------------------------------------------------------------
THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
December, 2001 Issue #17
http://www.grapestompers.com 1-800-233-1505
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the latest issue of "THE STOMPER", a newsletter
of winemaking hints and other wine-related articles.
You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a
subscription and have an interest in home winemaking.
Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.
Feel free to pass along this newsletter to your winemaking
friends; we only ask that it be sent in its entirety.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article - grapestompers.com Selects FedEx
=> New Products
=> Bonnie's Bin - 'Tis The Season!
=> This Month's Specials
=> Tom's Cellar - Corks by the "Pound"
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Christmas Delivery Schedule and New Wine Labels
=> Guest Column - Christmas Gift Ideas for the Vintner
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Corky's Winemaking Definition
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
*^* Hot Tips are sprinkled throughout the newsletter
------------------------------------------------------------
FEATURE ARTICLE: grapestompers.com Selects FedEx
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings from the mountains of North Carolina... we've got
two HUGE announcements to share with you that speak to our
commitment of providing great customer service!
First:
grapestompers.com is pleased to announce a new relationship
with Federal Express. FedEx replaces UPS as our shipper of
choice for large parcels.
Second:
We've upgraded our computer system at the mountaintop
bodega... the new computers, servers, and network means
each order can be processed more quickly!
Learn the details of these and other late-breaking stories
at our news and announcements portion of our web site:
http://www.grapestompers.com/news/
Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
NEW PRODUCTS
------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a list of products recently added to our catalog:
- Item #2784 Sake (Rice Wine) Kit, $8.99 (includes yeast)
- Item #2714 Citric Acid, 3 oz. $1.82
- Item #2419 Bottle Sealing Wax, Blue, 1 lb. $6.58
Enjoy the real traditional taste of Japanese Sake made in
your own home. This packet makes approximately 22 liters
of Sake (14% - 18% alc/vol). Ready to drink in 2 weeks.
This kit contains 10 grams of Koji-Kin, the essential
ingredient in Sake making. This product comes with very
detailed instructions on the making of homebrew Sake.
Homebrew Sake is easily made in the kitchen and no
specialized equipment is required. The yeast is included!
All you need to do is add some citric acid and rice.
And don't forget to order your FREE personalized wine
labels anytime you purchase a wine concentrate kit. We
are getting lots of requests for Christmas labels!
------------------------------------------------------------
BONNIE'S BIN: 'Tis The Season!
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
------------------------------------------------------------
The turkey is gone, and shopping has begun. 'Tis the season
you know!
We have been sending out a lot of gifts already and I am
really glad to see the ordering being done a bit ahead of
time. I'm also very glad to hear, "No rush, it is for
Christmas!" At this time of year those are wonderful words
to our ears!
Lots of things are still happening at our place. I am sure
Brant has already told you about the new computers and what
that does for productivity! It is GREAT! We are getting so
good, Tom said we may only have to come in in the morning
to turn the systems on! All kidding aside, we are really
enjoying our new building, computers and storage areas.
It is making it so we can get to your orders on a more
timely fashion.
I hope all of you are doing well with your fall harvest!
We hear some very interesting stories that should be put
on paper for all of us to enjoy. I will work on that one
of these days. We could have our own grapestompers tales
published!
From our family to you and yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and
HAPPY NEW YEAR! May all of you be safe and may God Bless
the U.S.A. and get our military home safely!
See you again in 2002
GOD BLESS THE USA AND THOSE WHO DO THEIR PART!
'Tis a wonderful day in the mountains. . .
Life is too short... to drink bad wine... so make your own!
You can write to Bonnie at bonnie@grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
------------------------------------------------------------
grapestompers' specials for the month of December 2001 are:
Save over 10% on selected Wine Kits
AND
Get 30 FREE corks with each grape concentrate purchased
AND
Buy a 6 gallon carboy (#2201) and get a FREE carboy handle
AND
Buy two cases of bottles (any size) and get a
FREE tub of B-Brite sanitizer (8 oz. size)
AND
Get a FREE recipe book (#2801) or spoon (#2243) when
you buy a Deluxe Wine Equipment Kit (#1010)
AND
Save over $70 on the purchase of a
Complete Winemaking Starter Kit
which includes a RED or WHITE Concentrate
(see wine kit selection below)
Item # Description Reg. Price SPECIAL
3142 VDV Jermillon Wine Kit 51.27 45.88
3228 VDV White Burgundy Wine Kit 37.68 33.77
2202 FREE Carboy Handle 4.95 0.00
(with each 6 gallon carboy #2201)
2322 30 FREE Corks 0.11 0.00
(with the purchase of each grape concentrate)
2801 FREE Recipe Book 3.03 0.00
or (when you buy Deluxe Kit #1010)
2243 FREE Spoon 2.65 0.00
2721 FREE B-Brite Sanitizer 1.82 0.00
(when you buy 2 cases of wine bottles)
3200 Complete White Wine Starter Kit 246.68 175.00
3100 Complete Red Wine Starter Kit 259.79 185.00
Here's what you get with the COMPLETE Starter Kit:
If choosing the Complete WHITE Kit, your choice of either:
Fume Blanc, Piesporter, or Chenin Blanc VDV concentrate
If choosing the Complete RED Kit, your choice of either:
Valpolicella, Shiraz, or Cabernet/Merlot VDV concentrate
PLUS ALL THESE GOODIES:
Tom's Winemaking Video Bottle Rinser
Fermenter Bucket with lid Three-Piece Airlock
6-Gallon Glass Carboy Carboy Brush
Bung (stopper) Bottle Filler
Five feet of vinyl tubing B-Brite Sanitizer
Portuguese Hand Corker FermTech AutoSiphon
2 Cases of 750-ml Bottles Long Handled Spoon
Bottle Washer Adapter Brass Bottle Washer
Bottle Drainer, 45 station
AND YOU GET THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FREE ($16.59 value):
- Free Wine Labels (text of your choice)
- Free $5 coupon towards your next concentrate purchase
- Free Corks (30 corks, enough for one batch)
Just think: This complete kit offers EVERYTHING a brand-new
hobbyist would need to begin making his own wine. All you
need to decide is which wine kit you want!
And don't forget... you can always return your winemaking
video and receive a credit for $19.95 on your next
purchase... that's like getting the video for free! All
we ask is that you return it in good condition.
This is the best deal we've ever offered on a complete kit,
so don't miss out... order one for yourself or a friend
today. Ask for RED Complete Kit # 3100 or WHITE Kit # 3200
and be sure to let us know which wine concentrate you want.
NEW! Now you can "personalize" your Complete Kit -
Let's say you don't need or want some of the items that
normally come with the Complete Kit... just give us a call
at 1-800-233-1505 and let us know which items you don't
need, and we will adjust the price of the equipment kit
accordingly. Likewise, if you'd like a different wine kit,
just let us know and we can adjust the price.
------------------------------------------------------------
TOM'S CELLAR: Corks By The "Pound"
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
------------------------------------------------------------
You know, I always assumed that you needed a corker to cork
your bottles... so I will relate to you some stories I have
heard along the way:
One lady called after she received her shipment of corks to
inform me that I had sent the wrong sized corks. I asked
how she was attempting to cork, she simply stated that she
intended to drive them in with a hammer!
A gentlemen called to order for the first time and wanted
the #1010 Equipment Kit and a Cellar Classic White
Zinfandel. When I asked about corks for his corker, I
was informed he did not have a corker!
"How do you get them in?" I asked.
"With a rubber mallet!" was the proud reply.
So the story goes on! Well we do have size 9 corks, size 8
corks and also some tapered corks. Folks often ask if the
capsules can be used without using the corks! Others
inquire, can I reuse the corks?
It is frightening to imagine folks taking their time making
good wine, only to lose it because they smashed a bottle
with a hammer or had their wine turn to vinegar. Sorta
like pennies saved and dollars lost!
So, if you have a different way of corking, let us in on
the secret and we will share your knowledge with the
readers of the "Stomper".
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
After corking your wine bottles, keep them
standing for one or two days before laying
them on their side for storage.
This gives the cork time to adjust to the
neck of the bottle, and will prevent
leaks from occurring.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Why all this talk about corks?
While in Australia I was shocked to see wineries use
plastic closures (mind you, they did not call them corks,
just simply closures) in some of their best wines. The
reason? Good corks are hard to find. We get most of ours
directly from Portugal and we must order weeks ahead of
time in order to keep our inventory at the right level so
we can serve you.
The day may come when all of us may be using plastic
closures. I sure hope not...
I guess you can just call me old fashioned.
See ya! Tom
You can write to Tom at tom@grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
FROM OUR CUSTOMERS
------------------------------------------------------------
As you might imagine, our office receives quite a bit of
correspondence - mostly through e-mail - here are some
comments we've recently received:
Tom,
One of the finest wine sites I've been on so far. I'm
thinking about wine making for the first time. Your site
is very helpful, I feel like a kid in a candy store.
You have one of the most complete kits I've seen yet.
I like the Cabernet wines, oh, how much is the shipping
and handling cost for the red wine complete kits?
-- Terry Betz
Latrobe, PA
Thanks for the update and tracking information. And again,
thanks for the good customer service!
Happy Holidays!
-- Bob Rook
Reston, VA
Bonnie,
Thank you so much for your prompt response! The package
arrived but Jake got home too late to grab it from the
office.
Now we can be on our way to a wonderful wine making
experience! Also, I will be doing all future orders with
your company. I appreciate a company that cares about its
customers and fixes their mistake - [a] very respectable
practice!
-- Cailey McCuiston
Hello,
I've told everyone how great you've been and your quick
responses to my e-mails. It's been fun!
-- Brooke Moretz
Idaho Falls, ID
Tom,
I'll make sure my brother, who's receiving the kit as a
gift, is aware of the speedy service I received from
Grapestompers. Thanks for the quick turn around.
-- Jon DiRienzi
Collegeville, PA
------------------------------------------------------------
Christmas Delivery Schedule and New Wine Labels
by Tom Burgiss
------------------------------------------------------------
In order to ensure delivery of winemaking supplies in time
for Christmas, here's our recommendation for ordering:
For deliveries to NC, VA, or SC, please ensure your order
is placed (received by us) by December 18th.
For deliveries to OH, PA, CT, RI, NJ, MD, DE, WV, KY, TN,
GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, IL, or IN please ensure your order
is placed (received by us) by December 17th.
For deliveries to ME, VT, NH, MA, NY, WI, MN, IA, MO, MI
Eastern NE, OK, KS, or TX please ensure your order is
placed (received by us) by December 16th.
For deliveries to ND, SD, Western NE, Eastern CO, NM, and
AZ please ensure your order is placed (received by
us) by December 15th.
For deliveries to all other states on the west coast,
(CA, OR, WA, UT, NV, MT, WY, Western CO, ID) please ensure
your order is placed (received by us) by December 14th.
This schedule is based on deliveries made NLT 22 December,
and allows one extra day to compensate for possible bad
weather.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To help get you in the holiday mood - we've added a couple
new wine labels for the Christmas season. When you order
a grape concentrate, don't forget... you get 30 wine labels
FREE with your purchase.
Just let us know the text you want on your label when you
place your secure online order.
The two new designs are the "Holiday Border" and the
"Wreath" labels.
Check them out at:
http://www.grapestompers.com/cat104.htm
And... lest we forget...
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the grapestompers gang!
Tom, Bonnie, Brant, Lucky, and Clyde
(the last two are our trusted guard dogs... don't trip over
them or you might get hurt!)
------------------------------------------------------------
GUEST COLUMN - Last Minute Holiday Suggestions
by Don Schiller, Minnesota
------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes that winemaker or wine drinker can be hard to
shop for their holiday presents. Many times, they have
everything they could need or want, well, almost every-
thing. Here are a few suggestions of wine accessories they
may not have. Costs vary from just a few dollars to prices
that may be more than my last car. The list is more or
less alphabetical.
Backpack or Wine Carrier
Handy carriers to bring a bottle (or several) to the next
outing, tasting or competition. There are picnic backpacks
and wine carrier units that come with full table settings
starting with two settings.
Bottle Storage Unit and Cooler
Refrigerators for your wine. Specially designed to
correctly chill and control humidity, these units come
in a variety of sizes to hold nearly any size collection.
Corkscrews/removers
Corkscrews and cork removing devices come in a wide variety
from the simple two pronged Ah-so, the common winged
corkscrews to the upper end Rabbit and Screwpull models.
I have a model similar to one of the Screwpull styles and
think it is great. One nice thing about this type is the
quickness in which it pulls out a cork, then ejects the
cork from the corkscrew. It takes just seconds to open
wine bottles. Another type opener (that we also have)
uses a quick blast of a compressed gas that is injected
through a needle. The needle is inserted into and through
the cork. The blast of gas will push the cork out of the
bottle. It is a neat cork remover, but we don’t uses it
on a regular basis because it doesn't work on all corks.
You can get real fancy with the corkscrews that are secured
to the bar or table.
Floor Corker
Corking several cases of wine has never been easier. There
are a couple models of floor corkers, Italian and Portugal
as examples. They are similar in operation, but a little
different in size. Well worth the money.
Foil Cutters
Those commercial bottles of wine seem to have that annoying
covering over the cork. You need to get rid of it before
you can remove the cork. Foil cutters come in styles from
the very simplistic to the collector styles. I have seen
some on Ebay that are very unique.
Wineglass Charms
Many wine drinkers have wineglasses similar in style.
Set the glass down and you may not be able to identify
your glass from the others. I have seen several methods
of glass identification. A simple method is to place a
wine glass charm on your glass stem. Handy, effective,
low cost and a great stocking stuffer.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Need help removing those stubborn wine
labels? Try a product called Oxy Clean.
Just add two scoops to a five gallon bucket
half full of hot water. Sink about eight
full bottles filled with water, then top
off the bucket allowing only the tops to
show. Most labels will float to the top.
Use a heavy duty scrubber like those used
on charcoal grills. Sam's Club has the
best price on Oxy Clean.
Our thanks to Robert Klaus of Houston, TX
for this tip.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Wine Glasses
I can honestly say there is little better to drink wine
from than a good Riedel glass. A wine glass can make the
wine drinking experience so much better. The glasses are
"tuned" to the type of wine being served enhancing the
wine drinking experience. Riedel glasses start with the
basic Overture and go up from there. The Overture are
good wine glasses to bring to wine tastings as they are a
little stronger than some other models. Breakage isn't as
painful to the expense account with these as with some of
the others. A better glass for the wine drinker is the
Vinum series.
Wine Kit
For those winemakers who can't get quality grapes, wine
kits are a great way to make wine. If you are giving a
kit, here is a hint: bigger is better. The higher
percentage of juice in a kit, the less water that is
added and the better the finished wine should taste.
Selection and Grand Cru are two good kits that come to
mind. Boxed kits are better that canned juices. I have
seen some 5-gallon pails with stabilized grape juice that
is ready to make wine.
Wine Racks
With all that good wine that is being made or purchased,
the bottles need to be stored somewhere. Racks range from
the simple type to fit in the basement to the more elegant
style that will hold the wine bottles and your stemware in
a nice oak cabinet.
Wine Tasting Kit
If you want to learn more about the components in wine,
there are a few good wine tasting kits. These have
containers of the aromas and several of the tastes that
are found in wine. These are a great training session for
a wine drinker, or even better when done as a game with
a few friends. I have one called Bacchanales Tasting Kit.
It contains about 44 taste and scent containers that really
help tune up your senses. It also has guides to help with
the kit and how to use it as a game. Note: don't smell the
container marked "Cat Wee Wee" or you won't be able to
smell anything else for a long time. Awful!!
Wine Stain Remover
Sooner or later, the wine in the glass ends up on the floor
or the furniture. There is at least one commercial product
designed to remove red wine stains from carpet. A method
that we have found at our house is to use Oxi Clean. Okay,
so a bucket of Oxi Clean doesn't sound like the perfect
Holiday gift, but it is something to keep in mind for your
own home and future wine spills.
Wine
If you are still puzzled about a gift, you can always
give the gift of wine. If you don't know which wine to
give, many wine stores will be happy to provide a gift
certificate.
As for me, I have become fond of good Pinot Noir or a GSM
(Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre). I have found this blend
in a few wines in different percentages, and really like
it. But, since this isn't about my list, offer a
suggestion or a hint based on this list or on your own.
Happy Holiday shopping or receiving!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Don Schiller is the vice president and
newsletter editor for the Purple Foot Wine Club in the
Twin Cities in Minnesota. He has been making wine for
about 15 years and has been writing articles for the
Purple Foot Wine Club newsletter for many of those years.
You can contact Don at vintner@prodigy.net
------------------------------------------------------------
How To Be A Guest Columnist For STOMPERS Newsletter
------------------------------------------------------------
If you'd like to be our next guest columnist, simply
send your three- or four-paragraph article to
articles@grapestompers.com. If your article is selected
for use in a future STOMPER newsletter, you'll receive
the attention of thousands, a coupon good for a discount
on your next grapestompers.com order, as well as our
heartfelt thanks. So what are you waiting for??
------------------------------------------------------------
CORKY'S WINEMAKING DEFINITION
------------------------------------------------------------
Capsule
- The protective metal or plastic sheath over the cork and
neck of a wine bottle. The capsule keeps the cork from
drying out and admitting air into the bottle; it also
helps prevent dirt from lodging in the crevice where
the cork meets the glass.
Look for other wine-related definitions by clicking on
the 'Glossary' button from our home page at
http://www.grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT MONTH'S HIGHLIGHTS
------------------------------------------------------------
- More Winemaking Stories from Tom's Cellar
- Another Surprise from Brant
- More Specials
- The next article from Bonnie's Bin
- Our Next Guest Column
- More Customer Testimonials
- New Winemaking Products
------------------------------------------------------------
LIST MAINTENANCE
------------------------------------------------------------
To SUBSCRIBE to the STOMPER winemaking hints newsletter,
send a blank e-mail to newsletter@grapestompers.com
with a subject line of: subscribe stomper
To UNSUBSCRIBE from STOMPER winemaking hints newsletter,
send a blank e-mail to newsletter@grapestompers.com
with a subject line of: unsubscribe stomper
Past issues of the STOMPER can be found at
http://www.grapestompers.com/newsletter/archives
------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2001 grapestompers.com
Boring Legal Stuff: Content is gathered from sources
considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of this info
cannot be guaranteed. Opinions expressed by guest
columnists and customer letters are those of the authors
and not necessarily those of grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------