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THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
May, 2003 Issue #34
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 - Punch Down Your Cap
=> Bonnie's Bin - Of Bugs and Hummingbirds
=> Tom's Cellar - Busy Summertime in the Mountains
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Guest Column - Siphoning Tips
=> How to Be Featured as a Guest Columnist
=> Corky's Winemaking Definition
=> New Products
=> This Month's Specials
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
*^* Hot Tips are sprinkled throughout the newsletter
^#^ This month's specials and new products are found
towards the bottom of this document
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FEATURE ARTICLE: Punch Down Your Cap
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
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If you make wine from scratch - and not kits - it's very
important to "punch down" your cap during fermentation.
There are many benefits to punching down. Not only does
it make your wine taste and look better, but it also can
prevent certain types of spoilage from occurring.
Learn why it's important to punch down - and how to do it
properly - in our latest online winemaking article:
http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/punch_down_cap.htm
Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
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BONNIE'S BIN: Of Bugs and Hummingbirds
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
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It's a happy time of year when it is warm enough to have
the doors open at the house. Just don't forget to shut the
screen door! I came home from work yesterday and heard a
strange sound. It sounded like the biggest bee I have ever
heard. Well, lo and behold, it was a hummingbird! He's a
bit early but welcome. Our dog, Clyde, wanted in and out
so often my husband left the front door open for him. He
said there were no bugs out so why not! It just took a
moment to capture the beautiful creature and release him
safely back outside.
Tonight there are June bugs at the back door. I am taking
all of this as a sign that summer is arriving early. That
might mean that our fruits will ripen early this year.
It is time to check the equipment out: replace tubing,
check gaskets, and get the winemaking area ready for
production. Clean the freezers so fresh berries can be
put aside soon. Perhaps make an early summer wine out of
the last bags of last year's fruits. I can imagine the
combinations. Raspberry Rhubarb comes to mind first as
they are the first fruits I get each year.
If you are going to be anywhere near us on your vacations
this year, stop by for a visit. It is always nice to put
faces to the names. And nice for you to save on shipping
costs by picking things up. Call ahead and place your
order so it can be ready for you when you arrive. It is
worth the extra few miles out of your way. Plus, you get
the benefit of a peaceful respite in the mountains where
the pace of life is a bit slower. Sit a spell on the front
porch and have a chat over a glass of wine! If you are
lucky the house dog, Lucky, will sit with us a bit too.
Sounds so good I can't wait for you to arrive!
Let's all have a peaceful and safe May.
"Every time you open a prestigious bottle of wine and share
it with friends, it's an extraordinary experience."
-- Drew Nieporent, American restaurateur
See you soon...
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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TOM'S CELLAR: Busy, Busy Summertime in the Mountains
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
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Boy, have we been busy! After several months of planning,
designing, and waiting, we have finally received the
official approval on our wine labels from the Alcohol
Labeling and Formulation Division (ALFD) that was recently
spun-off from the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms) Agency.
We have our labels, we have aged our wines, we now have
modern bottling and corking equipment (after 7 months of
waiting for it to arrive) and we are ready to go. It only
took two things: Time and a rich wife!
So very soon, you'll be able to purchase wine from our
new mountaintop winery called Thistle Meadow Winery!
Our grapestompers showroom and the winery's tasting room
will be open 12:00 - 5:00 PM weekdays, Saturdays from
12:00 - 4:00 PM and Sundays from 2:00 - 6:00 PM.
A tasting of wine (which includes a souvenir wine glass)
at Thistle Meadow Winery only costs 3 to 4 bucks. For our
grapestompers customers there is no charge.
So join us for a glass soon!
To commemorate our winery's grand opening, we now offer the
latest updated version of our entertainment schedule:
June 14th, 12:00 - 7:00 PM: a pig picking and a dance at
the Burgiss Barn featuring a great band, "White Top
Mountain Band"
July 5th, 12:00 - 5:00 PM: a wine tasting, which includes a
free wine glass from Thistle Meadow Winery and a home-
cooked meal for only $15.00 per person
July 12th, 12:00 - 7:00 PM: a pig picking and dance at the
Burgiss Barn
August 9th, 12:00 - 7:00 PM: a pig picking and dance at
the Burgiss Barn
September 13th, 12:00 - 7:00 PM: another pig picking and
dance at the Burgiss Barn
October 5th, starting at 2:00 PM: grapestompers' 6th annual
WINE FESTIVAL
October 11th, 5:00 - 8:00 PM: Big Country Dance with meal
November 8th, 5:00 - 8:00 PM: Big Country Dance with meal
December 13th, 5:00 - 8:00 PM: Big Country Dance with meal
And don't forget... Starting Mother's Day weekend, our
famous Sunday Buffet starts up for another season of great
food and good times. The Sunday lunches are served from
11:30 AM - 2:00 PM each week until mid-October. Lunch
comes complete with 2 or 3 choices of meat, veggies, and
includes drink, dessert, and hot rolls thrown to you!
All for $6.95 per person. Add a salad for a buck more
if you like!
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Need a faster way to fill church communion
cups with wine without messy spills?
Try using the wine thief / test jar combo
(Item #2598). It'll do the trick!
Your church is saving money by making its
own communion wine, right?
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Our grapestompers.com family is growing again!
Dealerships are now closer by for some of you... Our newest
addition is "Old Goat Winery Supply" in Cartersville, GA.
Pete and Marlaine Ciaverra are now selling winemaking
supplies from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM every day. Call Pete's
cell phone first at 678-313-3122, or if no answer, call
their other number at 770-383-3422.
grapestompers' other dealerships are:
- FineVineWines Supplies in Texas - talk with George
Cornelius at 866-417-1114.
- Hamilton Cellar Supply in Winston-Salem, NC - speak with
Cindy or Kenny at 336-760-0648 (by the way, you can meet
Cindy & Kenny along with all the gang at the 3rd Annual
North Carolina Wine Festival held from 12:00 - 7:00 PM on
June 7th at Tanglewood Park near Winston-Salem, NC).
## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ##
Also, on May 17th under SUNNY skies (the Chamber of
Commerce has promised sunshine), be sure to join us in
Elkin, NC for the 2nd Annual Yadkin Valley Wine Festival.
Yadkin Valley Wines from several nearby wineries will be
offered. grapestompers.com will be there to show folks how
much fun it is to make their own wine at home - like so
many are doing now from the LARGEST WINEMAKING SUPPLY
COMPANY east of the Mississippi at grapestompers.com.
## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ## ** ##
Progress keeps on coming for our customers... Now we can
accept American Express and Discover cards in addition to
MasterCard and Visa. Folks, believe me - progress (and
great wine) comes with both patience and time.
Speaking of patience, don't be surprised if one of these
days we will have a virtual pick-up truck for you to load
up from our web site. Hey, who needs a little shopping
cart?! In the mountains of North Carolina, you cannot get
along without a pick-up truck. Which one is your favorite?
Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, etc.???? Help us out here!
Then I will negotiate with that company for the best buy!
Oh, speaking of the best buy... Our "complete" kit is the
best buy out there on the market today. And, if you have
bottles, we can give you credit on the kit price. Later
you can return our latest winemaking video for credit on
your credit card.
So why do we call our complete kit a best buy? There is
not a single extra item that you will need (it is complete)
to get started making your own wine and no "funny stuff"
that sounds good on paper that you really do not need.
We are SERVICE oriented for YOU! We appreciate your
business and we want to continue to EARN your business!
Thanks for listening.
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:
Hi Tom --
Just a short note to let you know our order arrived USPS
today... all is in order, neat box!
Thanks,
-- Tom and Brenda Zuber
Guys Mills, PA
Bonnie...
What a surprise! We arrived home yesterday and the cool
poster was in our mailbox!!! Once again grapestompers
outshines itself with prompt response.
Jo and I really enjoyed our visit. We were surprised to
find we had spent over 2 hours at what we had anticipated
would be a quick stop to purchase a couple of kits. The
warmth and willingness to share on the part of both you
and Tom made us feel like we were old friends stopping
by for yet another visit. You can be assured we will be
making more pilgrimages to grapestompers when we visit
relatives in NC.
Attached are a couple of pictures. One is of the frame I
made for a Michigan Wines poster. The base is wood and
all the corks are from Michigan wines. I don't know how
many people make the connection, but I enjoy it.
The second photo is of the trellis we talked to you about.
The trellis hangs over our game table where we play cards
and drink wine :o) It is made of 1x2's and hangs about 5
inches below our suspended ceiling. The trellis has real
grapevines harvested from my father-in-law's property in
the mountains of North Carolina! plus silk grapevines with
leaves and grape clusters. We also put a few white
mini-Christmas lights for mood lighting.
A future project will be the construction of storage and a
serving surface above our wine chiller. All in all, a
quiet comfortable place to enjoy a glass of wine,
conversation and good times with friends.
Again, thanks for the hospitality. We look forward to
seeing y'all next spring.
Until later... Rod
-- Rod Schmidt
Tom,
This is how I have been lifting my second carboy and it
works good for me. I hope this explanation is clear.
The first time I just tried to lift the thing and strained
my back.
[See Mark's 'how to' article below]
The boys are doing fine and growing like weeds. Ben is
trying to figure out how to lay rubber with his tricycle.
My grapes are starting to bud, so they survived the
Oklahoma winter. It will still be many years till they
produce. Next season I am going to have to make another
batch of Raspberry White Zinfandel. That stuff goes
really fast.
How To Lift a Six Gallon Carboy Without a Carboy Handle
Place your non-dominant side foot beside the carboy and
grasp the neck of the carboy with your non-dominant hand
with the thumb and index finger toward the bottom of the
carboy. Rock the carboy back and grab the bottom lip of
the carboy with your dominant hand. Then bend at the
knees and keep your back straight and lift the carboy with
your legs. It should come right up to as high as you can
lift it. Still it is easier to use a carboy handle.
-- Mark Henderson MD
Oklahoma
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GUEST COLUMN - Siphoning Tips
by Frank Joseph, Beaver Falls PA
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My wife and I were on our way back from visiting friends
and we were due for a rest stop and we saw a sign on the
highway indicating a local winery. Well, one of my
favorite things to do is visit wineries and taste wine
so we stopped. On sale in the gift shop was a "wine kit".
My first thought was that this is something I can do.
The more I thought about it, the more logical it seemed.
I have the time. I have the space. I drink wine every day
and it will cost me half of what I am currently spending
on wine. I could not think of a down side. So I bought
the "wine kit".
After we got home, I started doing research, on the
Internet, and realized that the "kit" that I had purchased
was lacking in a lot of equipment that I would need to
really begin making wine. I found a supplier in Ohio and
ordered the additional equipment necessary to begin my
wine making career. During my research, I found that I
have been practicing the Art of Oenotherapy: The medicinal
use of wine. I have been doing this for years and didn't
even know it.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Keep your expensive wine glasses from
breaking by transporting them in a padded
pistol case.
It's less expensive than what you'd pay
for a similar custom wine glass case.
Our thanks to Robert Klaus from Houston, TX
for providing this tip!
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
I started my wine making career on July 11, 2002. I decided
to make a Pinot Noir kit because this is my wine of choice.
After the primary fermentation it was time to rack to the
carboy. Well my frustration was about to begin. I had not
practiced the siphoning operation. Well I lost siphon
pressure on two different occasions. I finally had to move
the primary fermenter to a higher surface to maintain the
pressure. Before my next siphoning operation, I did not
want to see this problem again. After more research, I
found the Fermtech Auto-Siphon (a great tool) and my
winemaking career was secured. Having the right equipment,
supplier and attitude have really made this hobby a joy.
I discovered a tip when using the Auto-Siphon when
transferring wine from the fermentation bucket to a carboy.
I use a couple of rubber washers that were left over from
a bottling bucket spigot. I slipped a washer over the top
and bottom of the Auto-Siphon and then inserted a 5/16"
diameter tube under each washer to hold it onto the
Auto-Siphon. I then snap a red plastic bucket clip onto
the 5/16" tube. This allows me to move the Auto-Siphon up
and down the clip on the fermentation bucket. This was a
quick fix and it worked pretty well.
Hope this tip works for you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Frank Joseph is a retired 59-year-old
nomad temporarily located in PA with his wife Mary and
stepson. Before that, he and his wife lived full time on
a boat for 5 years and then full time in a 5th wheel for
two years. Last year, they moved into a house in PA.
Frank drinks two glasses of red wine each day for his
heart. He says, "Winemaking was a natural hobby for me,
but I never had the space to make the decision. I have
been producing wine kits (Pinot Noir & Valpolicella) for
six months, to drink and take on the road when we resume
our nomadic lifestyle in the fall. Somehow, I will
continue my new hobby. Winemaking is a great hobby and
it's never too late to learn."
You can contact Frank and Mary Joseph at:
proudmary01@earthlink.net
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Like 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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Cap
- The solid mass of grape skins, stems, and pips (seeds)
that floats to the top of the fermenting vessel during
fermentation.
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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NEW PRODUCTS
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Here is a list of products recently added to our catalog:
- Item #4734 Stackable Clay Tiles - store your bottles
of wine in style! Each clay tile has two
holes to hold your wine bottles. Just lay
these interlocking tiles on the floor and
start stacking!
1 - 49: $6.00 each
50 – 99: $5.50 each
100 or more: $5.00 each
- Item #3244 CC Bella Bianco, $73.24
- Item #3702 BH Honey Blonde Ale, Reg: $31.02 Sale: $26.90
- Item #3168 OB Cranberry Chianti, $45.60 - ON ORDER
- Item #3289 OB Strawberry Riesling, $38.39 - ON ORDER
- Item #3169 WA Cranberry Shiraz, $45.60 - ON ORDER
OB stands for Orchard Breezin' (which replaces the line of
wine kits formerly known as Cellar Master Mist), which make
light refreshing wines containing 8-9% alcohol.
Learn more about this line of wine kits from RJ Spagnols:
http://www.rjspagnols.com/wine_orchard_breezin.asp
You can find out about the Wine~Art Country Mist kits here:
http://www.wineart.com/store/countrymistkits.html
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
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grapestompers' specials for the month of May 2003 are:
Save up to 12% on assorted winemaking kits
AND
Save up to 37% on our carboy dryer
AND
Save over 14% on Orange Soda Pop extract (including yeast)
AND
Save over 14% on our 1.5 gallon bucket with lid
AND
Save up to 20% on Champagne bottling supplies
AND
Save over 13% on our Honey Blond Ale kit
AND FINALLY
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
2250 Carboy Dryer (1 or 2) 8.72 8.25
(3 to 9) 8.72 6.00
(10 or more) 8.72 5.50
3277 GC Zinfandel Blush 47.63 41.90
3165 GC Malbec 52.25 46.90
2215 1.5 Gallon Fermenter Bucket w/lid 3.96 3.40
2331 Champagne Wire 0.10 0.08
2330 Champagne Stopper 0.12 0.10
2329 Champagne Foil (Gold) 0.12 0.10
2780 Orange Soda Pop extract, w/yeast 4.10 3.50
3245 CC Ruisseau Blanc 65.95 58.90
3280 CM Peach Chardonnay 38.41 33.90
3702 BH Honey Blonde Ale Kit 31.02 26.90
3700 Complete Beermaking Kit 191.82 169.99
3200 Complete White Wine Starter Kit 246.68 175.00
3100 Complete Red Wine Starter Kit 259.79 185.00
The GC and CM wine kits are designed to make about 30
750 ml bottles of great wine in as little as 28 days.
The Ruisseau Blanc wine kit comes off in as few as 45 days,
and also makes about 30 bottles. The Peach Chardonnay is
refreshingly sweet with plenty of fruit flavor, with an
alcohol content from 6.5% to 7%.
Wine and beer kit abbreviations explained:
BH = Brew House beer kit
CC = Cellar Classic wine kit
GC = Grand Cru wine kit
WA = Wine~Art wine kit
MM = Mosti Mondiale wine kit
CM = Cellar Master wine kit
OB = Orchard Breezin' wine kit (new name for CM)
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 C-Brite Sanitizer (8)
Portuguese Hand Corker FermTech AutoSiphon
2 Cases of 750-ml Bottles Long Handled Spoon
Bottle Washer Adapter Brass Bottle Washer
Bottle Drainer, 45 station Adhesive Thermometer
AND YOU GET THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FREE ($16.79 value):
- Free Wine Labels (text of your choice)
- Free triple scale hydrometer
- 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 or her 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 credit
card... 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 text you want on your free wine labels.
If you prefer, 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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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 - Submit yours today!
- New Winemaking Products
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LIST MAINTENANCE
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Past issues of the STOMPER can be found at
http://www.grapestompers.com/newsletter/archives
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Copyright (c) 2003 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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