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THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
November, 2004 Issue #52
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 welcome to pass along this newsletter to your wine-
making friends; we only ask that it be sent in its entirety.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Feature Article - Free Online Holiday Wine Label
=> Bonnie's Bin - The Gift of Wine Stain Removal
=> Tom's Cellar - Reviews of New Wine Kits
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> Guest Column - The Best Compliment
=> 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 at least 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: Free Online Holiday Wine Label
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
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Happy November everyone! It's hard to believe the holidays
will be finished in less than 8 weeks... are you ready?
Most winemakers - myself included - will be giving away
homemade bottles of wine as holiday gifts to close friends
and family.
Besides bottle shape and capsules or wax, nothing dresses up
a bottle better than a personalized label with your winery's
name on it. It's that extra special touch that folks will
definitely notice.
Most of you already know that we offer free wine labels when
you purchase a grape concentrate kit from grapestompers.com.
But if your labels have already been made - what are you to
do for your holiday wines? The answer: Print a wine label
made just for the rapidly approaching holiday season!
It's been almost a year since we offered our first online
editable wine label in PDF format. By editable, I mean that
you could type in your winery's name and the type of wine
directly on top of the PDF before printing the label.
Witness our first attempt at online label making:
http://www.grapestompers.com/labels/Label_01.pdf
Thanks to your suggestions we've learned how to make a more
user-friendly wine label, so that it matches an Avery label
type. We've patterned our latest wine label to match #5164,
which is a white 3.33" X 4" address label.
Here's how to enjoy your free holiday wine label from
grapestompers.com:
1. Print these directions so they'll be handy.
2. Go to http://www.grapestompers.com/labels/5164_Xmas_01.pdf
and view/download the new wine label in your browser.
NOTE: If you follow the link above but can't see the
wine label, it means you do not have Adobe Acrobat
Reader software installed on your system. It's free
software that's available for any type of computer.
You can download the Acrobat Reader software here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
3. There are two places where you can enter text on the
label. The first one is your winery's name. Click with
your mouse below the text that says "Happy Holidays from"
and type in the name of your winery. You can type up to
three lines of text if you wish. The text auto centers.
4. Go to the next text area by hitting the 'Tab' button on
your keyboard, or click inside the yellow stripe and
enter the type of wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot
Grigio, for example. This text centers automatically too.
5. Hit the 'Tab' key again, and instantly the text in all
the other labels will match the text you just finished
typing in the first label.
6. Print the PDF on Avery label stock 5164, or one of its
equivalent types for 3.33" X 4": 5264, 8164, or 8464
7. Peel, stick, and voila! Instant Christmas wine bottles.
If you have a high-resolution image we can use for a future
online wine label, please send it in an email with your
contact info. If your image is used, we'll give you credit
in The Stomper and make you famous.
That wraps up my part for this month. Here's to you... and
Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
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BONNIE'S BIN: The Gift of Wine Stain Removal
By Bonnie Brown, Manager
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Aren't you just amazed at how fast time flies? Maybe it is
the gentle reminder that the editor gives to me that seems
to come around so fast!
Anyway, it is November of 2004 already and time to plan a
bit more on our holiday gifts of wine. Bottle? Special?
Regular? Splits? Frosted? Fluted? and the list goes on!
Special labels that say "Happy Holidays" are nice to have
handy for that last minute gift of your best Shiraz! What
about little baskets and bags so we can stick in some other
goodies that we have made?
Don't forget all of those people who do special things
for us all year long. You know, folks like the mailman,
the auto mechanic, the delivery person, the teller at the
bank, that sort of thing. Gifts of wine are a fun way to
say, "Thanks, we appreciate you and what you do."
Golly, are you as tired as I am from all of this planning?
Good thing we have almost 2 months left. I for one will
need all the time I can get.
I read a tip recently that is an oldie but goody. The
Department of Enology and Viticulture at the renowned U of
California at Davis did a study comparing 8 red wine stain
removal techniques, including commercial products and folk
remedies, such as pouring salt or white wine over the stain.
Several types of fabric were sacrificed. The bottom line,
silk was the most difficult fabric to remove red wine stains
from, cotton the easiest. Commercial wine stain remover
products were the least effective. What is the best cleaner
overall? A blend of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and Dawn
liquid soap! This tidbit was taken from the "Wine Lovers
Calendar" that Tom has sitting on the counter.
Tom adds: Don't forget our B-Brite also does a great job of
removing a lot of stains!
Another little thing from that same calendar is the word
"tight" as a description used in tasting wines. It means
that it is unyielding and so closed in that its flavors and
aromas seem muted, almost impossible to get at. Get at is
right, for the implication is that tight wine usually will
have a lot to offer, with time.
Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. Enjoy your family
and friends and let no one fall through the cracks on that
day. Safe traveling too!
Happy wines to you... until we meet again.
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: Reviews of New Wine Kits
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
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Often we are called upon by our customers to see which new
wine concentrates we have recently tried out that gave us a
pleasant surprise. Here are 4 wine kits that fit the bill:
#3283 French Viognier (Platinum) is fast becoming #3 in
sales for all white wines throughout the USA. It's a little
sweeter than the Pinot Grigio, but the wine has a very nice
finish that even the red wine folks love!
#3183A Cru Select Australian Cabernet Shiraz/Merlot
I describe this wine as smooth as velvet. It literally
jumps off the shelf in our winery. It's one of our winery's
best red wine sellers.
#3282 Orchard Breezin' Calypso
Now this wine provides a cheap trip to the islands! For
you folks who love sweet wines but cannot afford that trip
to the island, get yourself a blanket, a sun lamp, and a
bottle of Calypso and you are there! After you have tried
it, please send me a card from the "beach".
#3168 Orchard Breezin' Cranberry/Chianti is your Thanks-
giving and Christmas after dinner refreshment. It leaves
you with a delightful feeling in the tummy (not that over-
filled feeling) and is a great finish to a great meal. Very
refreshing!
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Every month I receive about 20 credit card
offers in the mail. About half include a
facsimile credit card. Previously I just
threw them away. Now I take these "credit
cards" home and store them with my winemaking
equipment.
They make great scrapers for removing wine
labels from bottles. Just soak the bottle
for a while and scrape the label off.
They conform to the shape of the bottle and
most of them last quite a while. They are
also good for removing frost from your car
windshield on a winter morning.
Our thanks to Tony Petruso from St. Louis,
Missouri for providing this tip.
Hidden special #1:
#2620 Electric Transfer Pump
Reg. $132.00, this month only $99.00
That's a 25 percent savings for a product
that helps move your wine from place to place.
Use this electric pump to transfer wine
"uphill" whenever you forget to leave your
carboy in a high place and can no longer
rack with a siphon.
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------------------*
Lastly, thank you for your comments concerning our recent
gold medals won at the Dixie Classic Fair, which hosts the
annual Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition.
Lots of folks are coming up to specifically request samples
of our award-winning Pinot Grigio and Bergamais.
Please let us know if you've won a medal for any wine you
made, and we'll be glad to post it here next month. If the
wine was made from a kit, please let us know what type of
kit you used.
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 Brant,
Just wanted to say you outdid yourself on the labels you
printed for our "Jake's Vintage Viognier". The detail in
the jpeg photo was better than I expected.
Thanks again for a first class job.
Regards,
-- Chris Proctor
Thomasville, NC
Hi there,
I am new at this wine making and I will be starting this
week. I will be buying all of the equipment needed and I
hope all goes well.
Thank you for all the helpful information you have on your
website. I will be logging on from time to time in between
my work and my new hobby. I work in the Arctic and have
been working there for 22 years. This sounds like a great
idea. Thank you - once again, thank you :)
-- Kym
Thanks Bonnie,
As always, I really enjoy your monthly online newsletter!
Thanks!
-- J. Mark VanNess, Ph.D.
Stockton, CA
Tom,
Thanks! I'm in the "investigation stage" of winemaking.
If I start it, I want to go down the right path.
I appreciate all the knowledge on your web site. Of all I
visited, it is the best! Incidentally, I found it by doing
a Google search on: winemaking video.
-- Ron Renner
Jimmy,
[The] package [was] received this afternoon. Thanks for the
prompt service.
-- Everett Leggett
Brooksville, FL
Tom,
Joan and I want to thank you for your great hospitality on
Monday. We really enjoyed our visit and wine tasting. We
will be back in the Spring.
What kit did you use to make that Lambrusco you gave us?
It was great. I would like to make it. I have not had
Lambrusco in years.
Thanks again,
-- Bill and Joan Russell
Arapahoe, NC
Send us your comments about your experience with
grapestompers... we may just make you famous next month!
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GUEST COLUMN - The Best Compliment
By Tony Petruso, St. Louis, MO
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It has been less than a year since I started winemaking.
Like most new winemakers I wonder what others think about
the quality of my wines. One good indicator of their
approval is if they ask for another bottle or drop subtle
hints aimed at being given another bottle.
The other day I received the best compliment. In St. Louis,
throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons the Missouri
History Museum and the Missouri Botanical Garden have weekly
free music concerts. The styles are varied and include
jazz, rock & roll, blues, zydeco, etc. We attend almost
all of them with friends and family. Our group varies from
as few as four to as many as twenty. We bring our own food,
wine and dessert. We used to take turns providing the food
or wine.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If you use bottle wax to dress up the tops
of your bottles, you'll love this tip:
Use an empty soup or vegetable can to melt
your wax in, double-boiler style on the
stove top.
Your wax will melt without scorching, but
more importantly, you won't need as much wax
to be melted before you are able to dip the
bottle neck to the desired depth.
Hidden special #2:
#3116E Grand Cru Chianti wine kit
Our supplier made an error and sent us a
surprise we don't normally stock. Rather
than send them back, we decided to see if
we could sell them. There are only 4 left,
so first come, first served.
Reg. $55.00, this month only $44.00
That's a 20 percent savings for a 10-liter
grape concentrate wine kit.
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------------------*
Now my wife, Rosemary, and I bring the wine and others
provide the food. Recently our good friends Susan and Al,
were unable to attend for several weeks. Their seventeen
year old grandson, David, was to have brain surgery.
Eighteen months earlier he had begun having seizures. An
unknown mass inside his brain was determined to be causing
them. Al and Susan had been busy baby-sitting other grand-
children and hosting family from out of town. On the
morning of the surgery I stopped by their home to get an
update. I also gave them a bottle of Merlot and a bottle
of Pinot Grigio. They were told that they, and David, were
in our thoughts and prayers. Understandably, they were
extremely worried. They were asked to call us as soon as
they had information on the outcome of the operation.
Late that evening Al called. He told us the operation had
been a total success. David is expected to recover with no
effects. Al ended the phone call by telling me that to
celebrate the good news, he had opened both of my wines.
Susan, with a glass of Pinot Grigio and Al, with a glass of
Merlot, had toasted David's future.
Now that is a compliment!
Tony Petruso
Besides being an avid winemaker, Tony and his wife Rosemary
have been collectors of militaria for a number of years.
Tony served as a sergeant in the Air Force and currently
operates a business called Overlord Military Collectables
where he sells these items online. Tony is also a private
pilot with an instrument rating and recently qualified
as a helicopter pilot.
You may write to Tony at TPetruso@aol.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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Hazy
- Used to describe a wine that has small amounts of visible
particles when viewed against the light. A good quality
if a wine is unfined and unfiltered.
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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These are products that were recently added to our catalog:
- Item #3111 Bellissima Blueberry Shiraz, $64.13
- Item #3112 Bellissima Raspberry Pinot Nero, $62.37
- Item #3126 Bellissima Strawberry Sangiovese, $60.00
- Item #3253 Bellissima Pear Chardonnay, $56.87
- Item #2792A Blueberry flavoring, $4.18
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.
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
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grapestompers' specials for the month of November 2004:
Item # Description Reg. Price Special
3107 Premium Port wine kit 67.87 56.99
3158 Sherry wine kit 39.88 32.99
2205 3 Gallon glass carboy 14.08 11.99
2112 Wine bottles - Frosted 750 ml 18.06 14.99
2113 Wine bottles - Frosted 375 ml 27.50 22.99
2115 Bottles, Clear Bellissima 375 ml 27.50 22.99
2116 Bottles, Dk Grn Bellissima 375 ml 27.50 22.99
2114 Bottles, Clear fluted 375 ml 21.98 17.99
3701 BH Pale Ale beer kit 31.02 26.99
3704 BH Mexican Cerveza beer kit 31.02 26.99
3719 BH Oktoberfest beer kit 31.02 26.99
3721 BH Munich Dark Lager beer kit 31.02 26.99
3731 BH Stout beer kit 31.02 26.99
3741 BH Pilsner beer kit 31.02 26.99
2786 Bottle capper, red 11.44 9.69
2787 Bottle caps, gold, one gross 4.32 2.99
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.
Except for Item 2113, all wine bottles described above come
packed 12 to a case. The frosted 375's come 24 per case.
The beer kits make between 50 to 60 bottles of beer.
Did you see this month's hidden special? It's located
elsewhere in this newsletter.
The specialty wine kits described above (Port and Sherry)
are 12-liter kits. They are designed to make thirty 375 ml
bottles of wine, or fifteen 750 ml bottles. You will need
a 3 gallon carboy to make these kits.
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, CCH, GC, CSP 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
VDVWT = Vino del Vida - World Tour Series 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.
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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) 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
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