------------------------------------------------------------
THE STOMPER
The Monthly Winemaking Newsletter of grapestompers.com
February, 2005 Issue #55
http://www.grapestompers.com 1-800-233-1505
Winter Hours (weather permitting)
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Mon, Wed, Th, Fri, Sat
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Eastern Tuesdays
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern Sundays (call ahead)
------------------------------------------------------------
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 - How to Use a Refractometer
=> Bonnie's Bin - So Long For Now
=> Tom's Cellar - No Business Like Snow Business
=> Feedback from Our Customers
=> What To Do If You Have a Damage Claim
=> Guest Column - Other Uses for B-Brite
=> 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
------------------------------------------------------------
FEATURE ARTICLE: How to Use a Refractometer
By Brant Burgiss, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
Look out Cupid, here we come! All of us at grapestompers
hope you and your family have a great Valentine's Day.
If you grow your own grapes (or any other type of fruit,
for that matter) for making wine and you've ever wondered
how to detect the optimum time to harvest your labor of
love, the answer may lie in a small object that will fit
in your pocket... a refractometer.
This precision optical device provides an instant reading
of the Brix percentage from the fresh grape or fruit juice
squeezed onto the main prism.
Unfortunately, there is a common misconception that these
instruments are expensive to own and difficult to use.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
We've just completed an article that explains, step by step,
just how to use and read the refractometer we stock at
grapestompers.com.
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words,
so when it came time to write this article, it seemed lots
of photos and images were in order. So not only will you
see photos of the outside of the refractometer, but you
will see what it looks like when you look through the
eyepiece.
The article about using the refractometer is found at
http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/refractometer_use.asp
We hope you enjoy this month's article. If you have a
suggestion for a future article, please let us know.
Here's to you... and Happy Winemaking!
You can write to Brant at webmaster@grapestompers.com
------------------------------------------------------------
BONNIE'S BIN: So Long For Now
By Brant Burgiss
------------------------------------------------------------
We are very sad to report that Bonnie Brown has resigned
from grapestompers.com due to health reasons.
I'm sure all of you will join us in wishing her all the
best - and most of all - better health each and every
single day.
For those of you who have met or spoken with Bonnie on the
phone, it's readily apparent she has a great love for wine
and has enjoyed providing winemaking advice to our many
customers throughout the years.
She will be missed by both friends and customers. Her
advice and help were appreciated by everyone.
Bonnie will certainly be missed.
------------------------------------------------------------
TOM'S CELLAR: There's No Business Like Snow Business
by Tom Burgiss, Owner
------------------------------------------------------------
Looking out the Bodega window I can see snow on the rafters
of our new warehouse. That means soon we can move into
our new space so we can add more exciting new winemaking
products to our catalog. It is our goal to bring to
you the largest selection of concentrates offered in the
USA on one web site. The companies we will represent will
be RJ Spagnols, Heron Bay, Cellar Craft, Wine Art, and
Mosti Mondiale.
grapestompers.com has had the privilege of serving you for
over eight years. During this time, we hope we have treated
you like a helpful next door neighbor, providing you with
all the necessary winemaking supply items... and all of it
just a click or two away on our web site.
We currently stock over 1,073 items on grapestompers.com for
your home winemaking needs. We often receive requests for
a printed catalog, and our answer is this: Since we add
new items every week, by the time we get a catalog printed
it would be out of date!
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
If you filter wine prior to bottling, you
might like this tip:
To help prevent leakage at the filter, try
mounting a wet filter instead of a dry one.
You'll get a better seal when you tighten
the filter in place.
You can soak the filter in a solution of
citric acid and potassium metabisulfite to
prepare the filter.
Hidden special:
30 free wine capsules with each purchase of
a grape juice concentrate kit.
Save up to $4.50 on a product that will
dress up and protect the tops of your bottles.
PLEASE let us know your preference for the
type/color of capsule you want by telling us
the item number. If you fail to do this, we
get to pick! Offer limited to quantities
in stock.
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------------------*
To make things easier for you to order online, a pickup
truck (not a shopping cart) will be coming your way soon.
Why call our shopping gizmo a pickup truck? Well, I've
had a pickup for years and don't think I could actually
survive without one... so it's only natural that I have
instructed my webmaster to develop that pickup for
grapestompers.com.
Now is the time for our Florida customers to start their
wine for the coming months while the weather is not too
hot. And remember now for your Valentine's gift, give the
gift that keeps on giving week after week - a starter kit
for your loved one!
By the way, the US Postal Service has set a postage fee of
only $7.70 for a package shipped anywhere in the USA, so
long as all the goodies fit in their box. This is great
news for all our far-flung friends. Just the other day we
sent a box to Alaska, and boy what a bargain! All of you
folks out on the west coast can enjoy these savings too.
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:
Tom,
In December, I received my shipment of German Riesling.
Needless to say December is a bad month to ship UPS, FedEx,
or any other carrier. The inside of the delivery truck was
sticky on the shelf and across the floor, all the way to my
door.
The friendly driver looked at me and said, "I guess some-
thing's leaking." I asked him to wait while I opened and
unpacked it, and he was more than happy to wait. We found
the bladder leaking must and about 1/3 was gone, so you can
imagine how sticky things were. He gave me the number to
call and he verified the damage.
That day I called the carrier and Grapestompers. Both were
very receptive and understanding. The carrier said they
didn't need to see it, since the driver had already made a
report, and they would deal with Grapestompers. You folks
(all of you) at Grapestompers are a pleasure to deal with!
It was Christmas time and all were very busy. I made
arrangements with Jimmy to hold the replacement shipment
until Monday the next week, which he did and that one
arrived without damage. Jimmy and I came to the conclusion
that the first shipment, having shipped on Thursday, must
have sat outside and froze over the weekend since its
destination was (at the time ) COLD Minnesota.
The moral in this story is - know how long it takes to get
to your destination and ask Jimmy to ship accordingly.
Our thanks to all of you at Grapestompers and have a
prosperous New Year!
-- George & Mary Kay Taylor
Clinton, MN
Tom:
Just got the order. Thanks for the fast/accurate service.
Looks like I'll be bottling this weekend.
-- David Librizzi
Bordentown, NJ
Hey there, Happy New Year!
I was just preparing a new order when the newsletter came
out. I tried the hot Christmas wine that was in the news-
letter last month. Believe it or not it's the same hot
wine I had when I was in Germany in December.
The family really enjoyed it and I was able to serve it in
the actual German Christmas mugs (which was the only thing
I brought back).
Do more. Thanks,
-- Jim Pirt
Asheboro, NC
Tom,
I made 5 gallons of wine from Concord grapes. After
fermentation stopped and I had all equipment ready for
bottling, the wine needed some sweetening. Not wanting
to use sugar and restart fermentation or use chemicals,
I called [name deleted] winemakers to ask about using
Splenda.
I was told after fermentation had stopped you could use
"bulk" Splenda, not what comes in the small packets. I
purchased what was supposed to be bulk Splenda, and used
two cups to sweeten 5 gallons of wine. It did a terrific
job of sweetening; however, all my bottles have a white
sediment on the bottom and [the wine] has started to
referment and are blowing corks.
BE CAREFUL.
-- Alexander Allan
Tom,
Your suggestion of the Viognier was good as always....
It is EXCELLENT.
-- Burt & Barb Vilagi
Amherst, OH
Send us your comments about your experience with
grapestompers... we may just make you famous next month!
------------------------------------------------------------
Football Delivery: What To Do If You Have a Damage Claim
by Brant Burgiss
------------------------------------------------------------
At one time or another, I suppose we've all received some
damaged goods from a delivery company. It's no fun because
the item you've been waiting on can't be used... and in the
case of dripping boxes of must or broken wine bottles, we
must tip our hats to the folks who drive the delivery vans,
for THEY are ones who failed to make the place kicker
position for their local NFL team and take out their
frustration on unsuspecting parcels from grapestompers.com.
What to do if you are the recipient of damaged goods:
1. If you are present when the driver delivers the
shipment, start the claim process for damage right there,
on the spot. You'll get a damage resolution at least 3-4
business days faster if you can do this. Go to Step 3.
2. If you discover the damage after the delivery person
has departed, CALL THE DELIVERY COMPANY FIRST (UPS, FedEx)
and start the claim process on their end. The reason?
The delivery companies ignore us if we try to file the
claim on our own. In some cases, the carrier will send
an adjuster to witness the damage. Protect yourself and
take photos of the damage to document the event.
DO NOT destroy the package or the product. Place the
damaged goods in a trash bag (if it's leaking) and hold
onto the merchandise, container and all packing materials
for 5 working days after notification to the carrier. Often
they will send a claims adjuster to inspect the damage.
How to report damage:
FedEx Claims - 1.800.GoFedEx (1-800-463-3339)
https://www.fedex.com/us/claimsonline
You will need to register for a fedex.com User ID and
password or login before filing your claim.
Or, download, print out and fax a claims form:
http://www.fedex.com/us/customer/claims/Claims.pdf?link=4
UPS Claims - 1-800-PICK-UPS (742-5877)
https://www.ups.com/forms/e-mail/damage?loc=en_US
3. Call our toll-free number (800) 233-1505 and report the
damages that occurred with your shipment. Be prepared to
tell us:
a. your invoice or order number
b. your tracking number
c. the carrier's claim number
d. which article(s) were damaged, and how so
4. Once we've verified the claims process has started,
we'll get a replacement out to you as soon as we can!
Thanks for helping us streamline the claims process.
------------------------------------------------------------
GUEST COLUMN - Other Uses for B-Brite
By Chris Proctor, Thomasville NC
------------------------------------------------------------
I am sure we all have some B-Brite that is not freshly
prepared, but we don't want to throw it away either. I
have found some kitchen uses for not-so-new B-Brite:
1) Do you have a glass-lined thermos with brown coffee
stains? Pour some in some B-Brite, let it sit awhile, and
it will return to its shiny silver again.
2) Is your glass coffee carafe stained with water deposits?
Follow instructions in #1 and it cleans without scratching
the glass.
3) Does your plastic serving pitcher smell like apple juice
or Kool-Aid? Again, soak it in B-Brite to remove BOTH the
stains and the odor.
4) Do you have unsightly warts or wrinkles? Sorry, B-Brite
is not a miracle product.
But 3 out of 4 ain't bad.
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Be careful! If you add potassium sorbate
to stabilize the wine while the malolactic
fermentation is still active, it may result
in a strong geranium odor that renders the
wine undrinkable.
This tip applies to makers of homemade wine
from scratch, not those who make wine from
grape concentrate kits.
Have a tip you'd like to submit?
Send it to tips@grapestompers.com
*-----------------HOT TIP------------------*
Tom adds his two cents' worth:
a) Use a B-Brite paste and a toothbrush to whiten tennis
shoes.
b) Use B-Brite to spot clean clothing prior to washing.
c) Use B-Brite to keep your kitchen or bathroom sink
sparkling and clean-smelling.
------------------------------------------------------------
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??
------------------------------------------------------------
CORKY'S WINEMAKING DEFINITION
------------------------------------------------------------
Acetobacter
- A group of bacteria that uses oxygen to convert wine to
vinegar (turning ethanol into acetic acid) through an
aerobic fermentation.
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 #6105 Winemaking Video, DVD format, $24.95
- Item #2792A Blueberry Flavoring for Beer, $4.18
- Item #2224D Adjustable Siphon Tube, $2.66
Height adjusts from 16.5" to 28"
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 February 2005:
Item # Description Reg. Price Special
3111 AB Blueberry Shiraz 64.13 52.91
3112 AB Raspberry/Pinot Nero 62.37 51.77
3126 AB Strawberry/Sangiovese 60.00 49.49
3119 VDV Red Bordailles (Bordeaux) 49.41 41.84
3122 VDV Valpolicella 53.13 43.83
3127 CC Bourgeron (Burgundy) 77.91 65.56
3134 CC Pinot Noir 83.41 68.79
3140 CC Bergamais (Beaujolais) 77.91 66.52
3145 CCH Italian Sangiovese/Merlot 95.26 78.59
3244 CC Bella Bianco 82.50 68.06
3253 AB Pear Chardonnay 56.87 46.92
3269 GC Pinot Blanc 49.39 40.75
3274 GC Soave 51.32 39.53
4400A Wine-Themed Doormat that says 15.00 11.98
'GO AWAY / (come back with wine)'
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, AB, & 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, En Primeur, and CSG 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:
AB = Advintige Bellissima wine kit
BH = Brew House beer kit
CC = Cellar Classic wine kit
CCH = Cellar Classic Harvest wine kit
EP = En Primeur 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
RQ = Cru Select Restricted Quantities
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 Potassium Metabisulfite
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 VHS 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. If you'd
rather upgrade to the DVD version of the video, just let
us know when you place your order, and we'll add $5.00 to
the overall package price.
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
- 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) 2005 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
------------------------------------------------------------