User Guide

First of all, there is no clear definition of organic wine or natural wine .

In Japanese, "bio wine" refers to wine made using biodynamic or organic farming methods , or farming methods that incorporate some of these. The same goes for natural wine. Unlike " organic wine," which can only be called that after meeting strict standards, this term is used in a broad sense without any legal restrictions. In other words, it is not possible to "prove" the history of where and how the wine was made. It may sound harsh, but you could also say that " whoever says it first wins ." Consumers have no idea whether it's true or not.

There is "organic wine" that incorporates some biodynamic techniques, "organic wine" that uses as little pesticides as possible ("how much is as much as possible?"), and "organic wine" that uses organically grown grapes but still uses coloring agents, flavorings, synthetic tannins, genetically modified yeast, etc.
This is not permitted with " organic wine ".

The expression "bio wine" sounds somehow good, but we don't know to what extent it is "bio" (originally French and Italian for "organic"). "Bio wine" is a coined word for marketing purposes in Japan , combining French (and Italian) and English words.

That's why Mavi only sells genuine organic wines that are " made from grapes grown in soil that has been cultivated with only organic fertilizers for more than three years, without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and have been EU organically certified ." Mavi also carefully selects wines that are not only grown organically, but also brewed without the addition of flavorings, colorings or synthetic enzymes. As a preservative, only small amounts (less than one-third of the Japanese standard) of traditional sulfur dioxide (a gas produced by burning sulfur) are used.

In any case, we are committed to producing " organic (original/real) " wine, not artificial!

By the way, the French word vin bio (= vin biologique) and the Italian word vino bio (= vino biologico) originally mean the same thing as organic wine. When used correctly in those languages ​​within the EU, these words can only be used for organic wine.
However, these are also not subject to legal regulations when used in Japan.

The answer is yes.

First, sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is used as a preservative, is present in the air and is also produced during the winemaking process, so even if humans don't add it, SO2 is naturally present in wine.

However, the artificial addition of SO2 is also necessary in order to bottle and distribute wine.

SO2 serves three purposes in wine:

• ・Antimicrobial effect (eliminates germs that are undesirable for winemaking and prevents spoilage)
• ・Suppresses yeast activity
• ・Anti-oxidation effect (when SO2 dissolves in water, it becomes "sulfurous acid," which has a reducing effect, preventing oxidation)

There is still sugar in wine and yeast is still alive. If this activity is not suppressed, even a slight change in temperature will activate it and produce carbon dioxide, which can cause the wine to spill or even the bottle to crack. In fact, wines with very low SO2 content can suffer from quality deterioration such as oxidation during constant temperature transportation and during constant temperature storage after arrival. For this reason, even if the temperature is controlled at around 10°C, a certain amount of SO2 is essential.

However, the amount of SO2 used in organic wine is extremely small compared to regular wine.

SO2 has been traditionally used in winemaking in Europe. Even in organic winemaking, a small amount is used during bottling. We often hear people say, "Regular wine gives me a headache, but MAVI wine doesn't hurt," and this difference in the amount of SO2 is thought to be one of the reasons for this.

There are some wines that do not have added SO2.
* List of wines without added SO2

As mentioned above in "Are preservatives used in organic wine?", SO2 is necessary for wine distribution. However, there are cases where wine can be distributed without adding SO2 because the tannins, acids, and carbon dioxide in the wine suppress the activity of yeast instead of SO2.

Even with strict temperature control, changes can be observed in each bottle, but as long as they fall within a certain range, Mavi respects the producers' preferences and also sells some wines that have not been treated with SO2.
*SO2 may be present in wine even if it is not artificially added.

In fact, you can find " additive-free wine " in many places, including mass retailers. Most of the additive-free wines sold in general stores do not use SO2, but instead,

• Fermentation is controlled with enzymes,
• Microfilters (very fine filters) remove germs and substances that deteriorate due to oxidation.
• The heat treatment kills the yeast.

Wine is a living thing, and yeast continues to be active in the bottle even after it has been bottled. Various components interact in complex ways, causing gradual changes and maturation.

If these ingredients are removed through processing to make the wine " additive-free ," it will not age well as desired.

When choosing additive-free wine, be sure to pay attention to the production method.

There may be dark lumps (sediment) or clear particles (tartar) inside the bottle.

The sediment and tartar found in the bottles do not occur in wines made for mass consumption, but rather are a phenomenon that only occurs in wines that come directly from the barrel. They are derived from various components and yeasts in the wine, and are not "foreign matter contamination." Fine sediment is common, especially in unfiltered wines. Please rest assured that these do not affect the taste or health.

How to dispose of it : If you leave the bottle upright for a while, the sediment will collect in the concave part of the bottom of the bottle (that's why the bottom is concave). Be careful not to get any sediment in when pouring the last cup. If the bottle has been stored lying down, sediment may accumulate on the inside of the bottle, which is where the mouth of the bottle is. If that happens, you can just wipe it off with a cloth or tissue.

The ideal conditions are a constant temperature of 10 to 18 degrees Celsius (with little temperature change) and a humidity level of 65 to 80%.

◆If you have a wine cellar, store it there.
◆If you don't have a wine cellar, in the summer you can wrap the wine in newspaper and store it in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator (this will be fine for around two weeks).
◆ During other seasons, place it in a cool, shaded place (such as the entrance storage, closet, under the stairs, etc.).

Note 1) Store wine at a stable temperature regardless of the season.
Note 2) In the summer, we deliver the wine by refrigerated delivery, but if the wine is stored in a hot place, it will deteriorate and the temperature difference may cause the liquid (wine) in the bottle to expand, resulting in leakage from the cork.
Note 3) Wine breathes through the cork. Strong scents and the scent of insect repellents such as naphthalene can transfer to the wine, so please be careful.
Note 4) If a slightly sparkling wine with a regular cork (not secured with wire) is stored at temperatures above 30°C, not only will the wine deteriorate, but the cork may also fall off. Be sure to store the wine in a wine cellar or refrigerator.

If you don't have a suitable place to store your wine, we recommend drinking it as soon as possible after you receive it.

Preservation method

Please cork the bottle, put it in the refrigerator, and drink it as soon as possible. Once the cork is opened, the wine will begin to oxidize. If you use a special stopper (which creates a near-vacuum inside the bottle to prevent oxidation; available at Mavi) instead of a cork, the wine will last longer.

How to use

However, if the flavor changes and it becomes unpleasant, you can still enjoy it by using it in cooking or adding it to your bath.

Wine is a very delicate drink. It is also very sensitive to transportation, and if the wine is tired immediately after delivery, its flavor will deteriorate. We recommend that you let the wine you receive rest in a cool, dark place before drinking it.

Each wine is more or less delicate, so some wines will not change much in taste if you drink them straight away, while others are better left to sit for 2-3 days.

To play it safe ( especially if you're drinking it at a party or some other special occasion! ), we would be happy, both for the wine and for Mavi, if you could order it to arrive a few days before you plan to use it.

At MAVI, with the exception of a few products, we do not normally indicate the year (vintage or vintage) of our wines.

Mavi purchases wine directly from small producers and switches to the next vintage when one is finished, so depending on the stock, two vintages may be mixed in the same shipment.

The vintages of the wines we offer at Mavi change frequently, so we do not normally accept requests for specific vintages.

We hope you enjoy the characteristics and differences of each bottle of wine and each year.

Please feel free to contact us if you would like to check the vintages of wines currently being shipped or if there is a particular vintage you are looking for.

You can specify.

First, in the summer ( late April to mid-October ), all items will be shipped by refrigerated shipping to avoid damage caused by the heat. Outside of the summer (October to April), items will be shipped at room temperature for destinations other than Okinawa.

Outside of the summer season, you will be able to choose between room temperature delivery and refrigerated delivery in the "Delivery Service" section on the checkout screen.

For refrigerated delivery, the shipping fee will be increased by 330 yen (tax included). Even if the shipping is free for purchases of 17,600 yen or more (tax included), a separate refrigerated delivery fee of 330 yen (tax included) will be charged. Thank you for your understanding.

At MAVI, we ship all products using refrigerated shipping during the summer to avoid damage to delicate products.

Cool refrigerated delivery is done at 1-5°C, which is too low for wine. The optimum temperature for wine is in the 10°C range. In summer, when transporting wine by truck, the temperature can reach nearly 40°C, which can have a negative impact that far exceeds the damage caused by refrigeration, so we use cool refrigerated delivery.

If you choose to have your wine delivered by refrigerated delivery, please store it in a wine cellar or other cool, dark place as soon as possible after it arrives. If the wine is suddenly placed in a high temperature location, the difference in temperature between the liquid and the outside air may cause the wine to spill over or become damaged.

If you do not receive a response from us, it may be due to the following reasons:

If you have set up spam protection or domain-specific reception

Please make sure that you have set up your email settings to receive emails from the "mavie.co.jp" domain before placing your order. If you notice this after placing your order, please set up your email settings to receive emails and contact us using this "Contact Us" form, clearly stating your name, contact information, and the product you ordered. Mavie will then send you another order confirmation email.

*The setting method varies depending on the device you use, so we apologize for the inconvenience, but we ask that you please contact your mobile phone company.

◆Other cases

Please check that the email address you entered is correct by going to "Change/Cancel Registration Details" on your My Page. Also, some devices have a function that automatically converts the alphabet you enter into uppercase, or automatically adds a space at the end. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please check by entering it again manually.

Mavi has implemented "3D Secure 2.0" for credit card payments as a measure to prevent fraudulent use of your cards . This page summarizes information about "3D Secure 2.0" and what to do if you cannot make a credit card payment.

About 3D Secure 2.0

"3D Secure 2.0" is a system that requires " identification " in addition to the card number and expiration date when making card payments. As fraudulent use of card payments is rapidly increasing, this new system is becoming the standard.

The identity authentication method varies depending on the card company, and may include entering an authentication password or a one-time password, and is an advanced system designed to prevent damage or losses to customers.

Mavi does not accept credit cards that do not support 3D Secure . To use this service, you will need to complete the procedure with your card issuer (there is no charge for this service).

For more information about how 3D Secure works and the procedures, please check your credit card issuer's website or support desk.

*The design of the input screen varies depending on the credit card company.

*If your credit card company determines that you are a low risk, you may not need to authenticate yourself when making a payment.

Examples of what to do if you cannot make a credit card payment

If you are unable to make a payment, please try the following:

Change browser or mode

• (Example) Changing from Google Chrome to Firefox, etc.
• (Example) Logging in in incognito mode and making a payment

Change device

• (Example) Changing from PC to smartphone

Change the network environment

(Example) Home Wi-Fi connection → Smartphone carrier connection

• Clear cache

If the above does not resolve your issue, please contact your card company.

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If you can't use your credit card

The following cases are possible:

• If your card's available balance has been exceeded
• If the payment cannot be withdrawn on the payment date
• If you switch cards
• If you use a card that has been reported lost or stolen
• If your card is locked due to multiple incorrect card inputs
• If your card has expired
• If you have not set a password for the "3D Secure 2.0" identity authentication service provided by your credit card company
• If the "3D Secure 2.0" password you entered is different from your actual password
• If a transaction deemed to be potentially fraudulent is detected

◎ Major cases where fraudulent use is suspected

In rare cases, the fraud detection system may determine that a transaction is dangerous in the following cases:

• If the total amount of your order on Mavi becomes higher than when you normally shop with your card
• If you have made multiple or expensive purchases at other online stores immediately before making a payment at MAVI
• If you are shopping at a different time than when you normally use your card
• If the purchaser information you entered when placing your order is different from the name on your card

As part of the credit card company's measures to prevent fraudulent use by third parties, you may not be able to use a credit card that you have been able to use up until now depending on the site, product, amount, time of day, etc. You will need to check whether the card you are using is subject to usage restrictions by the fraud detection system.

Mavi does not have access to your card information, so in any case please contact your credit card issuer .

Causes of "3D Secure 2.0"

Credit cards that do not support 3D Secure 2.0 cannot be used for card payments at Mavi. You will need to register with your card issuer.

How to register for 3D Secure 2.0

Please make sure to complete the necessary steps to enable 3D Secure 2.0 on your card issuer's website. Authentication methods, such as password registration, vary by card company, so please refer to the following.

For MasterCard users

For Visa card users

American Express customers

For JCB card users