------------------------------------------------------------ THE STOMPER The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com August, 2003 Issue #37 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 - Chaptalize Your Must: How-To Tips => Bonnie's Bin - Summer Rains and a Prayer => Tom's Cellar - Protect Wine Against Heat => Feedback from Our Customers => Guest Column - Mobile Winemaking => 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 #&# There is ONE hidden special in this issue ^#^ This month's specials and new products are found towards the bottom of this document ------------------------------------------------------------ FEATURE ARTICLE: Tips for Chaptalizing Your Must By Brant Burgiss, Editor ------------------------------------------------------------ Wow! Time certainly passes quickly... It's hard to believe that last month marked the third anniversary of The Stomper winemaking newsletter. Thanks to your input and requests, we've been providing free tips and hints for winemakers on a monthly basis since 2000. On to this month's topic... This month, we thought we'd focus on a topic that could help make the difference between a so-so wine and a great wine - chaptalization. Succinctly put, chaptalization is the procedure of adding sugar to juice or must prior to or during fermentation. When done correctly, chaptalization allows you to make full, rich wines with sufficient alcohol levels to give them balance. We invite you to check out our latest winemaking article that covers the ins and outs of chaptalization, including discussions on when and why you should chaptalize, and how to do it properly: http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/chaptalize_wine.htm We hope you'll enjoy this "sweet" topic! Be sure to let us know what winemaking articles you'd like to see in the future... just drop me a note. Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking! You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com ------------------------------------------------------------ BONNIE'S BIN: Summer Rains and a Prayer By Bonnie Brown, Manager ------------------------------------------------------------ Hey, WELCOME to August! I do hope your summer hasn't been as wet as ours! We walk outside and can smell the woods rotting. Nothing smells fresh, just musty and moldy. We are NOT in a drought any more. One wet summer is all it took to make up for the lack of rains in the past 3 years. We will see soon how it is going to affect the fruits and veggies. I know the haying is way behind. Our wines all look so great. You can imagine how strong the aroma is with so many more wines going now. There used to be a dozen or so going all the time, but now with the Thistle Meadow Winery going great guns, it is even better. I just love my job! The smell doesn't even keep me from sampling my wares in the evening. You do not get tired of wine, whether it's making it or drinking it. I have been so busy this month that I haven't even had time for a story to happen! That is bad. Usually something interesting or just plain different happens that I can share with you. One thing on my mind, and on the minds of a lot of other families, is our men and women in the military. They have been in my prayers right along. Now I am adding another prayer. This one a bit special to me; keep our son safe as he departs on an 8-month cruise. Also remember all of the families left at home missing their moms or dads. It is hard on all. Let us not forget them in our daily life. Thanks! With that, I must get back to filling orders, ordering for our stock and answering your e-mails, sorting the mail, paperwork and all that goes with our little hobby here! We sure do appreciate you all and the support you give us. Keep the letters coming! 'Til September... Keep on a corkin! 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ TOM'S CELLAR: Protect Wine Against Heat by Tom Burgiss, Owner ------------------------------------------------------------ The month of August is usually one of the hottest months we encounter during the course of the year. Because of that, I would like to address the importance of storing wines at the proper temperature! As many of you know, we have recently begun selling wine in our winery, called Thistle Meadow Winery, and because it is hot, I usually ask the following question whenever someone purchases wine: "Where are you going after you leave here?" Meaning of course, will they be spending their day in a nice air conditioned car, or will they leave the wine in their car while they hike the local trails or go shopping? If left in a parked car during the day, the wine will suffer in the heat of the boiling sun! Sometimes when I ask the "Where are you headed?" question, a customer may give me an inquisitive look as if to say, "Now WHY does he want to know where I'm going??" I quickly tell them that I am trying to protect their wine, and relate a true story that happened to a nice couple who recently bought a couple cases of wine. They left with their purchase, and upon arrival at home, they failed to take the wine inside... and as a result of a 105 degree day outside, all the wine was ruined by the time they noticed their error the next day. What a shame - and what a waste of money and good wine! *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* If you recycle wine bottles from one batch to the next, be sure to hold your bottles to the light, preferably sunlight, to make sure there is no mold in them. Hidden special: Besides this month's specials, we've dropped the prices on 20 other wine kits this month. Check it out! Have a tip you'd like to submit? Send it to tips@grapestompers.com *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* Don't let this happen to you... protect your wines... You've invested your time making the best wine possible... you are justifiably proud of the fine wine you've made... so guard your wines with the proper temperature. Fifty-five (55) degrees Fahrenheit is perfect for the long- term storage of wine. Your basement (or the coolest room in the house) is best. Having said that, I realize that in some areas of the world, digging a basement is like digging into a lake or a bed of solid rock... Easier said than done. But cool temperatures are best in helping clear wines as you go through the stages of racking and fining. Wine will clear out faster in a cool room as you get closer to bottling day. Johannisberg Riesling is especially difficult to clear out in the summertime. So if your wine seems to take a long time in clarifying, try cooling it down! Please mark your calendar for Sunday, October 5th - the date for our annual wine tasting. More details later. 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: Hello! I am new at winemaking and have placed two orders with you in the past few weeks. I have been amazed at how quickly you ship these out and the packages have been well packed and everything has arrived in great shape - even the glass and delicate items. I know that when something goes wrong, most people (including myself at times) are very quick to complain. But when someone does a great job - usually no one says anything. So I just wanted to say "Thank You" for doing such a great job of getting my merchandise to me quickly, in great shape and at reasonable prices. I expect to be doing business with you for a long time. Best regards, -- Jay Enterkin Raleigh, NC Bonnie, I forgot to tell you that our last batch came out great. We were concerned at first because it smelled really musty. A guy my husband works with said we might have to add (charcoal?) or something to get rid of the musty smell because he thought we may have left it too long in the carboy before we bottled it. We decided not to take his advice and wait the six months before tasting it again. What a joy it was to open a bottle and taste such great wine, wine we made, so of course we opened another. Thanks! -- Lisa Hi Tom and Bonnie, We received the beer kit and got it started. Here is a tip you might pass along. If using a 23 liter primary fermenter bucket, to prevent a mess if it overflows, put the bucket in a 16 gallon "Rubbermaid" Utility Tub (available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. for about 8 bucks). The fermenter bucket, with spigot, fits perfectly. And it only takes a little more room than the bucket alone. Hope to see you soon. -- Yates & Nancy Smith Brant, Thanks for your [news]letter and for all the tips. Keep the letters coming! -- B.G. Stewart ------------------------------------------------------------ GUEST COLUMN - Mobile Winemaking by Frank Joseph, location ever-changing ------------------------------------------------------------ Editor's Note: Not long ago, Frank Joseph threatened to take winemaking to a new level, when he promised to write back and let us know when he has begun making wine in his ever-moving RV... have carboy, will travel! Dear Brant, I have taken my winemaking show on the road. I have started my first wine kit in our new home, a thirty-six foot fifth wheel recreational vehicle. If you are interested in seeing my new setup, please click on http://www.geocities.com/proudfrank/roadwine.htm We are currently in southwest Ohio. We will be heading south in the fall and are looking forward to meeting all of the great people at Grapestompers. Regards, Frank and Mary Joseph *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* To repair a broken crystal wine glass stem, I "weld" the two pieces back together using my little propane blowtorch. Just heat the two ends until they are glowing hot, then hold them together for a little while. When the glass cools, the two ends are bonded together! Our thanks to Robert Klause from Texas for providing this winemaking tip. Have a tip you'd like to submit? Send it to tips@grapestompers.com *-----------------HOT TIP------------------* Brant replies: Frank, great web page! I am thinking that clarifying and racking wine might prove pretty challenging in a mobile environment! Would you be willing to share your secrets with us? You can contact Frank and Mary Joseph at: proudmary01@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------------------ Like 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ Balance - A well-balanced wine is a primary goal of the winemaker. Such a wine blends all of its components gracefully: the fruit, tannin, acid, and sugar. A wine's balance may only be realized after some aging. Look for other wine-related definitions by clicking on the 'Glossary' button from our home page at http://www.grapestompers.com ------------------------------------------------------------ NEW PRODUCTS ------------------------------------------------------------ Here is a list of products recently added to our catalog: - Item #2425 PVC Capsule, ivory w/gold grapes, $0.14 ea - Item #2423 PVC Capsule, blue w/gold grapes, $0.14 (soon) - Item #4622 Colored bottle tags (100), $14.95 - Item #2712B Alcotec 48 hr Turbo Super Yeast, $4.13 - Item #2712C Alcotec 24 hr Turbo Super Yeast, $4.40 - Item #2749A Liquor Quik Super Yeast, $4.51 The last three products are made especially for the Liquor Quik product line of flavored liqueur extracts. Just add sugar and water and watch the action begin! ------------------------------------------------------------ THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS ------------------------------------------------------------ grapestompers' specials for the month of August 2003 are: Item # Description Reg. Price SPECIAL 3235 CC Johannisberg Riesling 69.63 61.19 3119 VDV Red Bordailles (Bordeaux) 49.50 43.46 3278 OB Raspberry White Zinfandel 41.25 36.30 3173 WA Mist - Black Currant Merlot 48.51 42.69 3712 BH Winterfest Beer Kit (ltd qty) 31.02 26.67 2205 Glass Carboy - 3 US gallons 13.15 10.99 2204 Glass Carboy - 5 US gallons 16.59 13.99 2730 Acid Blend, 3 oz. 1.92 1.59 2735 Bentonite, 4 oz. 1.32 1.09 2731 Campden Tablets, approx. 100 2.20 1.79 2738 Heavy Toasted Oak Chips, 1 lb. 4.68 4.07 2747 Dried Elderberries, 4 oz. 3.52 3.02 2264 3-Prong Cork Retriever 5.28 4.59 2692 Vinebrite Wine Filter 28.33 24.64 2821 Recipe Book - Kitchen Cordials 2.04 1.79 2758 Italian Licorice extract (Sambuca) 3.85 3.31 ALL Classic Liquor Kits - entire stock 24.95 21.95 2401 Push On Capsule - Gold 0.15 0.12 2402 Push On Capsule - Burgundy 0.15 0.12 2403 Push On Capsule - Ivory 0.15 0.12 2421 Push On Capsule - Green 0.15 0.12 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 VDV, OB, and WA wine kits are designed to make about 30 750 ml bottles of great wine in as little as 28 days. The Riesling wine kits come off in as few as 45 days, and also makes about 30 bottles. The Black Currant Merlot and the Raspberry White Zinfandel are refreshingly sweet with plenty of fruit flavor, with an alcohol content from 7% to 9%. 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 OB = Orchard Breezin' 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 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. ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 - Submit yours today! - 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 OR you can visit this page: http://www.grapestompers.com/quit_stomper.asp Past issues of the STOMPER can be found at http://www.grapestompers.com/newsletter/archives ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------