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THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
August, 2002 Issue #25
http://www.grapestompers.com 1-800-233-1505
Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Monday - Friday
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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.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Feature Article - Thistle Meadow Winery Launches
=> New Products
=> Bonnie's Bin - Summer Wines Run Dry
=> This Month's Specials
=> Tom's Cellar - Sun Ruins Wine Fun
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Guest Column - Converting Old Wine Recipes
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Corky's Winemaking Definition
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
*^* Hot Tips are sprinkled throughout the newsletter
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FEATURE ARTICLE: Thistle Meadow Winery Launches
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
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Howdy folks! Hope your August is a little cooler than our
sweltering July. Even though we're located in the "cool"
mountains, the temps were really hot!
We were really curious when some of our customers' records
indicated they were buying LOTS of wine concentrates - in
quantities almost too big to imagine!
Tom gave these customers a call... and guess what the
unanimous explanation was?
They were using OUR WINE KITS in a commercial winery to
make their own wines! They've been selling the "fruit of
the vine" for about two years now, and we hear their
customers are raving for more...
Well, that set Crazy Tom's brain a-tickin'... and for those
of us who know him, we knew it was time to duck! What in
the world was he going to do now?
You guessed it... Tom decided it was time to start his
own mountaintop winery!
When I look back on it, though, it almost seems like a
natural progression. You see, visitors to our bodega can
sample different types of wines that have been made from
our extensive line of wine kits made by RJ Spagnols. The
reaction to our wines is about 50/50 - half the people are
ready to purchase a wine kit on the spot, while the other
half simply want to purchase a case of the stuff.
Without the appropriate ABC license, of course, we couldn't
sell any of our finished product.
But that has recently changed... late last month we heard
from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
(ATF) that our winery application had been approved!
If you want to read the official news release, simply go
to the latest addition to our news page:
http://www.grapestompers.com/news/tm_winery_approval.htm
We will start making wine as soon as all the paperwork is
finalized on the federal and state level. We plan on
shooting for quality not quantity, so we'll be using the
Cellar Classic and Grand Cru type of concentrates in our
wines.
But don't worry... our primary focus remains with you - the
home winemaker. Tom, Bonnie, and the rest of the gang
will continue to offer their own special brand of customer
service, one customer at a time.
Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
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NEW PRODUCTS
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Here is a list of products recently added to our catalog:
- Item #2785 Black Beauty Capper, $9.99
- Item #2113 Frosted 375 ml Stretch Hock bottles,
24 per case, $27.50
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BONNIE'S BIN: Summer Wines Run Dry
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
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A good August to all of you.
Let's hope that it is cooling down a bit so making wine is
easier! It takes some of the fun out of it when you have
to cool it down.
My summer wines are about gone. I might make it until
the middle of August before I am digging into our winter
supply! I didn't plan well enough this spring. I started
a Fume Blanc recently, but it will not be ready until the
first of September. Boy, that last word was hard to type!
September is right around the corner.
We have a fresh supply of wine-related T-shirts in the
store now. We should have them on the web site some time
in the near future. They make good gifts for that person
that you can't find the right thing for. Like for the
person who has it all and loves wine. Give us a call or
an e-mail and we will describe them for you.
It is now time to get things cleaned and scoured and ready
for the coming harvest. Make sure you have all the items
that you need and that they are in good condition. Do a
good check of supplies so you aren't waiting for the US
Mail to get them to you yesterday!
Since I am enjoying a vacation with one of our sons and his
family I will let you off easy this month.
Bonnie
Life is too short... to drink bad wine... so make your own!
You can write to Bonnie at bonnie@grapestompers.com
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
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grapestompers' specials for the month of August 2002 are:
Save 12% on 4 different wine kits
AND
Save nearly 10% on our 5 US gallon glass carboy
AND
Save 11% on our already discounted
Basic winemaking equipment kit
AND
Save 21% on Sambuca (licorice) Liquor Quik essence
AND
Save up to 25% on selected winemaking chemicals & yeast
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
3130 CC Cabernet Shiraz 89.74 78.88
3232 CC Chardonnay Semillon 70.58 61.88
3273 GC Pinot Chardonnay 63.80 55.88
3222 VDV Johannisberg Riesling 39.55 34.88
2204 5 Gallon Glass Carboy 15.35 13.88
1001 Basic Winemaking Equip. Kit 49.40 43.88
2758 Liquor Quik Sambuca Essence 3.64 2.88
2733 Fermax Yeast Nutrient 2.23 1.88
2701 - 2705 Red Star Wine Yeast 0.34 3 for 0.88
2730 Acid Blend, 3 oz. 1.92 2 for 2.88
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.
The Basic Winemaking Equipment Kit includes these items:
- Primary Fermenting/Bottling Bucket with Lid, 7.8 gallons
- 6 Gallon Glass Carboy
- Multi-fit Stopper with hole for airlock
- 3-Piece Airlock
- 15" X 1/2" OD Bottle Filler
- 26" X 1/2" OD Curved Cane & Racking Tip
- 5 feet of 7/16" ID Flex Tubing
- Fast Flow Bottle Spigot
Add Sambuca essence to a fifth of vodka... it tastes just
like Ouzo or Pastis (licorice tasting liqueur) at less than
half the price!
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.
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TOM'S CELLAR: Sun Ruins Wine Fun
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
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I enjoy "chatting" with our Stomper subscribers each month
and passing along a couple of hints that will help you,
the home winemaker, enjoy more success in making a better
tasting wine.
Even though it's a sad story, I must relate to you the one
about a home winemaker who had the misfortune of leaving
his wine in a closed vehicle during the day. It was a very
hot day (over 100 degrees outside) and every bit of his
wine was ruined by the high temperature...
So one of my helpful hints is DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!!
Store your wine in a cool place!
Another helpful reminder - if you have a question, please
call us toll free at 1-800-233-1505. That way, you can
talk directly to us and avoid the small delay that ensues
with the exchange of e-mails.
The best time to call is 7:00-9:00 AM or from 10:00 PM
to midnight Eastern Daylight Time. You may wonder, "Why
that time of day or night?" Well, you can get me before
you go to work or after you get home from work, and there's
less of a chance you'll reach a busy signal. But please
don't call us after midnight Eastern... we know you folks
on the West Coast are still hopping, but I have to get some
shut-eye sometime!
For orders, we do prefer that you fill out our secure
online order form. Also, when you receive your order,
please check it against your enclosed packing slip. If
anything is broken or missing PLEASE CALL US. DO NOT WAIT.
When packing your boxes with winemaking goodies, we use
every nook and cranny to save you on shipping. So please
look inside every box! If ordering a wine concentrate,
your free wine labels are usually packed with the invoice
in an envelope.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Here's a neet way to reduce bottle shock
caused by the corking process:
What I have used is a .050 weed trimmer line
with the Altec corks when corking. You might
want to use a .040 line with a natural cork.
With the line inserted in the bottle, you
drive the cork in and then pull the line
out after corking. It relieves the air
pressure of the cork being driven in the
bottle.
This eliminates the oxidation of free SO2
in the wine and nearly eliminates the bottle
shock caused by bottling.
Our thanks to Keith Pritchard from Slate
Run Vineyard for this great tip.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
The outpouring of get-well wishes overwhelmed me following
my rotator cuff surgery. Thanks for sending the cards
and e-mailed comments concerning my recovery.
I have framed one special get-well card that features a
cartoon image of me and a poem about my injury. When you
come to see us in Laurel Springs, I know that it will
bring a smile to your face (as it did to me).
Being active all my life, I am just not cut out for doing
nothing... but doing nothing is what the doctor ordered,
and the physical therapy gang at the local hospital say
my recovery is speeding along nicely.
This slower pace gives me an opportunity to give thanks
and realize what great folks I have helping at the Bodega!
Bonnie is like a thrashing machine from the Midwest,
packing boxes with a flurry of activity. Faye and Harry
come in during the rush at a minute's notice. Brant holds
up under the stress of taking orders from Dad!
Because of the extra work placed upon everyone else during
my recovery, Bonnie, Harry and Faye have been packing with
great speed, trying to provide quick turnaround on your
orders. Quite candidly, the increased pace has not allowed
us to reach our goal of 100% accuracy. We appreciate your
understanding in this matter; we simply want the very best
for you, our customers... by all means, please let us know
if your order is missing an item. In our hearts, we are
making an effort to continue serving you.
Thanks, Tom
You can write to Tom at tom@grapestompers.com
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FROM OUR CUSTOMERS
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As you might imagine, our office receives quite a bit of
correspondence - mostly through e-mail - here are some
comments we've recently received:
Bonnie,
I got my order Friday at noon - SUPER SERVICE. I love the
recipe book.
You sure have come a long way with the free labels. I love
them; using "Vine Street" on one and "Cercone Cellars" on
the other was great. It really shows you guys are taking
the extra step dealing with your customers.
I had been shopping around looking for a dealer closer
to get a better break on shipping, and I found one in
Indianapolis, but the product he was peddling and his wine
making tips were laughable. I will stick with you guys,
no sense fixing something that isn't broken. Hope you had
a nice Fourth.
-- Ed Cercone
Rensselaer, IN
Bonnie,
Thanks for the special treatment; you guys have been good
to me with all my orders. I hope to one day soon come down
to NC and visit your shop and meet the both of you. I just
wanted to let you know I enjoy ordering from you guys!
Keep up the good customer service! Thanks again!
-- James Coburn
Church Road, VA
Tom,
Hope you are doing OK with your cuff surgery..... just
wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our overnight stay
with bochi, and bottling wine. We've told our friends that
we bottled 30 bottles, but they didn't believe it until we
showed them our special label. And yes, I have managed not
to open it yet.....
We hope to start a new wine making hobby... we're trying
to figure out a "temperate" storage area. Our pictures
turned out great.
Take care,
-- John & Margie
Shelby, NC
Dear grapestompers,
Received shipment today. Thank you for the expert service
and help. I bottled the wine today and the bottles are
beautiful! And the wine's not bad either!
Sincerely,
-- Beverly Cook
Newark, OH
Dear grapestompers:
I am greatly impressed!!! I have been treated with such
kindness and respect by your associates. I e-mailed your
company and Bonnie answered me right back with the
information I requested (quite pleasantly too).
I had a wonderful phone conversation with Brant who went
to great lengths of explanation to answer my questions.
I must say the business in our country needs a heads up
to pay attention to your way of doing business. I call your
form of business (in the most positive intent) "The Good
Ol' Boy Way".
It has truly been a pleasure. Thanks.
-- Frances M. Tankersley
Newberry, FL
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GUEST COLUMN - Converting Old Wine Recipes
by Don Schiller, Minnesota
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Old family wine recipe? Make it new!
Nearly everyone has an old family recipe for making
"granddad's favorite wine". Those recipes may still work,
but with a little adjustment, they can be even better.
Let's start with the basics. To make wine, you need a
flavor source (fruit), a fermentation source (sugar in the
fruit or another sugar source) and yeast to ferment the
sugar. Beyond that, we make improvements.
Many older recipes make 1 gallon of wine, but most home
winemakers make 5-gallon batches. The fruit and sugar in
the 1-gallon recipes should be multiplied by 5, as should
most other ingredients with the exception of the yeast.
If you are using a fibrous pulp fruit, freezing helps break
down the cells giving better juice and flavors. Rhubarb,
raspberries and elderberries freeze well. If not able to
freeze, heat the water, remove the water from the heat,
then add the fruit. Softer fruits such as strawberries
and peaches extract juices well in hot water. Do not boil
the fruit.
Granddad's recipe probably called for a measured amount
of sugar. It would be better to test and adjust the
fermentable sugars. Grab your hydrometer and test the
specific gravity of the must. How specific do you need
to be with your specific gravity (okay-another bad pun)?
That answer is 'not very'. Ideally you want to be about
1.085 for most grape wines and something less for fruit
wines. Add about one half to three fourths of the sugar
called for in the recipe, mix into the must, and test.
Repeat until you get the S.G. to the right level.
Now, let's fine-tune the recipe. Granddad's recipe
probably doesn't call for sulfite (metabisulfite or
Campden tablets), yeast nutrient or pectic enzyme, but
your wine would be improved if you add them. Add sulfites
or Campden (to help reduce bacteria) and the pectic enzyme
(to break down the fruit structure and enhance color) on
day one when you are crushing/thawing or heating your
fruit. The must should be about room temperature before
adding chemicals. Let the must sit for a day, or better
yet, two days - then add the yeast nutrient (gives a more
complete fermentation with less chance of H2S smell).
Rehydrate the yeast with warm water for 15 minutes and add
the yeast to the must. Some of Granddad's recipes may use
wild yeast on the fruits; believe me, wine yeast will give
a better fermentation and better flavors.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If you accidentally over sweeten a wine,
you can reduce the sweetness by blending
it with a dry wine that is of a similar
or complementary ingredient.
Start by blending small amounts of wine
first, until you nail "the formula".
Learn the secrets of blending here:
http://grapestompers.com/articles/blending_wine.htm
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Granddad's recipe may not have fermented completely and
could possible have had bacteria which may have caused
cloudiness and off flavors. Using modern methods, racking
the wine and cleaning it up quicker should help make your
versions of Granddad's wine a success. Granddad would be
happy to brag about this good wine from his recipe.
If you would like some help on converting Granddad's
recipe, send it to me. I will review it and offer some
suggestions. E-mail me at vintner@prodigy.net.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Don has recently retired as the Vice
President and newsletter editor for the Purple Foot Wine
Club in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. In addition to writing
articles for the "PurpleFootnotes", he also sometimes
shares articles for Grapestompers. If you have suggestions
for articles or wine questions, you can contact Don at
vintner@prodigy.net.
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How To Be A Guest Columnist For STOMPERS Newsletter
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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??
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CORKY'S WINEMAKING DEFINITION
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Top Up
- To add liquid back to a wine to minimize dead air space
in the container (i.e. a carboy). Topping up is usually
done after racking, to replace the wine that couldn't be
drawn off due to sediment. Examples of liquids used to
"top up" are finished wine of the same type, grape juice,
sweetened or plain water. Topping up prevents problems
such as oxidation of wine (wine turning to vinegar).
Look for other wine-related definitions by clicking on
the 'Glossary' button from our home page at
http://www.grapestompers.com
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NEXT MONTH'S HIGHLIGHTS
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- 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
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LIST MAINTENANCE
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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
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