------------------------------------------------------------
THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
August, 2004 Issue #49
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 welcome to pass along this newsletter to your wine-
making friends; we only ask that it be sent in its entirety.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article - Learn How to Measure Acidity
=> Bonnie's Bin - Recent Winery Tour Creates Headache
=> Tom's Cellar - Wine Smiles and Traffic Jams
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Upcoming Events
=> Guest Column - Gone Fishin'
=> How to Be Featured as a Guest Columnist
=> Cooking With Wine: Stuffed Mushrooms
=> 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: Learn How to Measure Acidity in Wine
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
Summer is winding down in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North
Carolina, and that means harvest time. Our pear tree is so
loaded with fruit we have to brace each branch or else risk
a limb being broken. The cherries and the blackberries
will be ripe before you know it! Do you have a harvest
plan yet? What will you do with all that fresh fruit?
We all know the answer to that one: make wine!
While it's important to pick the fruit at the height of
ripeness to maximize your brix (sugar content), don't
forget to test your must for acids and pH to ensure your
wine will turn out to be well balanced.
If you've never tested your must for acidity before, there
is no better time to learn than now... especially since
harvest time is upon us and it is so easy. Once you know
what your acidity is, you'll be able to make any necessary
adjustments to bring your acidity within an accepted range.
If you make wine from scratch, you'll definitely need to
know how to measure the amount of acid (T.A., or titratable
acidity) in your must and make any necessary adjustments.
Our newest web page explains two different ways to measure
T.A. (titratable acidity) in wine:
http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/measure_acidity.htm
We hope you enjoy this new winemaking article. If you have
suggestions for more winemaking articles, please drop me a
note - I'd really appreciate it.
That wraps up my part for this month. Here's to you... and
Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
BONNIE'S BIN: Recent Winery Tour Creates Headache
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
------------------------------------------------------------
I recently took some folks - our French winemaking intern
Hughes Baggio, and Mary Kay & George Taylor from Clinton,
Minnesota, on a tour of other wineries. We tasted a lot of
red wines... I got a red wine headache! I had not had that
in so many years. It comes from sulfites in the wine.
I have become spoiled by our grape concentrates that have
so little of this preservative. It's just another reason
to stick with making your own wine at home.
This "sulfite warning" is a reminder for you if you go on
a winery tour this summer. There are some interesting wines
out there. We all had a great time eating, sipping and
chatting our days away, woman driver and all! I am not
sure how it worked out to be my lucky draw, but I am
certainly happy for the time we had.
Be aware of the temperatures your bottled wines are at
during this hot humid summer. You could end up with spoiled
wine from the excess heat. We are adding another air
conditioner in our tasting room, as the customers and wines
are a bit warm.
Start freezing your fruits and veggies for winemaking. Then
you can make the wine this winter when there is nothing
else to do outside due to the weather.
My column is short and sweet this month; you are getting
off easy. I will have to make up for it this fall.
'Til we sip again... We hope to see you soon.
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
------------------------------------------------------------
TOM'S CELLAR: Wine Smiles and Traffic Jams
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
------------------------------------------------------------
One of the most enjoyable things about being the owner of
grapestompers.com is to see the smiles on the faces of folks
who walk in the door to visit with us from their native
states throughout the US. Some are young folks eager to
enjoy the new found hobby of making their own wine, while
others may be retired folks whose hair contains a little
gray or perhaps even a little bald spot on top.
Regardless of their appearance, each person has a story to
tell - of their fun and delight of sharing the wine they've
made with their friends. And then pretty soon, one or more
of the friends are calling us to order a set-up of their
own. If everyone who plans to come by our little spot in
the mountains of the Blue Ridge actually comes to see us,
we are going to have the biggest traffic jam we have ever
had in Laurel Springs!
As many of you know, we operate another wine business called
Thistle Meadow Winery. At the winery, visitors can taste
over 40 different types of wines. They are really shocked
to learn that they can make that SAME wine at home!
Following a tasting and a brief discussion, about 20% of
the folks who come to the winery decide they are going to
try it out for themselves. I try and warn them at the very
beginning there will be two problems: First and foremost,
they will be picking up more friends than they can imagine;
and number two, don't tell anybody about their winemaking
hobby, because if they do, the 30 bottles will disappear
in a hurry. If you are one of those who have been with us
through the years, you know what I am talking about.
So you see, there is an advantage of coming by our small
part of heaven in the mountains... so you too can taste of
a new wine and see for yourself if that would be a wine you
would like to make.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Keep a small wine bottle rack in the kitchen
near the sink. When you rinse out an empty
bottle, place it upside down in the rack to
dry before putting it away for the next
round of bottling.
Hidden special:
#2611 Buon Vino Mini Jet
Reg. $199.76, this month only $144.00
That's a 28 percent savings for a product
capable of filtering up to 20 liters of
wine in 15 minutes with its self-priming
motorized pump. Three types of filters
are available (coarse, polishing, and super
sterile. Learn more about the Mini Jet:
http://www.buonvino.com/P_MiniJet.shtml
BE SURE to mention this hidden special when
ordering, or you will not get the right price.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
All this is to say, right now, mark your calendar for
October 3rd (a Sunday afternoon) from 2:00 PM until - who
know when? for our annual wine tasting at the Burgiss Barn
here in Laurel Springs. As in the previous years, some of
our customers would like to share some of their homemade
wines with you - plus we'll again offer more handmade
mountain crafts. We charge $5.00 for this event, but if
you bring your e-mailed copy of this STOMPER, you will be
admitted FREE.
October is beautiful here in the mountains with all the
colorfull fall leaves with a good clean autumn aroma, and
besides, we would all like to meet you in person! You will
also get to meet our French wine intern, Hughes Baggio, who
will be here too - just before he gets ready to head back
to France for the new academic year.
One last item from Crazy Tom (that's me): if you have any
questions, any problems, or even any good jokes to share,
then give us a call toll free at 1-800-233-1505. From the
beginning, we intended to deliver a good product, good
back-up, at better prices and faster service. In fact, we
are adding another warehouse (contact is signed) so we can
give you even better service. Now when you meet and see me
for the first time, remember I am growing older, but my
mind is always thinking about tomorrow, not yesterday...
So grow old along with me, the best is yet to be!
(my thanks to Robert Browning)
Our pledge to you: YOU are the most important. Thanks for
listening.
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:
Good Morning Tom!
Being a total novice, I am the very last person that could
possibly pass on a tip, but being somewhat mechanically
tuned, have discovered a really good way of getting old
labels off wine bottles... you know... those decal-type
labels with some really tough glue. You could soak them
forever and it wouldn't even begin to dissolve the glue.
Well, you can take a can of carburetor cleaner (similar to
a WD-40 can) and spray it on the glue. Wait about a minute
and the glue will wipe off with a paper towel.
Thanks for running such a 1st class operation. I have been
pleased with every aspect of your business including Bonnie.
I think we'll be making lots of wine together.
-- Keith Browning
Bonnie, Tom:
I finished bottling a batch of Blackberry Merlot I purchased
from you. I've bottled several other wines, but I'm told
by my wife that, "This was the best wine she's ever tried."
It really is a great wine. I can tell by the number of
empty bottles. It's definitely on my "going to order
another batch soon" list. I'm also looking at purchasing
two cases of 750ml bottles, an 8 oz. package of sanitizer
and an Orchard Breezing Wine concentrate kit.
-- Jeff Rabold
Mansfield, OH
Hello,
Thanks for your prompt service. This is much appreciated.
-- Linda Underwood
------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS
By Tom Burgiss, Owner
------------------------------------------------------------
Take a look at the upcoming events for grapestompers.com,
the Burgiss Barn, and Thistle Meadow Winery:
##########################################################
Each Sunday through mid-October, the Burgiss Barn offers
a lip-smacking lunch buffet from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM.
You'll love the food prepared by Chef Jimmy and the gang
at JIFF Catering. We'll even throw a hot yeast roll to
you when you sit down... so bring your catcher's mitt.
Lunch costs $8.00 for adults, which includes everything...
meats, veggies, rolls, dessert, drink, and the tip.
See the Burgiss Barn's web site for information on live
bluegrass and mountain music, with dances held on several
Saturday nights this season:
http://www.burgissbarn.com
##########################################################
Make your plans to attend grapestompers' 7th Annual Wine
Festival on Sunday, October 3rd at our location in Laurel
Springs, NC. Please call or e-mail to register for this
event 800-233-1505. Admission is only $5.00 per person,
and includes wine tasting, heavy hors d'oeuvres, live music,
and local artisans showing off their handmade crafts.
Customers of grapestompers.com are invited to come and show
off the wines they've made during the previous year. If
this interests you, please call Tom at the number above.
Other local wineries from the Yadkin Valley have been
invited to participate, so be sure and mark your calendar.
##########################################################
Folks who live in the area near Charlotte, NC should mark
their calendars for the second annual Great Grapes! Wine
and Music Festival, to be held Saturday and Sunday on
October 9th-10th at Symphony Park beside SouthPark Mall.
Tickets are $15 in advance; $20 at the door. Check out
http://www.greatgrapesfest.com/ggchar.htm for details.
##########################################################
Regardless of your location, you can always find a local
wine event at this great web site:
http://www.localwineevents.com/
------------------------------------------------------------
GUEST COLUMN - Gone Fishin'
By Brant Burgiss
------------------------------------------------------------
It's summertime, and for the moment, the well has run dry.
That is to say... no one has submitted a guest column for
this month!
It's actually pretty easy and you earn instant fame by
writing two or three paragraphs about your favorite hobby:
winemaking! You don't have to be a journalism major or
an English teacher to contribute - witness our own high
falutin' style of writing...
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If printing wine labels with your color
inkjet printer, spray them with a fine mist
of hair spray or acrylic spray (from an arts
and crafts store) to help prevent the colors
from running if the labels should get wet.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Just tell us a story...
- about a funny winemaking experiment gone haywire...
- about a new technique that saves you time or money...
- about how your new hobby has taken over your garage...
- about your Grandpa's wine exploding in the basement...
- about how you proposed after your third bottle of Moet...
or anything else that comes to mind. We'd love to share
your story with our subscribers.
------------------------------------------------------------
Like To Be A Guest Columnist For The Stomper 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??
------------------------------------------------------------
COOKING WITH WINE: Stuffed Mushrooms
------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's Note: In May, we asked for your input regarding
your favorite recipes made with wine. We've had some great
responses so far, and Chef Jimmy can't wait to see more!
The following is the third installment of our customers'
favorite recipes made with wine. If you would like to
submit your recipe, send it to jimmy@grapestompers.com.
This recipe was submitted by Robert and Pat Klaus from
Houston, TX. Thanks folks! Here's what Robert has to say
about this recipe:
This is one of our favorites. It uses white wine. The
recipe calls for 1/4 cup, but I probably use about 1/2 cup.
It does require preparation. The optional butter mixture
is prepared a couple of days in advance. We like to serve
it with Shrimp Scampi.
STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Recipe by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, from "Lidia’s
Italian~American Table"
INGREDIENTS
24 White or Cremini mushrooms with caps (1 ½" in diameter)
2 TBLs extra virgin olive oil
½ cup scallions or green onions, finely chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ cup dry breadcrumbs, coarse
¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
¼ cup Italian or flat parsley, finely chopped
18 Medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed. (RAK)
½ cup chicken broth or stock
¼ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
4 TBL unsalted butter** see note
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove stems from mushrooms. Snip off the tough end and
use only the tenderest part. Chop stems in food processor.
Using a medium skillet, heat olive oil over a medium heat.
After the oil is hot:
Add scallions/green onions and sauté for about one minute
until wilted.
Add red bell peppers and chopped mushroom stems. Cook,
constantly stirring for about three minutes until tender.
Remember, medium heat.
Remove and Cool. Transfer mixture to a SS mixing bowl
and place in sink with ice water. The mixture needs to
cool so the cheese won’t melt later on.
Chop shrimp in small chunks. (RAK)
Add breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, 2 TBL chopped
parsley, and chopped shrimp to the mixture in the SS mixing
bowl. Salt and pepper to taste (use sea salt and fresh
ground pepper). Incorporate and mix until thoroughly
blended.
Stuff the cavity of each mushroom. Have some extra
mushrooms on hand in case there is some left over mixture.
Using a 12 x 18 inch low side baking pan, use 2 TBLs of
butter** to grease the pan.
Evenly arrange mushrooms in pan.
Dot the top of each mushroom with a pinch of butter**
(1/4 tsp)
Add wine and chicken stock and 2 TBL parsley to the pan.
(Mix wine and chicken stock together. Sprinkle parsley
evenly over the pan.)
Bake for about 23 to 27 minutes at 425 degrees F until the
mushrooms are cooked through.
Transfer mushrooms to a warm platter.
Pour the juices into a small saucepan and boil for about
one or two minutes until lightly thickened. Spoon juices
over mushrooms and serve immediately.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve with shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta. Add about
2 TBL of the optional butter to the pan juices and pour
over shrimp and pasta. Goes well with garlic bread and a
medium bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Shiraz or Valpolicella.
Optional Butter**
Incorporate the following:
8 TBL unsalted butter at room temperature.
2 tsp of each: fresh and minced
- Parsley
- Tarragon
- Thyme (RAK)
You can double the mixture; it keeps well in the fridge.
If you would like to get the shrimp scampi recipe that
goes along with the mushrooms, please contact Jimmy Benge
at jimmy@grapestompers.com
for a copy.
Thanks for your input!
------------------------------------------------------------
CORKY'S WINEMAKING DEFINITION
------------------------------------------------------------
Acrid
- A term used to describe a harsh or bitter taste or
pungent smell in wine that is due to excess sulfur.
Look for other wine-related definitions by clicking on
the 'Glossary' button from our home page at
http://www.grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
NEW PRODUCTS
------------------------------------------------------------
These are products that were recently added to our catalog:
- Item #3145 CC Harvest (CCH) Sangiovese Merlot, $95.26
- Item #3250 CCH Italian Barolo Bianco, $90.75
- Item #3147 CCH California Cabernet Syrah Zinfandel $95.26
If you have a suggestion for a new product, please call us
at 1-800-233-1505. Special orders welcomed for unique
winemaking items or supplies.
------------------------------------------------------------
THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
------------------------------------------------------------
grapestompers' specials for the month of August 2004 are:
Item # Description Reg. Price Special
3280 OB Peach Chardonnay 43.56 34.84
3173 WA Black Currant Merlot 48.51 38.80
3273 GC Pinot Chardonnay 55.88 44.70
3241 VDV Niersteiner 42.13 33.70
3229 VDV White Zinfandel 48.51 38.80
2204 5 Gallon Glass Carboy 17.71 14.16
2605 Carboy Brush 4.68 3.69
2721 B-Brite Sanitizer, 8 oz. 1.93 1.49
2732 Potassium Metabisulfite, 4 oz. 1.98 1.58
2711 Super-Kleer Clarifier 1.65 1.29
2701 Red Star Montrachet Wine Yeast 0.44 0.29
3200 Complete White Wine Starter Kit 232.29 180.00
3100 Complete Red Wine Starter Kit 241.42 190.00
See below for a description of the Complete Starter Kit.
Did you see this month's hidden special? It's located
elsewhere in this newsletter.
The VDV, WA, and OB wine kits are designed to make about
thirty 750 ml bottles of great wine in as little as 28 days;
CC (Cellar Classic) and CSG (Cru Select Gold) kits create
wine in as few as 45 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
CCH = Cellar Classic Harvest 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
Fast Flow Spigot
And you get the following items free ($16.79 value):
- 30 Customized Wine Labels (text of your choice)
- Triple scale hydrometer
- 1.5" 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 refund of $19.95 on your credit
card... that's like getting the video at no cost! 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 also save on shipping if you can locate 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 offer by paying the difference.
------------------------------------------------------------
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
OR go to our home page and enter your address in the box.
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) 2004 grapestompers.com. All rights reserved.
grapestompers.com
102 Thistle Meadow
Laurel Springs, NC 28644
Boring stuff for lawyers: 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
------------------------------------------------------------