ComplaintsforLD Carlson Company Wine Art of Ohio

• Initial Complaint

  07/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  LD Carlson is refusing to admit they are selling defective product, namely there brand of wine conditioner, we have had many emails back and forth, I have even sent them video, of the defective product. they refuse to believe, it is defective. We own a winery, and at this point due to the defective conditioner, I have had to destroy 42 gallons of wine, which is 210 bottles of wine, which translates into about $3300. ********* ***** ***** ****** **** ********** ******* **** ***** 

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email Attachment]

  *** ******* **** ***** ** *****
  
  Better Business Bureau
  Attn: ******** ******
  
  
  Dear ********,
  I am writing in response to complaint #******** which was issued on July 25th, 2022.  I will be providing below the actual dates and detail that will relate to the complaint filed against our company.
  
  Our valued customer ordered our brand of wine conditioner twice.  The first order was placed on January 3rd, 2022, for four units and it was shipped to the customer on January 4th, 2022.  A second order for the same product and quantity was received on February 19th, 2022, and was shipped on February 21st, 2022.  We received a complaint/concern on March 25th, 2022.  At the time of this complaint, which was fielded through our claims form process and first responded to within an hour and eleven minutes, the customer claimed the product had crystalized at the bottom of the package (which can happen when stored/shipped cold but is easily returned to liquid when placed in warm water) but he had continued to use it.  Some undisclosed time after, the wine that was being produced had a form of “scum” across the top of it.  Our team responded promptly as noted above and requested pictures so we could help to assess and diagnose the problem.  This product sells hundreds of units into commercial grade wineries and has yet to see a single complaint raised outside of this one so naturally, we wanted to find the underlying cause of it quickly.  The response from the customer on the very same day, March 25th, 2022, was that he was not going to condemn the batch yet as this issue does happen occasionally when they blend Rhubarb into Strawberry and that he would like to sit tight for a week.
  
  The next communication on the issue was not received until Monday, June 13th, more than eleven weeks later.  In this communication the customer explains that he had taken the product all the way through to bottling and that he was now seeing sediment in the finished wine bottles and that the corks were being pushed back out of the bottle.  Our team responded and moved immediately to involve our manufacturer of the product to see if our product could cause the issue as we still had not received a single complaint from any other customer or commercial winery.  While our Purchasing Manager contacted to the manufacturer to research the issue, we offered a solution to credit back the second set of four units that were purchased (which was completed) and offered to replace the wine base units that were originally used to make the base batches of wine.
  
  Our manufacturer took the information down and researched the complaint immediately as they also distribute the same product.  The manufacturers response was “These are two separate issues.  Sediment in the bottles and the corks being pushed out is because the wine was still fermenting after bottling.  So, either it was not fermented out completely or he didn’t add enough metabisulphite or sorbate before bottling to stop it refermenting the sugars he added with the wine conditioner.  Solids in the wine conditioner would just be sugars crystalizing out, which can happen if it gets very cold.  This is not going to affect their wine in any way.  The brix might be slightly lower, but the sugars would easily dissolve in the wine.  That is not what caused the solids in their wine – that’s dead yeast”.
  
  Even though based on our sales of this product and research with our manufacturer, we can confirm that there is no defect in the product that was sold, on July 26th, 2022, the credit for the second order of wine conditioner was issued as a customer satisfaction.  And although we are yet to hear if the customer would like to receive replacement kits for the lost batches, we still have this offer available to them.
  
  The last response was on July 29th, 2022, where the customer received the credit on their account and complained that it was lousy.  Furthermore, it was stated that they hoped to come to an agreement without them needing to take further action.  Of course, based on the time stamps on your letter to our company, they already had.
  
  We feel that we have serviced the complaint with prompt attention, communication and research with the manufacturer that produces the product.  We worked to find solutions for the customer out of good faith even though we can attest that our product was not at fault.  We apologize for all inconveniences and will continue doing our best to service this customer through good times and bad.
  
  
  With professional regards,  
  
   
  ***** ***** | Vice President
  LD Carlson Company | *** ******* **** * ***** ** *****        
  
  
  

  Customer response

  08/09/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  

  This is typical of a business, NEVER admit fault. He made a reference to the sediment being dead yeast. not possible. as our wine goes thru a 1 MICRON filter, at bottling. 

  The only product affected was what was conditioned with the defective product, that they told me to go ahead and use.

  STUPID ME

  ***** *****

  ********* ***** ***** ******

  
  

  Business response

  08/22/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email Attachment]

  
  *** ******* **** ***** ** *****
  
  August 22nd, 2022
  
  Better Business Bureau
  Attn: ******** ******
  
  
  Dear ******** - 
  
  I am writing in response to complainant’s rejection of response in case ********.  As previously stated in our response dated August 2nd, 2022, there have been no other issues reported, to us or the manufacturer, with the wine conditioner the customer is complaining about.  The manufacturer of the wine conditioner (we are merely a distributor) reviewed complainant’s allegations and responded that the problems he reported are not due to defective wine conditioner.  We have no way to confirm how the complainant processed his wine batches, what methods were used to ensure fermentation was complete before bottling, or what other factors may have been involved on complainant’s side to cause this problem.  The only thing we can attest to is that we addressed his concerns immediately, we offered and issued credits for the product sold (even though it was not defective), and that there have not been any other issues reported with this product.
  
  We are sorry the customer feels that it is “typical of a business” to “never admit fault” but after thorough research with the manufacturer we do not find any cause and effect connected to the wine conditioner.  As the customer is also a business, we would hope he can look at the facts in this matter and see that perhaps there is another cause for the problem with his batches.
  
  
  
  
  With professional regards,  
  
   
  ***** ***** | Vice President
  LD Carlson Company | *** ******* **** * ***** ** *****
         
  

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