009-09-16T16:11:00.000-04:00

An interesting article on social networking and how your online activitiy can can impact your job search…

A New Job Just a Tweet Away

2009-09-16T16:09:00.001-04:00

An interesting viewpoint for job seekers:

Social Media Update

2009-07-24T20:25:00.002-04:00

I am now the moderator for The HAPPEN Blog (http://thehappenblog.wordpress.com/).
Since I took over, I have increased visits by 100% in just 2 months!

In addition, I now have a Twitter account (http://twitter.com/BryanCWebb) and I am growing this slowly. I mostly tweet about HAPPEN and re-tweet from a few good HAPPEN members (Peter and Rick).

Finding My Job via LinkedIn...

2009-06-12T14:42:00.002-04:00

Bryan Webb joined LinkedIn to meet connect with various people. While job searching, he performed an “Advanced Search” of LinkedIn members to see who was employed at a particular company he wanted to work for. He hoped to make contact with someone who could assist him in getting a job interview.

During his LinkedIn People Search (in which he used the company name as a keyword), Bryan discovered that the COO of the company was on LinkedIn. When he looked at the COO's profile, he noticed that he and the COO were indirectly connected – just two degrees away from each other through LinkedIn contacts. Bryan emailed his contact (whom we'll call "B") to ask if "B" could facilitate an Introduction to the COO. “B” passed the request for Introduction (along with some praise about Bryan) to one of his LinkedIn contacts (whom we'll call "C"). Through LinkedIn, “C” forwarded to the COO the Introduction request with a note that Bryan be given a chance, based on "C's" knowledge of "B" being trustworthy. Through this lengthy network of connections, Bryan got the interview and the job. Bryan later found out the COO had known “C” for 25 years and always valued his recommendations. But who knows if Bryan and the COO would ever have met if not for LinkedIn.

Susan Ireland

Here is the link to Susan's Blog. I almost got in her book.

LinkedIn Presentation

2008-07-03T08:19:00.003-04:00

Here is a co-authoured PowerPoint presentation (~4.7M - be patient) entitled "LinkedIn for Success" in Handout (PDF) format. I have given this 1.5-hour presentation at least 9 times since late 2007...

www.happen.ca/table_docs/LinkedIn%20-%20Putting%20Online%20Professional%20Social%20Networking%20to%20Use%20in%20Your%20Career%20May%202008.pdf

Courtesy of HAPPEN - www.HAPPEN.ca

Also available for download in PPS format from SlideShare (see right sidebar for link).

Some examples of my business/technical writing...

2008-06-11T16:26:00.004-04:00

Here are some articles I wrote while I was the Marketing Manager at Microsys Technologies...

1) In any engineering endeavour, there are usually numerous reasons to test the product as it progresses from engineering concept to engineering prototype to pre-production model to full production. Each stage has its unique needs and demands:
http://www.micro-sys.com/resources/casestudies/Why_Test_Airbags_v2.PDF

2) In the event of an accident, automotive safety components such as air bags and seat belt pretensioners play a critical role in saving lives and preventing injury:
http://www.micro-sys.com/resources/casestudies/Focus_on_Safety_Test_Issue1.pdf

3) Never Enough Data and How to Handle More: Evaluation Engineering article, June 2001:
http://www.micro-sys.com/news/ee_article.htm

4) Microsys Airbag Cell goes Operational...: News Release:
http://www.micro-sys.com/news/airbagcell.htm

5) Integrated Automotive Safety Component Test System Helps To Save Lives. by Bryan Webb, Marketing Manager Microsys Technologies Inc.:
http://www.micro-sys.com/news/news_saves_lives.htm

6) 6th Airbag Conference in 2002 - Organisation Bryan Webb, Microsys Technologies Inc., Mississauga, ON Canada:
http://www.airbag2000plus.de/a2002/poster.html

ENJOY!!

Bryan Webb's Worldly Travels

2008-05-03T12:57:00.003-04:00

Monterey, CA, USA

Sonoma, CA, USA

Kyoto, Japan

Graz, Austria

Taipei, Taiwan

Morecambe, England

Stuttgart, Germany

Jedburgh, Scotland

Toledo, Spain

Banff, Alberta, Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

Napa, CA, USA

Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Orlando, FL, USA

Lahaina, HI, USA

Create your own travel map or travel blog

Visit TripAdvisor.com

Getting Started with LinkedIn

2007-11-20T14:07:00.001-05:00

Getting Started with LinkedIn!

1. Create your account
There are 2 ways to do this:
i) Go to www.linkedin.com and follow the simple directions
ii) Get invited by a friend already on LinkedIn
Note: Accepting any invitation will direct you through the account creation process.

2. Build a Stunning Profile
Create a profile the way you want others to see it. Your Profile provides information about your career, employers, positions, memberships and other interests. The more complete this information, the easier it will be for other LinkedIn (LI) members to find you, and you to find colleagues (which is the whole point). The more keywords about your interests you display, the more likely that others with similar interests will find you.

Spend some time on the privacy options – this will ensure that no one can access your contact information except as you deliberately make it available.

3. Build Your Effective Network
From the LinkedIn Home Page, look in the upper right hand corner and click on an orange button that says “Expand Your Network.”
a) The easiest and best way to build your network is to import your contacts from your Outlook, gmail, hotmail or other address books.
i) Review the alphabetical list of names imported from your address book. On the first review, limit the list of names to those contacts who are already members – these are the easiest folks to invite and will help to build your network fast. Complete the below steps and return to invite non-LI users.
ii) Check the box beside contacts you wish to invite, LI will create a list of these contacts who will receive your invitation. Write a generic invitation that will be sent to everyone (LI adds their first name so ensure that your contact information is correct). You might want to run this in a few steps so that you can make more personal invitations for groups of contacts.
b) You can also invite people who are not in your contacts list. Simply enter the first and last name plus the email address of up to 5 persons you want to invite. LI then will display a standard invitation that you should edit (personalize).

4. Find the Right People / Companies
At the top of each LI page is a search bar where you can type in a name and/or key word. LI will search for connections with the name or name or keyword(s) mentioned in their profile. LI presents a list of found names. Note: You may wish to open the Advanced Search window and limit the search to Canada or any other region.

The tab “Your Network” is the default tab and lists people that are connected to you within three (3) degrees (friend of a friend of a friend).

On the right you will see 3 important symbols:

A blue circle with the numbers 1 through 3 in the middle that indicates the degree of connection with you.
A “1” indicates the person is one of your contacts (a 1st degree contact).
A “2” indicates the person is a contact of one of your contacts (a 2nd degree contact).
A “3” means that there are 2 levels of connections between you and the name listed (a 3rd degree contact).

A “thumbs up” symbol means that someone has provided recommendations concerning this person – a sign of quality.

A blue circle on the far right with a number beneath it tells you how many LI contacts this person has.

The other tab is “LinkedIn Network”, where you will see a different set of names of people who are also LI members, but are not connected to you through current connections.

Clicking on any of the names that the search produced will open that person’s profile page unless it has been restricted. You can now view:
- Any recommendations that others have made for this person. (by position)
- How you are connected. See the box titled “How You’re Connected to ________” on the right-hand side. There may be more than one connection.

5. Make Contact
Using LinkedIn you can now contact people who you might never have known before and who can help you win at your job search.
I. Be Respectful – Contact folks where your purpose is aligned with their interests
II. Be Introduced – Tell your colleagues why you want them to pass along your name
III. Be Creative – Don’t ask for a job – ask for assistance or their opinion (everyone likes to give their opinion!)

www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwebb

Co-authoured with Chris Whittington.

Job Search Tips

2007-10-27T10:58:00.000-04:00

Job search ideas will vary depending on the person, needs and interests.

One can get a better understanding about what may work best by attending networking meetings such as at HAPPEN (in Southern Ontario) and networking with people who are experiencing a similar situation, ie: between successes.

1) One should register with various (and appropriate) job boards (Workopolis and Monster, at least).
2) Seek out recruiters that specialize in placing people in your industry.
3) Get invited to join LinkedIn and use that as a part of your ONGOING networking efforts.
4) As many jobs are not posted, the use of marketing letters and networking phone calls are paramount to your success. While it may be difficult for some to overcome the fear of making "cold calls", this is a key and necessary tactic.
5) Treat your job search as a full time job!
6) Set up specific and measurable weekly goals to meet. Concentrate on high value activities that support getting that dream job.

I developed a simple Excel spreadsheet with goals in 4 spheres:
a) Professional Job Search Activities
b) Companies to Check (ones I would like to work for)
c) Hobbies (for those needed rewards)
d) Personal/Home Activities (quality time ONLY)
Let me know If you want me to email you a copy. bwebb50.atnospam.cogeco.ca

YOU have to do the work and make the effort - as far as I know, nobody gets a job without putting in the effort.

Final Note: HAPPEN is the perfect support group in Southern Ontario for people between successes. HAPPEN provides a place to meet other professionals to share job hunting tips and job leads while those same professionals give support and advice (when asked) to your efforts. HAPPEN facilitates guest speakers who provide stimulating sessions that motivate and uplift while instilling knowledge useful to the search and life after "landing" that new job.

HAPPEN will help one stay positive, focused and productive while providing a stimulating environment for networking and learning how to handle this transition period.

Networking WORKS and HAPPEN is all about networking!

GO GET 'EM!!!

Good Job Hunting

Gun Crimes

2007-08-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

A Solution to Reducing Gun Crimes

I truly feel for the families of victims who are shot, even more for the innocent victims such as the young boys that were killed recently in Toronto/GTA.

Can any politician tell me that someone somewhere has been able to PROVE that banning all legal handguns from law-abiding citizens will actually reduce gun related violence? Clearly prohibition did not work for alcohol in the 1920s in the US. Similarly, prohibition has not eliminated the use of marijuana or other recreational drugs. A gun ban does not appear to have been successful in reducing violence the UK or other countries with similar laws. In fact, banning murder has not worked out either. The current Mayor of Toronto, David Miller and other politicians do not seem to understand this. They mouth platitudes and look to somebody else to fix the problem with words. My sense is that the problem stems from the fact that a criminal will illegally obtain his next gun from sources that can not be controlled by Canada (ie: smuggled or imported illegally). A criminal will continue to be a criminal without regard for our laws unless we can stop him. Criminals will not register a gun since it is illegal, so the gun registry does not address that major issue – it only targets law-abiding gun owners. The gun registry may, however, let criminals know who has a gun that they can steal!

A gun ban will certainly generate an immediate “do good” feeling (mainly for politicians) without accomplishing the goal of actually reducing the number of people who have no fear in using guns in the commission of a crime. The impact of the billion dollar gun registry has shown this to be the case. Criminals fear their armed gang competitors more than they fear the police (who have to obey rules of engagement) and the ineffective courts. Ask any regular Canadian citizen if they feel that the courts look after rights of law-abiding citizens!

If a gun ban did work, should we then ban cars? Cars kill far more people, especially when driven by a driver under the influence or one just being overly aggressive.

Logically, perhaps there is a better solution in a country where it is already very difficult to get a handgun legally. If you do not believe how tough it is to legally get and have a handgun in Canada, try to get one – go through the entire lengthy process. Why not use existing laws more effectively?

My solution would be to have all governments “direct” the courts in their jurisdiction to operate in the following manner, without ANY leeway:
1) No bail if caught with an illegal handgun (this is an immediate danger to society).
2) No plea bargaining if in possession of an illegal handgun, period.
3) Mandatory 5 years without parole for possession of an illegal handgun.
4) Mandatory 10 years without parole for use of a handgun in any crime, whether fired or not.
5) Mandatory 20 years without parole for wounding any person in any crime.
6) Mandatory life sentence without parole for any murder using a handgun.
7) Ensure that sentences for weapons offences run consecutively to any other crime punishment.
8) If a non-Canadian is convicted on a weapons offence, they should serve their time and be deported back to their country of origin, immediately upon release – jail to airport.
9) Make the time served, hard time doing northern road construction or fighting forest fires (with GPS locator ankle bracelets for tracking). Rehabilitation is useless for a hardened criminal.

With these low cost and immediate actions, we can begin to regain our streets without impacting legal gun owners who use their firearms for sport or hunting. Of course, politicians may say that this solution will not work even though they have not attempted this as a solution. Is this because the criminals have more rights than the rest of us?

The police do their best to catch criminals and place them behind bars. However, the weak court system seem to delight in getting them quickly back out on the street, even if previously arrested for weapons offences or other serious crimes. WHY? Should the criminal with a long record not have to prove he should be eligible for parole (ie: a license for freedom)? What happened to the rights of citizens and victims to be protected against these criminals and predators? Criminals certainly do not care about our rights!

I am concerned that politicians only say what they “think” vocal people want to hear. I am concerned that politicians want to be “seen” to be doing something useful. Sound bites are all about their image and the media unwittingly encourages this. Our leaders appear to have no real documented vision for Canada. Certainly from my perspective, they do not show true leadership, just poor (expensive) management and support for their pals. Of course expensive TV ads are used to show of their accomplishments at our cost! What about what is best for Canada and the average Canadian? Is it just me or do most politicians want to get re-elected again and again just to keep power? Was democracy not intended to be “rule by the people”, not professional politicians? If so, why do politicians not impose a 2-term limit (at any level) upon themselves? Who needs or wants a professional” politician other than the politicians?

Finally, why is it that the family of the latest victim gets very upset and vocal when their family member is killed but NOT for the previous victims. Why does a local community stay silent and not cooperate with the police or at least call the anonymous 222-TIPS hotline with information? The only reasons that I can think of are:
1) Fear of retribution since the perpetrator will be out on bail within hours.
2) The sense that the courts really do not care a whit about victims’ rights.

PROVE ME WRONG! GET INVOLVED!

When local communities start to actively involve the police to curb gang violence (not just gun violence), I am sure we will see a reduction in these violent crimes. Think logically - banning handguns will not accomplish this goal! Let’s use existing laws to the maximum to send a message to criminals. Let’s take back our streets. Tell our justice system to do its job of protecting us.

Setting Goals and Achieving Objectives

2007-05-01T07:28:00.000-04:00

Success consists of exceeding a set of measurable values over a defined time frame. The exercise of goal setting helps build a team. Forecasting helps the team focus on performance, both past and future. Leadership helps focus efforts on achieving the goals.

Team Building

Team building is a complex leadership task. It deals with personalities as well as goals. The leader builds on individual strengths and helps overcome weaknesses. The team works towards a common set of goals, which they need to know. They must also have a clear understanding of the strategy and tactics. The more the team players are involved in setting the goals, the more readily they will accept and agree with them. The result is an increased probability of success. Typical goals are sales quotas, profitability, market share, new product introduction deadlines, customer satisfaction, new customers, retained business, etc. Marketing builds the corporate image and generates leads from the web, trade shows, advertising, and so on. The sales team generates sales using lead follow-up combined with promotions, discounts (if any), and minimum acceptable pricing by quantity. Determining the real reason for a lost sale is important in that the situation can be better handled the next time. Spiffs and contests can focus attention on short-term goals. Determining the reasons for getting a sale is equally important. The team needs to keep doing whatever it was that resulted in the sale although incremental improvements should improve the rate of success. Cross-fertilization of opportunities and wins can help spread team successes and leverage off past sales successes. Success breeds success.

The best sales tactic is to increase the number of face-to-face customer visits. More customer visits will produce more potential sales. More potential sales mean more successes. Major accounts and OEM sales potentials require support from the factory. Two-way communications and field-support are part of building the successful team. The sales reps are vital in defining and refining successful products, as reps are generally closer to the buyer than the factory. Understanding customer needs and the political situation or agenda results in more orders. The best reps excel in both technical expertise and building customer relationships. The manager can increase sales by being active in the field about 25-30% of the time. While in the field, it is easier to provide product knowledge as well as spread the corporate message and culture. Field visits with the reps develop relationships that build trust, understanding, and sales. Regular field activity keeps the company and its products at the top of the mind of the rep. Routine phone calls maintain focus on developing situations and provide a chance to discuss problems, tactics, and strategies. As commission from sales is generally the driving force of reps (but perhaps not the only one), the idea is to show them how to maximize their income by selling more of your products. Split or double commissions where appropriate, helps motivate co-operation.

Forecasting

The forecast helps manufacturing produce the right product mix at the right time. Forecasting also helps overall corporate planning in the growth and use of company resources. Forecasting is an iterative team function that needs monthly updating. Corporate goals for sales and profitability growth are a starting point. However, field input can help refine targets, provide comments, major opportunities, anomalies, and a sanity check. Forecasting is a blend of historical data and perspectives, current regional economic realities, knowledge of probabilities of all current opportunities and corporate goals.

A simple spreadsheet based on product, quantity, probability and time of order can track this vital information. ACT!, Goldmine, or a Lotus Notes-based database would be better and easier for widespread corporate use. The routine and regular updates from the sales managers and regional sales staff can indicate realistic sales potential or problem areas. A weekly or monthly management review of these tracked opportunities keeps them visible to all concerned and moving forward. Comparing past forecast accuracy helps determine the credibility of the current forecast and provides feedback to those who generated the data point. These forecast comparisons should be used to encourage more reliable forecasts, not embarrass the salesperson.

Marketing

The marketing team has to keep the 5 P’s of Marketing in focus. They are:
> Product
> Packaging
> Price
> Placement
> Promotion

Bryan Webb, P. Eng.
Technical Product Marketing Professional

Copyright 2007, Use with full credit.

My Background

2006-07-30T14:34:00.000-04:00

Marketing & Sales Executive
Sales Engineer

Results-driven, creative and technically minded professional
Thrives in dynamic environment; adaptable to change while working well with others
Expertise in automated electronic test and measurement instrumentation
Excellent interpersonal and communications skills

Core business expertise includes:
- Business Development
- Sales: Direct, VAR, & Channel
- Product Launch
- Contract Negotiations
- Marketing: B2B & Technical Marketing
- Technical Presentations
- Training & Development
- Budgeting, P&L
- Strategic Planning
- Resource Management
- Press & Public Relations

Bryan Webb, BASc, P.Eng., CIM
Technical Product Marketing Professional
(905) 359-4445 Cell

bwebb50.nospam@nospam.cogeco.ca (remove the obvious)

Wine Tasting @ Home

2006-07-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

Enjoying Your Wine

WINE BASICS
A Brief History of Wine:Wine is first thought to have made its appearance around 3000 BC. As few as 3 decades ago, most wine in Ontario was made from Concord grapes. Modern wine uses mainly varietals developed in Europe (some examples):
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Gamay
- Gewurztraminer
- Grenache
- Merlot
- Pinot Noir
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Syrah (Shiraz)

The Process (Overview):
Grapes are grown in vineyards in various locations (the “terrioir”). Ecological conditions determine how the (varietal) grape (and thus the wine) tastes:
- Soil
- Sun
- Rain
- Temperature
- Altitude

Grapes are harvested and crushed immediately. The BRIX or Sugar is tested for at this point. (Note that ice wine grapes are harvested only after the temperature has dropped to –10 degrees Celsius for at least 4 hours (usually around 4AM)). The resulting “must” is placed into a primary fermentation vessel with skins and seeds and miscellaneous vineyard debris. White wine has the skins and seeds removed from the must very soon to prevent red pigmentation from being a part of the wine. The skin has most of the pigmentation. The skin also has the most tannin. The must is transferred to secondary fermentation tanks to finish fermentation. The BRIX or Sugar is tested for at this point again to determine the alcohol generated by the process which is dependant on the starting value measured when the must is first created. Generally commercial wines are then treated with a sulphite preservative for shelf life and filtered for looks.

Health Aspects:
Dr Serge Renaud, a nutritionist from Lyons, found a low rate of coronary heart disease in the south of France. He found that tannins can disperse fat-derived cholesterol. More tannin is found in red wine thus red wine is better for you. There are reports are that moderate consumption of red wine helps to reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer in men.

Conclusion: Drink a glass of red wine a day…

WINE TASTING

Wine Tasting Elements:
The main attributes to wine are:
- Dryness/sweetness
- Acidity
- Tannin
- Oak
- Fruit

The Tasting Procedure:
Tasting wine uses multiple senses:
- Sight
- Smell (main sense used)
- Taste

For tasting only...
Pour just a third of a glass of wine into a wine glass.
First, hold it up to a light source
- Is it clear or cloudy?
- Does it contain sediment?
Tilt the glass of red wine away against a white background
- Older red wines fade at the rim
- Red wines become brownish or tawny
Swirl the glass gently (may do this on a flat surface) to activate the aromatic compounds
Place your nose into the glass with the head slightly down and the glass at a 45° angle
Inhale gently for 3-4 seconds
- Scents may change during this process
- The sense of smell is quickly neutralized so only use 2-3 sniffs
Take a small sip and roll it all around your mouth to entice all the receptors: tip (sweetness); further back (saltiness), sides (sourness or acidity), back (bitterness)…
- To maximize the flavour, take in a little air through pursed lips but do not dribble
Breathe out through the nose for a more intense sensation!
Think about your experience and what the wine is telling you. Do you like it or not?

Note: Tasting many samples will dilute your senses, as will swallowing the samples, but what the heck, wine is to be consumed and enjoyed!!!

STORING & AGING WINE
Place your wine in a cool, dark place if you can. Keep the bottles to a horizontal position. This will keep the wine in contact with the cork to keep it moist and maintain a good seal. If you do not have a wine cellar or wine rack, just turn the case on its side (if the case is in good condition and the bottles will not spill out).

What is the best way to store my wine?
The environment that wines are stored in can dramatically affect the quality of the bottled wines. In fact, proper storage conditions are very important in ensuring that your wine is at its peak quality when consumed. Thus, storage should be considered the last unwritten step in the winemaking process.

Some wines are more susceptible to poor storage conditions. Generally, white wines – particularly off-dry wines and champagne – are considered to be frailer than red wines. Grape variety can also make a difference. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally more resilient than Pinot Noirs. However, no matter what the wine, it always pays to minimize the risks associated with bottle storage. This will maximize your enjoyment!

Allow for the aging of your finished wine in the proper environment. This will help to preserve the finer qualities of your wine and will pay big dividends in ensuring that you will have the best wine possible to enjoy with family and friends.

Four Main Storage Considerations:
Temperature - Constant temperature is the major consideration. Temperature fluctuations will cause the wine inside the bottle to expand and contract. Temperature swings will eventually ruin bottled wine – the more the swings, the wider the swings, or the faster the swings, the more the wine will deteriorate. The ideal cellar temperature is between 45 to 55°F (7 to 13 °C). At lower temperatures, maturation is slowed, though more complexity will develop in the wine. Wine could be safely stored to within a few degrees above freezing, but it would take decades to develop. On the other hand, wines can be stored at up to 68°F (20°C), where they will mature quite rapidly. Higher temperatures will quickly cause the wine to deteriorate.

Light - Sunlight and ultraviolet light (i.e.: fluorescent lamps) are as bad for wine as excessive heat; however, this problem is usually easier to overcome – turn off the light!! Though most wines are protected to some degree by the coloured (green) glass bottles, place your wines in areas away from direct light or cover them with a blanket.

Humidity - Some level of humidity is beneficial for long-term storage of wine. This ensures that the exposed end of the cork does not dry out and thus allow oxygen into the bottle to ruin the wine. Be aware that air conditioners actually take moisture out of the air (dehumidification). Ideally, the relative humidity (RH) should be between 60 to 75% RH. Humidity higher than 75% RH will encourage mould growth in your storage area (not to mention label deterioration!).

Movement - Wine does not take well to constant movement or vibration (particularly if there is sediment present), thus a secure storage space is necessary. Don't put your bottles next to the washing machine, or in a storage area where they will have to be moved often to reach other items. Secure storage also means storing bottles horizontally, allowing constant contact of the wine with the cork, preventing the cork from drying out and letting air in. If possible, keep the labels facing up so that you can see the label without moving or rotating the bottle.

How long should I age my wine before consuming it?
It's tempting to start consuming your wine right after bottling as many people do. In fact, there are many wines that can be consumed right after bottling and be everything you want them to be. However, if you really want to maximize your wine's potential, a little time left alone in the bottle can make quite a difference. Perhaps putting a few bottles away for aging in another area will demonstrate the idea without depriving you of your current wine.

With age, most red wines, which begin life with obvious fruity aromas and some degree of astringency ('bite'), will develop softer, gentler, more complex, aromas and flavours. The wines become richer as the fruit mellows and the astringent tannins relax and contribute to the body and character. Many white wines may also benefit with age. White wines intended for aging might display exceedingly high acid levels which will soften over time, uncovering wonderful textures and flavours.

Different factors will exert various influences on the rate of aging and may contribute to a better aging potential. Components of wines differ by both variety and blends, and thus wines will react differently to aging. Some wines may require longer aging periods than others before they are at their peak.
WIP - still to come

Four Key Factors Influencing Aging:
Storage Conditions – This is the most important factor in aging. This is discussed above in more detail.

Cork Quality - The longer and less porous the cork, the better the oxygen barrier, thus extending aging potential. Most vint-on-premises operations use high-grade quality corks made from real cork – #9 Long, Agglomerated.

Ullage - This is the amount of headspace (space between the bottom of the cork and the top of the wine) in the bottle. Leaving about 15mm (0.6 inch) is considered to be optimum.

Sulphite Level - Higher concentrations of sulphite protect wine from oxidation. Commercial wineries generally use more of this as a preservative. However, some people are sensitive to the presence of sulphites. If this is your case, ask about performing an Reverse Osmosis (RO) Rinse of the bottles to reduce excessive amounts of sulphites.

At what temperature should I serve my wine?
Serving temperature is a major consideration in the enjoyment of your wine; however, many people serve wine at inappropriate temperatures. Red wine is often served too warm while white wine is often served too cold.

Red wine served too warm will lose its aromatics very quickly – it will have less smell/aromas and may taste flat.

White wine served too cold will not “open up” and release its aromas - this inhibits its characteristics and nuances and will numb your palate.

The typical North American “room temperature” is not a correct “cellar temperature”. So how does one know if the wine is at the correct temperature? A good rule of thumb for red wine is if the bottle feels very cool but not cold. Similarly, for whites, the bottle should not be too cold to hold. The following chart is a good guideline:
WIP - still to come

What should I do with my empty wine bottles?
The best way to ensure that you bottle another great batch of your wine is to immediately rinse your wine bottles with a little tap water (warm or cold) once or twice. Let the bottles drain dry upside down for 10-15 minutes. Place the bottles in your wine box (case) upside down to keep things from falling into the bottle. Consider placing a paper towel or two in the bottom of the box to absorb any moisture.

REMEMBER: Take the Time to Enjoy Your Wine!

Copyright 2006 Bryan Webb - Use freely with credit