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THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
November, 2003 Issue #40
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 - New Restricted Quantity Wines
=> Bonnie's Bin - Clear Wine Despite Muddled Mind
=> Tom's Cellar - Wasted Effort?
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Guest Column - Your Wine Stories (part II)
=> 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
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FEATURE ARTICLE: New Restricted Quantity Wines Available
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
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Greetings from the land of the frosted pumpkins and Fraser
fir Christmas trees! We hope the upcoming holiday season
will be a great one for you and your family.
Each year, RJ Spagnols - the makers of fine grape
concentrates - releases three or four special wines in
small quantities. This year, the Cru Select 2004
Restricted Quantities Program will include the following
wines during the coming months:
January: Pinot Noir (approx. launch - 12/8/2003)
February: Cabernet Merlot Syrah (approx launch - 2/2/2004)
March: Gewurztraminer (approx. launch - 3/1/2004)
April: Pinotage Cabernet (approx. launch - 4/1/2004)
Learn more about these wines by visiting the RJ Spagnols
official web site:
http://www.rjspagnols.com/wine_new_rq.asp
or to see the PDF version, try this link:
http://www.rjspagnols.com/pdf/colour%2010084en.pdf
Since these wines are only available in limited quantities,
customers are requested to pre-order with grapestompers.com
in order to assure delivery.
Each RQ wine kit includes a set of free professional
quality wine labels.
As a special bonus to those who pre-order and purchase all
four wine kits, you will receive a set of four Pimpernel
Wine Cellar Placemats as a free gift ($59.99 retail value).
These placemats are imported from the UK and are very
classy looking. You can see a photo of a sample placemat
here: http://www.rjspagnols.com/free_gift_eng.htm
Prices, item numbers, and order deadlines for each wine:
Pinot Noir #3180 - $84.26 - order by 11/29/2003
Cabernet Merlot Syrah #3182 - $84.26 - order by 12/31/2003
Gewurztraminer #3267 - $82.50 - order by 1/31/2004
Pinotage Cabernet #3183 - $84.26 - order by 2/28/2004
Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
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BONNIE'S BIN: Clear Wine Despite Muddled Mind
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
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My mind is muddled but my wines are clear! I have things in
the right order, eh?
Things are moving so fast I can't even get our wine bottles
labeled and on their sides. Those corks should be bonded
to the bottle all right!
This brings to mind a new item. SCREW TOP BOTTLES! Yes,
we now have them in stock. Then you would not have to lay
them on their side because there is no cork to keep moist!
I think they are going to be great. Studies have shown
that screw tops keep wine as good if not better than corked
bottles. I am glad that we can offer you that option now.
It will be good for those who only make a few bottles a
year and do not want to invest in a corker yet.
I think it is time to make pumpkin wine for next
Thanksgiving! It's too late to start a wine for this
year but the pumpkins are prime right now. Freeze them
now for making wine this winter and it will be just right
for next season.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING YA'LL!
See you next time...
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: Wasted Effort?
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
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Using the proper equipment is very important in winemaking.
This point was brought to my attention recently when a
gentleman called into grapestompers.com with a problem.
He used a plastic type trash container to make some home-
made wine from his blackberries. He was fermenting 100
gallons and every single gallon was affected with a very
pungent aroma and taste.
Lesson Learned: He should have used FOOD GRADE poly bucket!
Think of all the hard work that went into picking the
berries, freezing them, then working them up... all that
ended up wasted. So remember, it does not pay to take the
cheap or fast way out! A food grade bucket (item # 2210)
could have saved his efforts.
WINE TASTING
Our annual wine tasting this past October was the highlight
of this past month. Bonnie and I are always amazed to see
folks show up from all parts of the US and for that matter,
even South Korea. Robert and Pat Klaus came from Houston,
TX along with his sister and brother-in-law from Corpus
Christi. A young couple from South Korea came by for a
visit. They had to leave early in order to catch a plane
back home!
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If you recycle wine bottles, consider
rinsing your bottles a couple of times with
water immediately after drinking the wine.
This simple act can prevent bacterial growth
and will probably save you from scrubbing
and washing in the future.
When it comes time to bottle, all you have
to do is sanitize your wine bottles.
Hidden special:
Save nearly $200 when you order item #5118,
the Essential Extractor distilling kit.
Regular price: $449.13 - Special price: $275.00
Be sure to mention this hidden special when
ordering.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Each year this event grows as we invite local vintners
and other wineries to join us along with local craftsmen.
Jimmy Benge from JIFF Catering provided the food, and the
entertainment was provided by Albert and Amy on the fiddle
and guitar.
This year we again demonstrated the advantages of a large
bowl tasting glass so the taste and aroma of the wine could
be enjoyed to the max. Glasses were made available for
$5.00 on the day of the tasting, and several folks took
home this terrific glass for future use!
Our friends, Monty and Brenda Combs, showed up with their
ability to snap some great shots of the event. Monty takes
the pics and Brenda organizes them and sends them on so we
can share! Thanks, Monty and Brenda!
Also, we had a local vintner, Bob Edwards, to help with his
magic touch of "tweaking" the wines to make them sweeter if
need be for individual taste. Billy Brown and his wife
shared their many different and unusual home wines (i.e.
watermelon). Rex and Jane Dixon again shared their FAMOUS
Blueberry Port and drew raves. Walt and Sarah McMillan
from RagApple Lassie Winery were present to share samples
of their wines. And our sons - Tim, Brant, and John showed
up to help out, along with Candy Porter and Jeff Miller.
Even Jason Fender came out of retirement (from his college
work) to pitch in. Thanks to everyone who helped make
our sixth annual wine tasting a success!
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,
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your
great customer service! Both times I have called with
questions, they were answered patiently and in detail.
You guys are great! Thanks so much for your warm, personal
style and generous advice. Love the kit by the way; I have
been having a ball with all this stuff!
Have a great week,
-- Pati Faul
Louisiana
Dear Tom & Bonnie,
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you both for your
assistance in getting the Grape-Nuts labels to us for our
bottling in October. We really had a great time and the
bottles looked fantastic! I'll enclose a photo in the
package with the [video] tape.
I also wanted to thank you for loaning us your tape. It
was very informative and I will be recommending it to the
other three wine tasting groups. Your wine making kit
provides a much more condensed process than our year long
project and it is probably a better approach for the other
three groups.
You have some great products that sure would have made our
bottling go a lot smoother. All in all, we were pleased
with the results. Now we just need to figure out what to
do with 22 cases of Cabernet Franc!
I will put the tape back in the mail to you today.
Thanks again for your help.
-- Sandy Freedman
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you so much for your quick responses, and timely
info. I wish all online retailers were more like you!
I look forward to getting the package.
Thanks,
-- Cindy Cavallaro
[Editor's note: For the benefit of our readers, we will
re-post a sticky problem presented to us by one of our
customers last month. One person's answer is shown below.]
Brant,
When I squeeze my elderberry must in the nylon bag, I use
rubber gloves to keep from staining my hands. After 3 or 4
bags, I notice a brown sticky goo on my gloves, my bucket,
sink, faucet, everything I've touched.
Some friends thought it was from the stems, last time.
This time, I took the berries off the stems with a kitchen
fork, there are no stems. The goo won't wash off with
soap and water, alcohol, paint thinner, lacquer thinner,
nothing I've found will remove it. The bag must be run
through the washing machine 4 - 5 times to come clean of
the stickiness.
Can you offer any suggestions? Thanks.
-- Dean Percival
[A Stomper reader replies]
Dean,
I also am a wine maker who has used fresh elderberries and
I got the same gooey mess in my primary, my stirring spoon,
etc. I like you used every trick I could think of to
remove this mess. I scrubbed with bleach, ammonia, SOS,
3M pads, etc. and was only greeted with a sticky gooey mess
that would not come off.
After hours of work I finally got the goo off. That was my
first 10 gals. and I still had fresh frozen elderberries
for 30 gals. more and OH how I dreaded the next clean
up chore (we harvested 122 pounds of de-stemmed berries
this year). I have used dried elderberries and never had
this problem.
Then one day my husband, Bob, did some roof repair and got
roofing tar on his hands. After using hand cleaner, soap,
etc. nothing would remove the tar. He finally sprayed his
hands with non-stick cooking oil, let soak awhile and just
wiped his hand with a paper towel and ALL THE TAR WAS GONE!
Well you can guess that when I made the next 10 gallons
of elderberry wine I tried his trick. I just cleaned my
primary as always, but the goo ring stayed as it did
before. So I grabbed my can of non-stick cooking oil,
sprayed the goo ring, let it sit awhile, then wet a cloth
and put a little dish soap on the rag and started on the
goo ring. IN A SHORT TIME IT WAS GONE!! I did the same
for all other equipment I used and it works!!!
Some problem areas I had to spray the goo again. The great
thing is that this is non-toxic and safe for the wine
making. Just be sure to wash equipment well after cleaning
with the non-stick cooking oil to remove the oil residue.
HOPE THIS WORKS FOR YOU!! HAPPY WINE MAKING.
-- Deanna Truran
Hi there,
I bottled my New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc this weekend...
IT IS SPECTACULAR!!! [and] over my expectations.
I am looking for a great red now. Which premium kit would
you recommend???
[What about] the Australian Shiraz? I don't have to worry
about the tannins in a nice bold red [so it] sounds about
right -- but they are your kits; would love your opinion.
Thanks,
-- Jeff Gray
[Tom replies]
Dear Jeff,
Thanks for your comments on the NZ Sauvignon Blanc. The
Australian Shiraz should be a pleasant surprise to you
also. It is something isn't it? I am talking about the
quality of the kits.
-- Tom
Tom,
Just a short note to thank you for the fast delivery of my
wine order... also the corkscrew. At present, both are on
standby as I have got greedy and started too many different
carboys of vino.
With my glass on high I thank you... PROUST!
-- Jack Elliott
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GUEST COLUMN - Your Wine Stories: Lessons Learned (part II)
by Scott Petrinec, Erie, PA
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[Editor's Note]
Several people responded to our request for funny and/or
unusual winemaking stories... here is the second batch:
Hi. I haven't been making wine very long, so I am not
embarrassed to tell you guys about my first winemaking
experience.
I was making a basic pear wine, and had absolutely no idea
how to do it. I started out this fiasco by putting my
pears (20 lbs) in a blender and then putting the mess into
a 5 gallon carboy (what a mess). Then I put 15 lbs of dry
sugar into the carboy (it just about filled it to the top..
LOL).
By this time I was wondering why the carboy was so full,
so I dumped the sugar from the carboy into a huge pot and
added the bare minimum amount of hot water and proceeded
to heat the water up on the stove until the sugar was
dissolved. Then I used a small funnel and tried to pour
the sugar water into the carboy (directly from the pot).
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If you're bulk aging in a carboy, you'll
want to replace the water in your airlock
every month or so. This keeps the water
fresh and up to the proper level.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
I had sugar water everywhere. I used White Labs liquid
cider yeast, nutrients, pectic enzyme, and tannin. After
the first week I noticed a HORRIBLE smell coming from my
basement, and I couldn't figure out why, well... I FORGOT
TO PUT WATER IN MY AIRLOCK (I was stupid enough to think
that condensation would fill the airlock up with liquid
all by itself). Anyway... I fixed that problem, and when
it came time to siphon it off of the mess from the bottom
of the carboy I ended up with 3 gallons. I used my
vinometer and it read 21.5% alcohol (wow...way too much
for my taste). But I kept it that way, and used bentonite,
and then ran it through the mini-jet with a #1 and then a
#2 filter.
It turned out REAL GOOD, and everyone that I gave it to
loved it and wants more. But... I never want to experience
that mess again. I am now in the process of making pear
again; so far it is going 200 times smoother. I might add
some kiwi or paw-paw to this batch.
Thank you for letting me share my winemaking experience
with all of you, and if you know anyone that is planning
on making some wine for the first time... PLEASE give them
some simple hints. Thanks.
Scott A. Petrinec
Erie, PA
crazycro2@yahoo.com
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Like To Be A Guest Columnist For The STOMPER 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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Vinification
- The conversion of a fruit juice or other sweet solution
into alcohol by fermentation. The term is sometimes used
loosely, to include every step of winemaking from getting
the fruit to fermentation and beyond.
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 #3125 CC Barolo, $82.50
- Item #3183 CC Harvest - Malbec $102.63
- Item #3107 CC Port (12 l kit - need 3 gal carboy) $62.15
- Item #2798A Coconut Rum (Classic Liquor kit) $24.95
- Item #2797A Mead (Classic Liquor kit) $24.95
- Item #2235A Stopper, small solid $0.55
- Item #2110 Bottle, 750 ml clear screw top, case $10.89
- Item #2110A Screw on cap, metal, $0.10 (for 2110 bottle)
- Item #2660 8" funnel with screen $4.51
- Item #2662 5" funnel without screen $1.15
- Item #5118 Essential Extractor (distiller) $449.13
- Item #2808 Lore of Still Building (196 pages) $9.02
- Item #2809 Alaskan Bootlegger's Bible (198 pages) $24.20
Be sure to see the feature article above about the four
"restricted quantity" wines being released over the next
four months.
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
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grapestompers' specials for the month of November 2003 are:
Item # Description Reg. Price SPECIAL
3173 WA Black Currant/Merlot 48.51 39.99
3174 WA Black Cherry/Pinot Noir 48.59 39.99
3164 OB Blackberry/Merlot 43.12 38.99
3210 WA Green Apple/Riesling 48.51 39.99
3280 OB Peach/Chardonnay 41.25 36.99
3288 WA Pink Grapefruit Blush 48.51 39.99
3289 OB Strawberry/Riesling 41.25 36.99
3287 WA Strawberry/White Zinfandel 48.59 39.99
3160 GC Bergamais (Beaujolais) 49.50 41.99
3229 VDV White Zinfandel 45.87 38.99
2260 Portuguese Floor Corker 57.75 49.99
2310 Corks Agglomerate # 9 x 1 ¾" 0.13 ea 100 for 11.00
2308 All Cellar Classic concentrates get 30 FREE CORKS
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 WA, VDV, OB, and GC wine kits are designed to make about
thirty 750 ml bottles of great wine in as little as 28 days.
The Orchard Breezin' and Wine~Art Country Mist wine
kits 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 -
You can save some money on shipping if you can find your
own wine bottles... if you don't need wine bottles, just
be sure and let us know when you place your order, and we
will adjust the price of the equipment kit accordingly.
You can also upgrade your wine kit and get any other type
of wine you desire, by paying the difference for the
upgrade from the standard concentrate to the upgraded one.
Likewise, you can upgrade from the hand corker to either of
the floor corkers we stock by paying the difference.
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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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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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