------------------------------------------------------------ THE STOMPER The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com July, 2002 Issue #24 http://www.grapestompers.com 1-800-233-1505 Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Monday - Friday ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 it. Instructions to cancel 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 - Which Water Is Best? => New Products => Bonnie's Bin - Tutti Frutti July => This Month's Specials => Tom's Cellar - Patching Things Up => Feedback from Our Customers => Guest Column - Ex-Hunters Make Good Winemakers => How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist => Corky's Winemaking Definition => Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information *^* Hot Tips are sprinkled throughout the newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------ FEATURE ARTICLE: Which Water Is Best for Making Wine? By Brant Burgiss, Editor ------------------------------------------------------------ Happy July from all the folks at grapestompers.com! If you make wine from kits, you're familiar with the need to reconstitute the concentrate with water, to replace the water taken out during the evaporation process. Tap water, well water, distilled water, spring water... Does it really matter which water you use when making wine from a kit? We think it does... find out the type of water we use and why! Read our opinion on our latest web page: http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/winemaking_water.htm Whether you're an old hand at making wine or you're brand new to winemaking, it may prove to be refreshing! Oops! Gotta go - it's time to bottle my Valpolicella! 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 #3255 CSG Pinot Grigio $71.50 - Item #3257 CC Harvest - Italian Pinot Grigio $82.50 - Item #3256 CSP Riesling Traminer $71.50 - Item #3151 CSP Grenache Syrah Mourvedre $75.13 - Item #3153 CC Harvest - Spanish Tempranillo $102.63 - Item #3144 GC Coteau Royal (Cotes-du-Rhone) Regular: $45.37 Special this month: $40.40 - Item #3160 GC Bergamais (Beaujolais) Regular: $47.66 Special this month: $42.42 Wine kit abbreviations: CC = Cellar Classic wine kit GC = Grand Cru wine kit CSP = Cru Select Platinum wine kit CSG = Cru Select Gold wine kit Here's what the RJ Spagnols web site has to say about the two new Cru Select Platinum wine kits: German Style Riesling – Traminer These two famous German varieties are blended to create the best of both worlds. The fresh, crisp flavors of Riesling combined with the exotic spiciness of Gewurztraminer ensure a true taste sensation. Created in the south German tradition, this wine produces a dry, full wine with immense character. Be prepared to find peach, apricot and nutmeg in the aroma with a full flavor reminiscent of the tropics. A round and well-balanced finish ensures that this wine will be a crowd pleaser. Pairs well with full flavored dishes such as cheese fondue, Maui garlic ribs, and French onion soup as well as Thai food. Try this wine as 'Schorle' by blending half wine and half carbonated mineral water, as the Germans do on a hot summer day. Grenache Syrah Mourvedre The combination of these three classic southern Rhone grape varieties is one of the fullest and most flavorful wines we've ever produced. Its deep Ruby color is supported by an intense blackberry, black cherry and plum aroma. To further accentuate the fruit-filled aroma, we added a generous amount of toasted French oak. The full body and powerful tannin structure will ensure that this wine will further develop in your wine cellar over several years. Powerful and rich, this wine will enhance any strong meat dish, but it also goes very well after dinner with your favorite aged cheeses. ------------------------------------------------------------ BONNIE'S BIN: Tutti Frutti July By Bonnie Brown, Manager ------------------------------------------------------------ Happy July, ALREADY! Are you ready for the New Year yet? Sure seems like someone put the year in high gear. I have always heard the older you get the faster time goes. THEY WERE RIGHT! We are getting a lot of calls about 'how much fruit' to use when making wine... May I suggest purchasing the "Winemakers Recipe Handbook"? It is Item # 2801 and only costs $3.03. What a bargain! It has recipes for every kind of wine! Even if you do not make wine, it is good reading! One customer brings his copy in with him; it HAS to be 30 + years old! He calls it his WINE BIBLE. Good solid information. One more tidbit of info... One winemaker said he uses 3 lbs of fruit or veggies for every wine. Another suggests using DOUBLE the amount of fruit called for in each recipe. See, winemaking is a personal thing! No right or wrong way. ENJOY! We are trying more new products. If they are good, and we approve of their quality, then you will find out about them soon! We may be adding another branch to our product tree. Keep your eyes and ears open! Remember, "no wine before its time"! Bonnie 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 July 2002 are: Save over 10% on 4 different red wine kits AND Save nearly 17% on our 45-station bottle draining tree AND Save over 15% on two colors of bottle sealing wax 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 3136 CC Zinfandel Wine Kit 90.29 81.11 3144 GC Coteau Royale (Cotes-du-Rhone) 45.37 40.40 3160 GC Bergamais (Beaujolais) Kit 47.66 42.42 3138 VDV Cabernet/Merlot Wine Kit 49.95 44.44 2254A Bottle Drainer, 45 place 18.15 15.15 2407 Red Bottle Wax, 1 lb. 6.58 5.55 2412 Burgundy Bottle Wax, 1 lb. 6.58 5.55 3200 Complete White Wine Starter Kit 246.68 175.00 3100 Complete Red Wine Starter Kit 259.79 185.00 The four wine kits shown above will make about 30 - 750 ml bottles of great wine in as little as 28-45 days. One pound of bottle wax will provide coverage for about 40 bottles of wine. Wine kit abbreviations explained: CC = Cellar Classic wine kit GC = Grand Cru wine kit VDV = Vino del Vida wine kit CSP = Cru Select Platinum wine kit CSG = Cru Select Gold wine kit 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 ($26.59 value): - Free Wine Labels (text of your choice) - Free T-shirt (sizes available: M, L, or XL) - 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, as well as the size T-shirt you need. 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: Patching Things Up by Tom Burgiss, Owner ------------------------------------------------------------ [Editor's Note: Tom is currently recuperating from rotator cuff surgery performed on June 26th, to repair damage to his right shoulder following a fall off an icy footbridge this past winter. He is doing well, but initial recovery is expected to take six weeks, followed by tons of physical therapy. I'm sure that Tom will appreciate any "get well" wishes you may have.] The next six weeks will probably drive me - and my wife Nancy - crazy! Imagine after being accustomed to leading an active life, to suddenly be told to lay low while my shoulder heals. Those of you who know me realize that sitting around is NOT exactly my idea of fun! I like to run all my errands, pack the orders, make the wine labels, unload the trucks, and show everyone my favorite hobby of winemaking... about the only thing I can do now is point my finger and ask folks to do things for me. *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* Need an inexpensive way to remove chlorine from tap water? Try boiling your water for ten minutes or so. The free chlorine will exit in the form of gas along with the steam. Just be sure to let the water cool before you use it, to minimize burn hazards. Have a tip you'd like to submit? Send it to tips@grapestompers.com *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* I can certainly talk on the phone and answer your wine- making questions, but I won't be able to take down your order. We better let Bonnie, Faye, or Harry do that! My son Brant has always proclaimed that my writing resembled hen scratches, and that was with a good right hand! Of course, I intend to heal myself with exercises, good humor, rest, and a bit of wine! And this winter, I PROMISE I'll hold onto the bridge handrails and walk carefully across the creek - even though the path looks free of ice. Thanks for your continued support and business, and I'll be sure to give you an update next month! 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 and staff, I've finished bottling my second batch and ordering for the third time. I get a lot of laughs from my label and thought I would send it along. Thanks for helping me get started. -- Terry Brady New Cumberland, PA Editor's note: You can see the label Terry refers to by going to the following location on our web site: http://www.grapestompers.com/customers/wine_labels.htm Tom, I just wanted to say that your company does a great job. I used to order from a competitor without the specials you offer. I also enjoy the newsletter and the tips provided. I think the other reason I do business with you is that I love the high country, and have a goal to have a summer home on Beech Mountain soon. Will be there in July to start cabin hunting. Sincerely, -- Kevin Schuman Cape Coral, FL I found a galvanized metal pan about four inches deep and 16 inches in diameter in the automotive department at Wal-Mart. A couple of old frazzled towels tied together with a couple of safety pins, suspended in about two inches of water and you have an excellent cooler for the carboy. I used it last fall during the hot fall days and it seemed to reduce the temperature around ten degrees. -- Aubrey T. Johnson Bonnie, I have no idea what happened but I received the package this morning sometime before 8am. I don't know if FedEx lost it or what but I did finally get it 3 days after FedEx said they delivered it. Thanks for checking on this for me. I appreciate all your help trying to get the package to me quickly. I look forward to doing business with you again. -- Ed Sweeney Louisville, KY It seems to me that the water used in making wine should matter as much as the grapes, etc. Yet I can't seem to find any discussion on the subject. Should it be tap, store bought or rain? Maybe it's something else but I think it should matter in the final result. Could you make some comments on water in a future issue? Thanks. -- R. Mullen Editor's Note: You can read our comments, inspired by this note, on our winemaking articles page found at: http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/ ------------------------------------------------------------ GUEST COLUMN - Ex-Hunters Measure Up to Good Winemaking by Art Jones, Leesburg, Georgia ------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Tom, Your conversion charts are very good but may I add one? I feel sure I am not the only old hunter or shooter who has reloaded his ammo. Well, drag out the old powder scales and convert GRAINS on the powder scales to GRAMS used in wine recipes. 1 OZ = 28.350 GRAMS = 437.5 GRAINS 1/2 OZ = 14.175 GRAMS = 218.75 GRAINS 1/4 OZ = 7.0875 GRAMS = 109.375 GRAINS 1/8 OZ = 3.5437 GRAMS = 54. 6875 GRAINS 1/16 OZ = 1.7718 GRAMS = 27.3437 GRAINS 1/32 OZ = 0.8859 GRAMS = 13.67 GRAINS Hopefully this chart may help some winemaker-ex-hunter. *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* If you run out of acid blend in the middle of a wine recipe, here's what you can substitute in a pinch: 3 tsp acid blend = juice and zest of two large lemons Have a tip you'd like to submit? Send it to tips@grapestompers.com *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Art Jones operates the "Drunk Monk Winery" in a special room built onto the back of his house in Leesburg, GA. He enjoys making his own wine and even knows how to load his own ammo! You can see Art's winemaking room at the following URL: http://www.grapestompers.com/customers/wine_photos.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ Vintage - The year a wine was made. By contrast, a nonvintage wine is one made from a blend of different years. 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 - More Customer Testimonials - Another Guest Article - 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 quit receiving the 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) 2002 grapestompers.com. All rights reserved. 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 ------------------------------------------------------------