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FROM THE VINE
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FROM THE VINE
FEBRUARY 2009
NEWSLETTER
NEW TRUE BREW KITS
The following kits are available for special order only.
Belgian Ale – a spicy, strong golden ale, with real candy sugar. Like a perfect evening in
Brussels! 6% plus alcohol
Black Lager – Smooth, rich, mellow, dark in color, but light on the pallet with luscious
chocolate undertones – 5% alcohol
Double IPA – A true West Coast IPA, with strong floral hop flavor and aroma and great
body. 7.5% alcohol
Hafeweizen – A true Bavarian Classic. Need we say more? 4.5-% alcohol
Oaked Imperial Stout – The king of the Big Beers! Deep, dark and delicious, and the
highest alcohol of True Brew kits. 8% plus alcohol
WINE EDUCATION ON THE INTERNET
AND ELSEWHERE
I thought I would provide you with a few web sites and other places that provide education and
information to winemakers.
First of all: WineMaker Magazine – if you aren’t a subscriber – consider becoming one.. This magazine is
full of information for the home winemaker.
www.WinePress.US -
free – just have to get a password to enter the site. They offer a large selection of topics and a lot of experts in commercial and
home winemaking.
www.timswineblog.com - Tim Patterson is the Technical Manager for WineExpert in Canada. If you read Winemaker Magazine you will have seen many of Tim’s
articles. He is also a favorite speaker at wine conventions.
www.winemaking.jackkeller.net - Jack Keller has a wonderful web site with lots of information, tips and recipes.
www.societyofwineeducators.org - This site is not free, you have to join and pay a fee in order to gain access to the educational material. .
CELLAR CRAFT LIMITED RELEASE
Yakima Synergy II – a blend of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussane
This wine will be available in March and will be a special order only. My order must be placed no later than
February 11th.
Old Vines Mencia (pronounce: Men-THEE-ah) Modern Mencia is sometimes likened to Cabernet Franc or Rhone
Syrah.
This wine will be available in April and will be a special order only. My order must be placed no later than
March 11th.
If you would like to have additional information on either of these special wine kits, please contact me.
GOING FOR THE GOLD
Check out your wine racks and decide which of your wines you want to enter in the 2009 Winemaker Magazine
Wine Contest. If you have questions about the contest, contact me.
It is time for someone to win a gold medal. We have several silver and bronze, but so far no gold medal.
FROM THE VINE
NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2009
ON SALE
(Don’t you just love those words? I know I do – always looking for a bargain.)
Inventory has been completed and we have some overstock – our loss your gain.
Wine specific labels (such as Pinot Noir) – Regular Price $4.50 for 30 labels
On Sale for $2.25
Clef du Vin – evaluate your wine with this wonderful French invention. Age it to perfection – no more guessing - Regular price $99.99
On Sale for $75.00
Stem Glass Slippers – Drips won’t reach your table with these absorbent paper coasters - Regular price $4.00
On Sale for $3.00
Red Wine Appreciation Kit –Learn to evaluate the quality and character of the wines you have purchased or made. Through this
step-by-step process, you will begin to train your eye, nose and palate. Regular price $62.00
On Sale for $50.00
White Wine Appreciation Kit (same as above, but for white wine)
On Sale for $50.00
Crystal Glass Cleaner – leaves your crystal clean and clear Regular Price $8.50
On Sale for $6.50
RESTRICTED QUANTITY KITS FOR 2009
If you have pre-ordered the RQ 2009 wine kits, I will email you when they arrive. Atlanta expects them around January 21st.
WINEMAKER MAGAZINE CONTEST
GOING FOR THE GOLD
It’s that time again. Start looking over your wine racks and select a wine or two or three for the contest. We have wine shipping
boxes for $7.95. The application for the contest is in Winemaker Magazine, is also available on line and I do have some at the store.
In past
years, several of our local winemakers have won silver and bronze medals. We are overdue to win a GOLD.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the contest.
GAS GAS GAS
DEGAS DEGAS DEGAS
MIX/STIR MIX/STIR MIX/STIR
Don’t we all hate the stirring and degassing that is a necessary part to clearing our wine and eliminating the carbon dioxide. Fizzy,
fuzzy wine does not taste good. For a long time I have found some wines seem to have very little carbon dioxide and others seem to
have an endless supply. It seemed to me the cause could be a more rapid or fast fermentation, thus an increase in gas.
Like many of you I read various wine blogs and look for new ideas, product information or education. One of the recent blogs provided
me with the answer to increased levels of carbon dioxide in wine.
Basically what the winemaker said was: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is produced by yeast. (We all knew that, didn’t we???) If the container
(fomenter) is closed or sealed, the wine will retain more CO2 than if the CO2 is allowed to escape.
Pay attention to the next batches of wine you make and note if you seal the lid or allow the CO2 to escape. Determine if you have more
or less gas in the wine as a result of your process.
FROM THE VINE
NOVEMBER 2008
NEWSLETTER
READY OR NOT
There is still time to make wine for gift giving and holiday sharing. Ports, Sherry and Ice wine only take four weeks to make and
bottle. The wine will improve with age, will be drinkable during the holidays. We have a good variety of these wines in the store,
including White Chocolate Port.
THE GRAPE
I was given the following list of various grapes and their common sensory descriptors. Thought I’d share this with you. Sometimes it
helps to identify a bouquet or scent if you have an idea what that particular grape is known for. Learning to distinguish the wide
variety of scents in a particular wine is difficult to learn. At least it has been for me. This chart may help with your wine
education.
Grape Varieties
Red grape variety
Common sensory descriptors
Cabernet Franc
tobacco, green bell pepper, raspberry, new-mown grass
Cabernet Sauvignon
blackcurrants, eucalyptus, chocolate, tobacco
Gamay
pomegranate, strawberry, red fruits
Grenache
smoky, pepper, raspberry
Malbec
violet, fruit, beer
Merlot
black cherry, plums, tomato
Mourvèdre
thyme, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, violet, blackberry
Nebbiolo
leather, tar, stewed prunes, chocolate, liquorice, roses
Norton
red fruit, elderberries
Petite Sirah (Durif)
earthy, black pepper, dark fruits
Petit Verdot
violets (later), pencil shavings
Pinot Noir
raspberry, cherry, violets, "farmyard" (with age), truffles
Pinotage
bramble fruits
Sangiovese
herbs, black cherry, leathery, earthy
Syrah (Shiraz)
tobacco, black/white pepper, blackberry, smoke
Tempranillo
vanilla, strawberry, tobacco
Teroldego
spices, chocolate, red fruits
Zinfandel
black cherry, pepper, mixed spices, mint
White grape variety
Common sensory descriptors
Albariño
lemon, minerals
Breidecker
apple, pear
Chardonnay
butter, melon, apple, pineapple, vanilla (if oaked, eg vinified or aged in new oak aging barrels)
Chenin Blanc
wet wool, beeswax, honey, apple, almond
Gewürztraminer
rose petals, lychee, spice
Grüner Veltliner
green apple, citrus
Marsanne
almond, honeysuckle, marzipan
Melon de Bourgogne
lime, salt, green apple
Muscat
honey, grapes, lime
Palomino
honeydew, citrus, raw nuts
Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio)
white peach, pear, apricot
Prosecco
apple, honey, musk, citrus
Riesling
citrus fruits, peach, honey
Sauvignon Blanc
gooseberry, lime, asparagus, cut grass, bell pepper (capsicum), grapefruit, passionfruit
Sémillon
honey, orange, lime
Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc)
lime, herbs
Verdicchio
apple, minerals, citrus
Vermentino
pear, cream, green fruits
Viognier
peach, pear, nutmeg, apricot
FROM THE VINE
NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2008
VACATION
On October 2nd we will be leaving for our vacation. This year we decided to vacation on the beach in the
panhandle of Florida. Since most Floridians are headed to the mountains, a little quiet time on the Gulf sounded good to us. All we
have to do is hope a hurricane doesn’t hit the panhandle while we are vacationing.
Our good friend and fellow winemaker, Nick George, has offered to keep the store open while we are away. Nick plans
to maintain our regular days and hours, with the exception of Wed., October 8th when he has a previous commitment.
We will return on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 10 AM.
NEW ARTWORK
The next time you stop at the store, be sure to take a moment to admire the painting near my desk. Donna Cates is a winemaker and a
very talented artist. She painted a beautiful still life of wine, grapes, etc. Her wine glass in the picture is just amazing. I enjoy
looking at this painting every day. Thank you again Donna
RESTRICTED QUANITY WINE KITS FOR 2009
It is that time of year again. RJ Spagnols have just announced their selections for 2009. The choice of wine kits is outstanding,
something for everyone’s taste buds.
As usual RJS has a free gift for anyone ordering all 5 of their selected wine kits
The gift is a book: Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America’s Complete Guide to Wines of the World. I have this book in
the store and it is wonderful. I use it as a reference all the time.
I must have all orders prior to the end of November. The distributor must receive my order no later than December 1, 2008.
Now Hear This!
The RJ Spagnols
Cru Select Restricted Quantity (RQ)
Program for 2009
This Year’s Promotion:
All customers who sign up for the complete program of 1 of each of the
5 kits will receive a really good book:
Exploring Wine:
The Culinary Institute of America’s Complete Guide
to the Wines of the World
This book is a fantastic reference that will allow you to further explore the unique
characteristics of each of this year’s featured regions as well as a detailed account of
wine growing regions around the world. It has received high praise from industry experts around the world and
highlights the intricacies of grape varietals, wines, regional geographical characteristics, winemaking techniques, wine serving
conditions.
January 2009
Steep Slope German Muller Thurgau
Rhine River, Germany
Continental Lowlands Spanish Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon
Catalonia Region, Spain
February 2009
High Altitude Argentinean Trio – Viognier, Riesling, Chardonnay
Meddoza, Argentina
March 2009
Okanagan Valley Red Meritage – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Okanagan Valley, Canada
April 2009
Alpine Foothills Italian Barbaresco
Piedmont, Italy
More details and description of these wines will be available at the store by mid October.
CURRENTLY IN STOCK
Port Wine Kits (not the flavored kits – regular Port)
Sherry Wine Kits – 1
Nero De Avola –1 (2008 Restricted Quantity Kit)
Spanish Rose – 1 (limited production – no longer available)
Chocolate Raspberry Port – 1
Coming in Mid-October – White Chocolate Port – This was a pre-order special kit. I was able to order a few extra. Email or call if
you would like to have one.
HOLIDAYS PARTIES AND GIFT GIVING
The Holidays will be here quickly. Inventory your wine racks and see what you will need for gifts or for holiday parties. Give
yourself sufficient time to have your wine bottled. We currently have more than 80 different wine kit selections.
STARTING OUR EIGHT YEAR
It doesn’t seem possible we will start our 8th year in business on October 3, 2008. We thank you for
your confidence in choosing us as your winemaking supply retailer. It has always been our attitude the customer can purchase equipment
and supplies from many sources, but we continue to offer education and assistance with the wine and beer making process after the sale
is complete.
Thank you again for your business and the confidence you have shown in us by referring your friends.
Susan & Ed Kelley
Keepers of the Vines
FROM THE VINE
September 2008
NEWSLETTER
NEW STUFF
By popular demand, the following wine kits have been added to the Cru Select Platinum group:
Cat. #4453 New Zealand Un-oaked Chardonnay
Cat. #4481 Australian Bush Vine Grenache
Cat. #4482 Chilean Malbec
These selections were from the 2007 RQ kits and I’m delighted to see them available again.
THE BIG & EASY BOTTLE BREW
This is a revolutionary, easy way to make your own premium beer at home. The Big & Easy Bottle Brew is pasteurized,
unfermented beer filled in 2 liter bottles and equipped with a unique pressure cap. The only task is to add the innovative yeast
capsule to the bottle to start fermentation. Wait 10 days. Chill. Then serve.
Each 2 liter bottle is about the same volume as 6 regular beer bottles. It is professionally brewed and bottled in
a microbrewer using only the best selected barley malt, imported hops and purified. It is not made from malt concentrate.
The final alcohol content of your beer will be approximately 5 % alc./vol.
The Big & Easy is available in the following styles for $8.95 each.
Premium Pilsner
Mexican Cerveza
Red Lager
GIFT ITEMS
Ready or not the holidays will be here shortly. I have added some items that will make great inexpensive gift
ideas.
New Cocktail Napkins
Black with gold medallion Wine Carry Bags – 2 bottle bags
Pour Disks (these end the dripping from a bottle when you pour)
Black and White Glass Cheese Board with cheese spreader – Art Deco Style
Stem Glass Slippers – keeps wine from your table linens
MOST POPULAR WINEMAKING QUESTIONS
Question:
I do not see any bubbles in the airlock. Does this mean my wine is not fermenting?
Answer:
The only way to determine if your wine is fermenting will be to take the specific gravity. Some wines have a steady
slow fermentation and the airlocks don’t show the fermentation activity .
Question:
Should the fermenting bucket lid be put on tight (sealed) or should it be loose?
Answer:
Many of the wine instruction sheets tell you to place the lid on loosely. Fermentation is one time when oxygen is
your friend in winemaking. Allowing Oxygen into the fermenting bucket helps the yeast work. During the rest of the winemaking process,
oxygen can cause you problems.
Everyone has different areas where they make their wine. In my case, it is a section of the basement. A portion of
our basement is a workshop. As a result, the lids on my fermenting buckets are normally sealed tight in order to prevent contamination
of the wine with sawdust particles. This means sometimes my wine may take a little longer to ferment, but that is the best procedure
for my house.
NOTICE
From The Vine will be closed on Friday, September 5, 2008 due to personal business appointments. Regular store
hours will resume on Saturday, September 6th at 10 AM.
FROM THE VINE
JULY 2008 NEWSLETTER
MEDAL WINNERS
We are proud to announce two additional medal winners.
Joe & Liz Ruf are Bronze Medallists in the Winemaker Magazine Contest for their Showcase Cellar Craft Amarone.
Don Ruth is the proud recipient of First Place at the 2008 Annual Bee Institute Honey Show held in Young Harris,
Ga. Don received his award for his Dry Mead.
Congratulations to everyone.
WHAT’S NEW
Limited quantities of the following new products are in stock.
Witbier
Kolsch
Spanish Rose
Seville Orange Sangria
White Cranberry Pinot Gris (I have been told it is "Delish" as Rachael Ray would say)
ARE YOU CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC?
Check out Winemaker Magazine Label Contest. Deadline for submission of your label is September 5, 2008. If you do
not receive the magazine you may check the rules and information about the contest on their web site.
THE ECONOMY
Or the saga of the carboy
A visit to the gas station or the grocery store can be painful to our wallets. The same pain applies to products
used to make beer and wine. Winemaking supplies are all imported products and during the past few years every product has had
substantial increases. Some of the increases have been the result of the falling US dollar, (wine and beer kits are made in Canada),
shipping charges and of course from the increased cost of fuel.
Several years ago the carboys we purchased were from Italy. The Italian carboys became very expensive and so the
distributors found a manufacturer in Mexico. Last week we received letters from our distributors advising that the only North American
glass carboy manufacturer (in Mexico) has ceased producing carboys. The usage of glass carboys is unique to the hobby beverage
industry. From the glass manufacturer’s standpoint, these are low-margin, low-volume specialty products. We will now be obtaining
carboys from Italy once again. Of course, the cost of shipping, the Euro vs. the US Dollar means the product will cost more.
STORE CAT
On May 15th I rescued a very pregnant young cat. It was raining and a very miserable day. I didn’t have the heart
to leave her outside, so I put her in the store bathroom with a box and a towel. The next morning she was a mother of two beautiful
black and white kittens. The store and I survived the kittens and they have a good home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Now I am looking
for a permanent home for the mother cat (that I refer to as Miss Alice).
Miss Alice is a very laid back cat, loves to have her belly rubbed and is affectionate. If anyone is interested in
providing a loving home for her, please give me a call.
If you are in the neighborhood, stop and meet Miss Alice.
FROM THE VINE
JUNE 2008
NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S NEW
Brewers Best Beer Kits
Kolsch Beer is currently in stock and has been added permanently to the Brewers Best line of beer.
A limited supply of Witbier is also in stock. This beer from Brewers Best is a limited release and available for a short period of
time.
Wine Expert
Currently in Stock is the newest summer wine White Cranberry Pinot Gris. We sold out the first order within days. The second order is
due this week.
Chocolate Raspberry Port, Okanagan Peach Ice Wine are the Seasonal Release Special Order Wine Kits. These are Pre-Order only, just
like the Restricted Quantity Kits in December. The Port will be available early September and the Icewine early November. Pre-Orders
must be received by Mid July 2008.
Spanish Rose will be available for general sale in Mid-June. We are taking orders for this wine kit at the current time. It will be an
ideal summer wine that will also pair very nicely with Thanksgiving dinner. (Anyone remember Mateus Rose??????) Apparently Rose is now
the new "in" wine.
We currently have ONE Chocolate Raspberry Port and ONE Orange Chocolate available in the store for sale.
WINEMAKER MAGAZINE CONTEST 2008
Congratulations to our own NICK GEORGE for his Silver Medal Winner, Amarone. The judging was really tough this year and they had over
4000 wines to evaluate. Three customers sent a total of 8 wines and unfortunately only one medal this year.
We believe the secret to having a chance at winning a medal is the age of the wine. Many of us drink our wines too early and don’t
wait for them to fully mature. We can enjoy a young wine, but will appreciate the wine more when some bottles are put aside for
drinking in one or two years. The wine will be vastly improved after proper ageing.
BEER SHELF LIFE
Attention all Brewers. I recently read an article on a Beer information site questioning brewers about beer shelf life. It hadn’t
occurred to me beer may not last as long as wine does. Most of the brewers say the beer is best when consumed by 9 months to a year.
Let me know what you think about this.
FUNNY EMAIL
I received the following email from a friend and since it made me laugh, I thought I’d share it with you.
For all you wine lovers out there, this is too funny!
Walmart announced that, sometime in 2008, it will begin offering customers a new discount item. Walmart's own brand of wine. The
world's largest retail chain is teaming up with Ernest & Julio Gallo Winery of California to produce the spirits at an affordable
price, in the $2 - $5 range.
Wine connoisseurs may not be inclined to put a bottle of Walmart brand into their shopping carts, but 'there is a market for
inexpensive wine,' said Kathy Micken, professor of marketing at the University of Arkansas .
'But the right name is important.'
Customer surveys were conducted to determine the most attractive name for the Walmart wine brand. The top surveyed names are:
10. Chateau Traileur Parc
9. White Trashfindel
8. Big Red Gulp
7. World Championship Riesling
6. NASCARbernet
5. Chef Boyardeaux
4. Peanut Noir
3. I Can't Believe it's not Vinegar
2. Grape Expectations
1. Nasti Spumante
The beauty of Walmart wine is that it can be served with either white meat (Possum) or red meat (Squirrel).
P.S. Don't bother writing back that this is a hoax. I know possum is not a white meat.
We every effort to check spelling, grammar and typing for errors. We apologize for any that we miss.
FROM THE VINE
January 2008
Newsletter
ON SALE
A select number of wine and beer kits are on sale for a 15% Discount while they last. We want to clear the
shelves in order to bring some new products into the store.
A 20% discount will be offered for wine related items such as Pasta, Sauce, cheese boards and many more items.
RESTRICTED QUANITY KITS
I expect these kits to arrive sometime after the 16th January. Customers will be contacted when they arrive.
DID YOU KNOW?
Wine faults can be as simple as oxidation - lack of fruit flavor and sometimes a browning of color, resulting from over-exposure to
oxygen.
Wine should smell and taste fresh and clean. If it smells musty or stale, then it is faulty.
If your wine smells vinegary - it is contaminated with acetobacter bacteria.
A wine that smells musty can be caused by oxidation or a bacterial infection. Wines that smell "mousy" may be affected by a
type of yeast called Brettanomyces.
WHAT COLOR IS IT?
The color of wine can give you an indication of the maturity of the wine. With age, red wines tend to lose color and end up
sort of a brick red; white wines gain color becoming golden and eventually browny-yellow. If you tilt your glass over a white
background and look at the edge, or rim, of the curve of wine, you can get an idea of how mature it is. On a mature red wine the rim
will be fading. On a very young red the color will be dark and intense right to the very edge.
That's all for now - look forward to seeing you in 2008. Thank you again for your business and your friendship.
FROM THE VINE
MARCH 2008
NEWSLETTER
LAST CHANCE
All entries for the Winemaker Magazine International Wine Tasting Contest must be received in Vermont no later than
the 17th of March. Last year 10 entries were submitted and the result was an impressive Four (4) Silver Medals and Three
(3) Bronze Medals.
Let’s go for the gold this year. Shipping boxes are available at the store and this year only
One (1) bottle of wine has to be submitted. If you are having a hard time parting with a special wine, submitting
one bottle is less painful that two bottles.
GOING TO THE DOGS
About 10 years ago, mealybugs appeared in California vineyards and are continuing to move into
other grape-growing areas. Various preventive measures are being tried, including baited traps with female
pheromone to catch the males, which can determine if the infestation is present.
The mealybugs are small and hide under the roots and bark where they’re virtually impossible to
see with the human eye. They feed and produce a sugary excretion known as honeydew that encourages the growth of
sooty mold and turn vine and grape cluster into a sticky mess.
Growers have donated thousands of dollars for a "dog squad" training program. A third of a
dogs’ brain is their olfactory system. Apparently there is no machine that can detect odor anywhere near their
capabilities. Using Golden Retrievers to sniff out and identify a piece of infected vineyard stock, the growers
are able to concentrate treatment to specific infected vines, rather than using more chemicals all over the
vineyard.
Man’s best friend helping in the vineyard.
FINING AND CLARIFYING AGENTS
Paula asks: Is one clarifier better than another?
Sue says: What a great question. I recently read an article from the Amateur Winemakers of
Ontario Winemaking Guide. The presentation compiled by Terry Rayner addresses questions concerning various fining
and clarifying agents. The following is information from the article.
There are a variety of clarifying agents we use in winemaking, such as Bentonite, Isinglass,
Egg Albumen, Gelatin, Sparkalloid, and Kieselsols.
The manner in which these various agents work is based on the principle that all of the
particles responsible for the clouding or haze in a wine or beer have an electrical charge. Gelatin has a positive
charge so it can attract negatively charges materials. Gelatin binds to the negatively charged materials, the
combined weight increases and settling occurs. I’m sure you have noticed various wine kits have different fining
and clarifying agents. It is usually necessary to have fining agents of different charges added sequentially to
the wine in order to remove the
materials of various charges contained in the wine.
Positively Charged agents are Gelatin, Egg Albumen, Isinglass and Sparakalloid.
Negatively Charged agents are Bentonite and Kieselsol .
After reading Mr. Raynor’s article, I understood why one clearing product is added, then after
one (1) hour the second product is added. The directions are very specific not to change the order of product use
and to be sure to wait one hour prior to adding the second.
Next month I will provide more information on specific agents and how they work.
HOLIDAY AND OTHER CLOSINGS
The store will be closed on the following days:
Friday, March 14th to take care of personal business
Easter Weekend – March 21st through March 24th
We will be open for business at 10 AM on Tuesday, March 25th
FROM THE VINE
APRIL/MAY 2008
NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S NEW
Brewer’s Best has added Kolsch as their newest brew kit. This kit will be available immediately and will be a permanent addition to
the Brewer’s Best lineup.
K ÖLSCH
LDC1015 $36.00
Kolsch is a crisp, clean, easy drinking ale. It has a straw-yellow hue similar to a pilsner, but is less
hoppy, a bit sweeter and uses pale malts and a small amount of wheat. Using White Labs WLP029 will help achieve the lager-like
characteristics this ale is famously known for having.
Witbier (LDC1051) ($41.00) is currently in the store. This is a seasonal beer and will be available only for a short period of
time.
WineExpert has added Island Mist White Cranberry Pinot Gris to their summer wine collection. This will be available by
Special Order only.
CALLING ALL BREWERS OR BREWER WANTABEEEEEES
One of my beer making customers has extensive brewing experience and is also a Certified Beer
Judge. Ben has offered to teach beginning and advanced brewing. Tentatively, if there is enough interest, we will
plan to have classes at the store on a Saturday afternoon. There will be a nominal fee of $5.00 per person per
class. Please email or call me to reserve a space for yourself.
WINE CONTESTS
Recently we shipped 8 bottles of wine to the Winemaker Contest. Surprise, surprise – Fed-X returned all the boxes
to the shipper as "Illegal Alcohol Shipment". The boxes must have been X-Rayed because wine was not listed as the product being
shipped. We managed to reship via UPS, however, the problem shipping for a contest has not been resolved. It is illegal to send wine
via USPS, however, it hasn’t been a problem with Fed-X ground in the past. I’ll keep you posted as I obtain new information.
THE STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER
Wine and beer making is a continuous educational work in progress. There is always something new to learn and a recent learning
experience follows:
OCCASIONALLY, MORE IS NOT BETTER
By Bruce Collier
Through the years, I have purchased many wine kits from Sue, the owner of From
The Vine, and not only have I enjoyed some delightful, humorous times with her, I have made some damn good wine—except for the
last.
From what I have read, and what Sue taught me—and those of us who have made wine
have experienced—vigorous stirring when the instructions called for it is necessary for a crystal clear, finished product. I have
always used a plastic paddle and mixed the supplied ingredients, in my primary bucket, and in the order suggested, but my brilliance
kicked in and I decided to use an electric drill with a mixing attachment. Sue suggested the one she sells, but noooo, I thought, that
wimpy thing isn’t large enough for a macho wine maker like me (I’m only 5'-5"), so I went to Lowe’s and purchased a mammoth,
chrome-plated-drywall-putty-mixer. I added the ingredients and, as always, stirred as the instructions suggest. Man, did it make foam!
"Wow!" I thought, "This sure beats the hell out of all that backbreaking, exhausting stirring."
When I added the #1 package of clearing agent, I stirred as instructed, waited, as
instructed, then add the #2 package and began to stir, again, as instructed. While stirring, I noticed the foam began to change
appearance; it became thicker and resembled whipped cream. I stopped stirring and siphoned some into a one gallon jug—I do this
because I use a five gallon carboy for the last racking and what’s left, I add to an appropriate size jug that an airlock will fit. (I
prefer not to add water or similar wine to top off the carboy.) I topped off the five-gallon carboy—two inches from the airlock—with
the wine in the gallon jug, and then filled the small jug with the remaining wine—again two inches from the top. I noticed chunks of
white stuff—sort of like my gravy looks—floating around in my carboy and extra bottle; I had never seen anything like this before.
When I tried to wash the empty gallon bottle, I noticed it had a coating on it that was difficult to remove. Only after soaking it in
B-Brite and vigorously, brushing with a bottlebrush, was I almost successful in cleaning it.
I checked the carboy and extra container—they were the same. Little lumps of white
things were floating around and the sides were rough and hazy.
I called the 800 number on the instructions, as I had many times before, and asked: "Is it
possible to stir wine too much?"
"Yes," she answered. "Does it appear to have little cheese curds in it?"
"Yes! That’s exactly what they look like."
"Then, you have stirred it too vigorously, or too much. But don’t worry, it will
still clear. You may want to rack it in about a week, just to help." She paused for a moment, and then added, "You can stir as much as
you like before you add the clearing agents, but not after. Be sure to add the number one package, stir, then add the number two
package—which I knew—but gently stir after the second package."
"But," I began, "I have a primary bucket with these cheese curds, as you call them,
on the bottom and sides, and a gallon jug with a thick, rough haze that is difficult to remove; I’m sure the carboy will be the same."
"I am familiar with the condition, and the best way to clean this off is with
Clorox."
Clorox cleaned my primary bucket. I only hope it does the same for my carboy and
extra jug. I also hope I haven’t damaged the flavor of my wine. I’ll find out in a few weeks.
I have learned: A larger mixer is not always better. Mixing too much can do more
harm than good.
Thanks Bruce, for sharing your experience.
FROM THE VINE
2008 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
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|
Happy Valentines Day –
hope you remember to have a glass of red
wine and some wonderful chocolate with a
special person in your life. Chocolate
(especially dark chocolate) brings out
wonderful flavors in your red wine.
IT’S TIME
The deadline for entering
the Winemaker Magazine International Wine
Contest is March 17th. Think
about the wines you have made and decide
which one or ones you want to enter in the
contest. I will be happy to answer any
questions you may have or to assist with the
application and shipping. Last year 10
entries were awarded 4 Silver and 3 Bronze
medals. Let’s go for the GOLD. The Wine
Shipping Boxes are in stock.
ANOTHER CONTEST
From The Vine is a member
of the Home Wine and Beer Trade
Association. This Association also holds
an International Amateur Wine Competition.
The deadline for entries is April 19, 2008
and the judging will be held on April 26,
2008. An HWBTA retail member must sponsor
all entrants.
Only one bottle is
required for each entry and the fee is
$12.00. Application forms are available at
From The Vine.
DID YOU KNOW
Our store carries wine
concentrate kits from:
Cellar Craft
RJ Spagnols
Heron Bay
WineExpert
Most retail stores carry
one or two brands. We want to offer the best
quality and variety available. We recently
discovered a company in Upstate New York
that has been in business since the 1960’s
and manufactures wine and beer kits. Made in
the USA – what an unusual occurrence. Our
plan is to order a few kits and test them
for quality. If the kits meet the standards
of the Canadian wine kits, we will add the
line to our inventory.
A TIP
Did you know oak cubes
from your wine kits can be reused on your
charcoal grill? Toss them on hot coals and
let them smoke while grilling. The cubes can
be stored in the freezer and used when it is
time to grill.
COMING SOON
Brewers Best announces
WITBIER. This beer is a classic Belgian
white wheat ale. And is brewed with both
wheat, barley, and lightly hopped. Its
unique style comes from the introduction of
spices such as bitter orange peel and
coriander in the brew. It is fermented with
a specialty yeast strain that results in a
fruity spicy refreshing beer with a dry
finish.
Brewers Best Witbier is
slightly cloudy with orange hues and makes
the perfect summer time cooler that is great
with food. The will be a special order and
available by the end of March.
HOW DO YOU SAY
_____________?
Given the popularity of the grape, you
probably already know your way around a wine
list as far as most varietals go, and we're
not going to suggest that you pronounce
Champagne as "shahm-pahn-yeh" because people
will think you're affected. And they'd be
right. Still, there are a few that are
sometimes mispronounced. Here's a list for
the record.
Beaujolais: bow-zhuh-lay
Cabernet Sauvignon: cah-burr-nay
sow-vee-nyohn
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: shah-toe-nuff due
pahp
Gewürztraminer: guh-vurtz-trah-mean-er
Malbec: mall-beck
Muscadet: moo-skuh-day
Muscat: muss-cat
Pinot Grigio: pee-noh gree-gee-oh
Pouilly-Fumé: pooh-yee few-may
Rioja: ree-oh-ha
Sangiovese: san-joe-vay-zee
Sauternes: so-tern
Sauvignon blanc: so-vee-nyohnblahn
(swallow the "c")
Sé millon: say-me-yohn
Shiraz: Australians call it shih-razz,
Americans say shih-rahz. Now who's putting
on airs?
With a little practice, no waiter will
shame you and no menu will daunt you.
Although, when it comes to ordering Thai
food, you're on your own.
|
Greetings from the
North Georgia
Mountains
OCTOBER 2007
WE’RE BACK
We are back from our
September vacation and had a wonderful time. During our visit to
Western New York and Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada, we
managed to stop and visit a winery. Gosh, I know that is a surprise
to all that know Ed and I. Actually we had a choice of about 50
plus in the area of Niagara on the Lake. We chose to visit
Inniskillin Winery, which is known for some wonderful wines,
particularly Ice Wines.
We tasted a Cabernet Franc Ice Wine
and I can’t begin to describe how extraordinary this wine tasted.
We were giving serious consideration to adding this wine to our
purchases, when I discovered it sells for $110 (500 ml bottle) –
that is the small split bottles. WineExpert produces a Cabernet
Franc Ice Wine kit and you can bet we are going to try it. If
the kit is only half as good as Inniskillin, it will make wonderful
holiday gift for less than $3.00 a bottle.
STARTING
YEAR SEVEN
On October 3, 2007 we will start our
7th year in business.
It has been an amazing experience to own a
winemaking supply store. We have learned so much about wine and
winemaking and it is such a joy to share the knowledge with our
friends – otherwise known as customers. I don’t know of any
business where customers automatically become a part of your
extended family. Maybe it is the location in North Georgia
Mountains and Western North Carolinas where people treat each other
with old- fashioned courtesy and friendship or maybe it is just the
type of business. We thank everyone for choosing us, our store for
supplies, information and education. A day never passes we aren’t
thankful to have such wonderful, loyal customers. Many thanks for
you business and friendship.
WHAT IS NEW
We have just added some new Cellar Craft
Wine Kits to our selection.
Italian Nebbiolo, Meritage Rouge, Zweigelt,
Gruner Veltliner, and two 12L Syrah with skins and 12L Barbara with
skins.
We are also offering Clear 375ML Belissima
Bottles for $3.00 each. They are wonderful, elegant Ice Wine
bottles and can be used for Port or for Herbal Vinegars.
2006 VOL. 1 |
|
Greetings from the Mountains of North
Georgia
WHAT’S NEW
The 2006 Summer Wines are now
available. The wines are:
Island Mist Cat. #HAR010
Kiwi/Pear Sauvignon Blanc
Orchard Breezing Cat. #4869
Kiwi/Melon Pinot Grigio
The 2005 Summer Wine sold out in the
USA and in Canada. It was so popular the company has
made it available again this year.
Orchard Breezing Cat. #4867
Citrus Ice Sauvignon Blanc
Three of the 2005 RQ kits are now
available for ordering in the Cru Select Platinum wine
kits.
Cat. # 4460 Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc
4466 Brunello
4473 French Merlot
Cellar Classic Winery Series
With Grape Skins
Winery Series wine kits have a pack
of crushed grape skins, stems and seeds. The packs allow
the winemaker to extract deep color, chewy tannins,
tantalizing flavors and complex aromas and produce
richly structured wine. The following wine kits are
available by special order. (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Shiraz, Valpolicella)
Hungarian Oak Staves (Sticks)
We are now have Oak Sticks in stock.
The sticks can be put directly in the carboy for added
oak flavor, and are easier to use than the oak chips.
Please note that these items are not
listed on the web site. Contact us directly to order.
Wine Related Items
We now stock, Wine Savors, Cork Pops
(the fastest easiest way to open a bottle of wine), and
their refills, Red Wine Stain Remover and novelty wine
napkins. Hand made clay wine coolers (by Tempe and
Michael – local artists), Earrings and Wine-Wear jewelry
to decorate and identify your wine or beer glass are
also available in the store. We are not listing these
items on the web site. If you are familiar with the
products and are interested in purchasing them, contact
us directly by telephone or email.
CUSTOMER TIPS AND INFORMATION
Bulk Aging
Most of the home winemakers,
including Ed and I, aren’t disciplined enough to wait 4
to 6 months before bottling their wine. Here’s a way to
solve the problem. Bulk age 3 gallons, instead of 6
gallons – bottle the rest. You will have 15 bottles to
enjoy early and then you will appreciate the aged wine
even more. Thanks for the tip, Mark. (Why didn’t I think
of that???)
When all else fails ----- Follow the
directions
Yes, that is what I am always telling
everyone. Some wine kits do not specifically tell you to
rack your wine at the clearing/stabilizing stage. The
directions tell you to add to the carboy the additives,
fining agents and stir to remove any carbon dioxide. The
directions do not give any reason for not racking the
wine prior to putting additives and clarifiers. Most
wine makers feel if you do not rack the wine it will
take longer to clear.
Much to my surprise, while making a
Wine Expert style kit, the instructions were very
specific NOT to rack. They stated that you must
stir up the "lees or sediment" from the bottom of the
carboy when you put in the additional additives. If you
do not, the instructions say, your wine may not clear.
What a surprise. As I tell all my
winemaker friends – When all else fails, follow the
directions. We did and within an hour this white wine
was actually starting to clear. Within 24 hours I was
amazed at how great it looked.
So the next wine batch you make, take
note of the instructions at clearing and stabilizing and
see if they tell you to rack into the primary fermentor
(which they frequently will do) or the instructions may
indicate you are supposed to rack the wine into a clean
carboy leaving the sediment behind, or put the additives
in the carboy without racking. The final clearing is
very important and you must read the instructions or
your wine may not clear.
Wine Trivia from Epic Products
How many grapes does it take to make an average
bottle of Wine?
Answer – 2.5 lbs
About how many gallons of wine are produced from one
acre of grapevines?
Answer – 800 gallons
According to historians, when did winemaking begin?
Answer – 6000 BC
Did You Know?????
Chat Dormant – means Sleeping Cat
This is a Grand Cru Wine Kit and is an excellent
young red.
Sulfites
If you are planning to age your wine
more than 6 months you should add additional sulfite.
The sulfite level in wine kits is very low and you
should have additional protection.
How do you pronounce ??
Muller-Thurgau
Moo-Lehr TURR-gow
Viognier
Vee-ohn-nay
Sangiovese
San-joe-VAY-zee
Amarone
Ah-maw-row-nay
FAQ’S
(Frequently asked questions)
The question I am asked the most is:
Winemaker: I don’t think my wine is fermenting,
because I don’t see any bubbles in my airlock. (Which is
often described as the thingy with the water in
it)
Sue Says: What was the specific gravity when you
started the wine and what is it now?
Winemaker: I don’t know – haven’t checked it since I
started the wine.
Sue Says: Take the specific gravity and call me back.
Solution: Always take your specific
gravity. Watching the airlock bubble, will not tell you
if or how your wine is fermenting. A slow steady
fermentation is much better for the wine. Wine kits
rarely have a stuck fermentation unless you are making a
wine kit that is out of date and the yeast is old.
Winemaker: How do I know that my hydrometer is
accurate?
Sue Says: Fill your test jar with water and the
hydrometer should float at 1.000.
Shelf Life of Wine Kits
My customers know that I rotate my
stock and do not keep outdated products for sale. Each
manufacturer has their own manner of dating the kits.
Some put an actual expiration date on the top of the
box, and some use the manufacture date of the kit (also
called the run date).
A general rule is the 15-liter; 16
liter and 18-liter kits have a one-year shelf life.
The smaller kits such as Vino del
Vida have 24 months from the run date on the box. Grand
Cru has 16 months from the run date. It is a good idea
to check the dates when you purchase a wine kit.
If you have a kit at home and haven’t
taken time to start it, check the date, then look at the
yeast packet to see if it has expired. We have made many
wines from expired kits and they have made wonderful
wines. Most of the time we replace the yeast. Feel free
to contact us if you have a question on the shelf life
of a wine kit.
OUR RETAIL STORE
Stop and visit us if you are in the
area. We are located in Crossroads Plaza, Hwy 17 and 76
in Hiawassee, GA. We love having an opportunity to talk
to other wine and beer-makers. We are always adding new
products and new wine kits to the store.
Beginning Wine Class
If you are interested in learning how
to make wine or beer, contact us about group or private
classes.
Telephone – 706-896-1411
Retail Store Hours
Tuesday thru Friday
10 AM – 5 PM
Saturday 10 AM to 1 PM
Email:
fromthevine2001@yahoo.com
Web Site:
fromthevine.com
|
| We make every
effort to check spelling, grammar and typing for errors.
We apologize for any that we miss. |
FROM THE VINE
NEWSLETTER
2005 VOL. 1
Greetings from the Mountains of North
Georgia
The year 2004 was a year of change and growth for us. The Web Site
is up and running, there is a catalog on the Web Site, and we are
now able to serve our customers better by accepting all major credit
cards.
Didn’t think that we could top those accomplishments so early in
2005, but we have.
WE MOVED!
Our new location is Crossroads Plaza at the corner of Hwy 76 and Hwy
69 in Hiawassee, GA. Look for the Blue Roof to the left of
Crossroads Restaurant.
Now we have 900 sf. of retail space with an area for storage so we
can keep more items in stock. Not only is the space large, but it is
easily accessible to customers. It is also easier to receive
shipments which means, better customer service. We know that our
favorite transport company is delighted with the new location.
Our new hours for the store are:
Tuesday thru Friday
10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday
10 AM to 1 PM
Phone 706-896-1411
Email fromthevine2001@yahoo.com
Web Site www.fromthevine.com
Without our wonderful friends that installed light fixtures and
fans; builtbookcases; painted the new space; moved all the stock out
of one location and into the new location; donated tables, a
microwave, and a refridgerator; printed labels and moving notices
for our customers; and helped with color selection and display for
the store.
Thank you – Alice, Ron, Pam, Greg, Tempe, Johnny, Barry, Pauline,
Dick, Kathy, Bob, Lorena, Charles and Jacky.
Ed & Susan Kelley
Keepers of the Vines
WINE CONCENTRATE KITS
We are hearing rave reviews about the Bellissima Fruit Wine Kits
from Advintage. We sampled the Peach Sauvignon and the Blueberry
Shiraz – WOW we were impressed with both. Several customers are
currently making the Black Cherry Merlot, Black Currant Cabernet
Sauvignon and the Raspberry Pinot Nero. They will keep us posted on
the quality of these wine kits.
WHAT’S NEW IN WINE KITS?
R J Spagnols added a new line of Vino del Vida World Tour Wines
featuring regional varietal characteristics. These concentrate kits
are 9 liters, rather than the usual Vino del Vida 7 liter kits.
#4960WT Italian Pinot Grigio
#4966WT Washington Riesling
#4970WT Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
#4980WT Chilean Cabernet/Merlot
#4984WT Australian Shiraz
#4986WT Italian Valpolicella
Cru Select Platinum has also added two new wine selections
#4458CP Gewürztraminer
#4475CP South African
Pinotage Cabernet
DID YOU KNOW?
According to one of the wine experts on television – wine glasses
should always be stored "rim up". The reason given for this manner
of storage is that the glass may pick up smells and odors from a
cabinet. After thinking about this, it made sense. Many people use a
liner material for their cabinets and sometimes these are scented.
So, store your glasses – RIMS UP. Your wine will taste better and
have a true bouquet.
Grapes grown in France’s Rhone Valley are known by their French name
of SYRAH. Once the grape is grown in Australia it is known as
SHIRAZ.
Another example of a change in the name of a grape is: In Italy the
grape is called PINOT GRIGIO - grown elsewhere, the grape is called
PINOT GRIS.
TERMINOLOGY
Finish of a wine can be described as:
Short, Acceptable, Lingering, Long, or Too long. Better wines will
have a longer "length" to their aftertaste and a more complex
finish.
HOW DO YOU SAY THAT?
Sauvignon Blanc...................................(soh-vee-nyon blon)
Pinot Noir.............................................(pee-no nwahr)
Viognier................................................(Vee-own-yay)
Gewürztraminer...................................(geh-verts-trah-me-ner)
Sangiovese..........................................(sanj-eo-vay-zay)
Cabernet Sauvignon...........................(cah-berr-nay sow-vee-nyon)
GOTTA TIP - SHARE A TIP
We want to hear from you. I know that many of you have found ways to
make wine and beer easier and better. How about sharing with fellow
wine and beer makers?
Do you have a fast easy system for removing old wine labels?
Do you have a great beer recipe that you would like to share?
Just email us at fromthevine2001@yahoo.com
Customer Tip
Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize – that is the secret to good wine
results. Kelly Chapman reminded us to remove the spigot from your
bottling/fermenting
bucket and sanitize it each time you use the bucket. Thanks Kelly, I
don’t think everyone does that...
Our Tip of the Month:
Periodically test the accuracy of your hydrometer. Fill the test jar
with water, and insert the hydrometer. It should give a specific
gravity reading of 1.000. If it does not read the 1.000, replace the
hydrometer. The hydrometer accuracy is very important in determining
how your wine or beer is progressing.
BEGINNING
WINEMAKING CLASS
Our Wine Classes have started for 2005. The first class of the year
has three (3) couples and we are having a great time. Not only are
they having fun making their first batch of wine, but are already
making beer too. All enjoyed Ed’s Oktoberfest and IPA.
We are limiting the classes to three (3) couples or six (6) singles.
Students are "hands on" for every part of the wine making process.
The classes consist of three lessons, approximately 2 hours a lesson
over a period of six (6) weeks. The students are able to "practice"
in class and return home to work on their wine. Of course, the
"teacher" is always just a phone call away for questions.
If you or someone you know would be interested in attending a class,
contact us by email or phone. Private lessons are also available.
INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
www.winemakermag.com
www.beermakermag.com
Both are great sources of information and the cost of a subscription
is very reasonable.
www.crosby-baker.com They are one of my major suppliers of products.
A complete catalog is available online
www.ldcarlson.com
They are also one of my suppliers and their catalog is available
online.
www.appalachiankitchens.com What a talented lady! She combines
wonderful North Georgia wines with complementary fresh fruits to
create amazing jams and jellies.
www.cranecreekvineyards.com Their special events are posted on the
web site. Farmers Pasta Dinners, Vine Dining, Spring Festival, and
much more. Don’t wait too long to make dinner reservations, they
fill up very quickly.
STOP AND VISIT US
We are so proud of our new location and we look forward to showing
it off to you, so please stop when you are in the area.
COMING SOON
We will be adding new products and wine related items to the store.
Several local artisans are in the process creating items for us.
NEWSLETTER
FROM THE VINE
FALL 2004
Hi Everyone
Where has this year gone? Hope everyone had a
wonderful summer and are enjoying fall in the mountains. It seems
like only a few weeks ago we were writing the Spring Newsletter and
it is now fall with winter rapidly approaching.
The year 2004 has been our year for growth. We
have joined the wonderful world of the web. Check out our new web
site at www.fromthevine.com . We are continuing to make changes to
the site, but the basic format is set up. Let us know what you
think. Our catalog is available on the web site listing the most
popular items for wine and beer making. A full retail catalog is
available on line from our major distributor, Crosby & Baker Ltd.:
www.Crosby-Baker.com. The newsletter will be updated more often on
the web site, as well as, the availability of new items and
sales/specials that are being offered.
Our Beginning Winemaking Classes were very
successful during the past year. The class was broken up into three
sessions for a total of 6 to 7 hours of instruction. It is designed
to be "hands on" and everyone has an opportunity to do everything
associated with making wine from a kit. The size of the class is
limited to 6 people (a couple is counted as "one"). Anyone taking
the class may bring a friend or spouse at no additional change. We
held Three (3) classes during 2004 and introduced 15 new people to
the fun of winemaking. The dates for the 2005 classes will be listed
on the web site after the first of the year.
The Holidays will be upon us quickly. Remember to
give yourself enough time to have your wine and beer ready for
holiday giving and for your drinking pleasure. On October 3, 2004 we
started our 4th year in business, thank you so much for
your support. We appreciate our customers.
Susan & Ed Kelley
Keepers of the Vines
RETAIL STORE HOURS
10 AM to 5 PM – Mon. Thru Fri.
Sat 10 AM to 1 PM
Bus. (706) 896-1411
Email fromthevine2001@yahoo.com
Web www.fromthevine.com
FRENCH APPELLATIONS AND WINE KIT NAMES
The names of many groups of fine French and
German wines are not permitted to be used on similar wines produced
outside the regions which own title tot the names. They are
therefore not permitted to be used on Wine Kits either. For that
reason, the Wine Kit industry has developed a group of substitute
names of those wines whose appellations are restricted.
The following is a listing of the French varietal
appellations, and the corresponding Wine Kit name which produces
wines styled on those famous and fine appellations:
VARIETAL APPELLATION
NAME WINE KIT
Beaujolais Bergamais
Bordeaux Bordaille (Blanc & Rouge)
Brouilly Domaine des Brumes
Burgundy Bourgeron (Blanc & Rouge)
Chablis Chamblaise
Chatteauneuf-du-Pape
Vieux Chateau du Roi
Vieux Chaeau du Roi
Cotes-du-Rhone Coteau Royal
Entre-Deux-Mers Brise-de-Mers
Medoc Coteau Sur Mer
Moselle Musette
Pommard Chat Dormant
Poully-Fuisse Ruisseau Blanc
Vermillion Jermillion
EXPERIMENT
WITH YOUR WINE KITS
SWEET OR DRY
One of the items we discussed in the basic wine
class was experimenting with the kits. Many couples seem to be on
opposite ends of the taste test – one wants wine sweet and one wants
it dry. Remember when making your own wine you can make it YOUR WAY.
I suggest that you rack the wine to remove any
new sediment prior to adding sugar. The wine may need additional
days to clear. Bottle part of the batch for the person that prefers
a dry wine and then add sugar to raise the specific gravity to the
sweetness level that others prefer. Be sure to add Potassium Sorbate
in the event that there is still some wild yeast in the wine. This
will prevent the wine from using the sugar to start fermenting
again. Check your hydrometer reading, as well as, tasting the wine
for the sweetness. Keep a record of the amount of sugar added and
the hydrometer reading so you have a reference for the next batch
you make.
POTENTIAL ALCOHOL
The difference from the beginning reading on your
hydrometer and the ending reading gives you the alcohol content of
your wine. If you want to be exact you can use a Vinometer. Some
customers prefer a wine with an alcohol of 13 to 13 ½ percent. The
majority of the wine kits finish out at around 11 percent. So, how
do you increase the alcohol – very simply – just ADD SUGAR. Once
again – check your hydrometer reading so you have a starting and
ending point.
Two ounces of sugar will raise one gallon of wine
by .005. Some books recommend dissolving the sugar, however, I have
just added it directly without a problem
Q. How do I determine the alcohol content?
A. Take your starting specific gravity, subtract your finished
specific gravity and divide by 7.36. For example, 1080 - 995 =
85/7.36 = 11.55 % alcohol by volume.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
WINE ART
We have been advised that Wine Art Wine
Concentrate Kits will no longer be available via our distributor.
Wine Art has advised they are in the process of signing a new
distributor for their products. As soon as the distributorship has
been arranged we will be able to purchase their products.
New Fining Regime from R.J. Spagnoles
As of May 1st, RJ Spagnols has made
their fining process consistent across all wine kit lines. The key
feature of the new regime is the addition of bentonite on Day 1 for
all wine kits. This is a change for several of the kit lines. Rest
assured that the quality and taste of the wines have not changed at
all. The change in fining regimes was done to improve and simplify
the wine making process.
Be sure to always read the instructions every
time you make a new wine kit. Some of the wines have always used
bentonite at the beginning of the process and others at the end of
the process. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
BETTER BOTTLE CARBOYS
The Better Bottle Carboys, made of P.E.T.
plastic, are impermeable to air, and a preferred alternative to
glass in many cases. Customers have found the following:
SAFETY: P.E.T. carboy, by being both lighter
and unbreakable, are safer for use by anyone, and particularly by
anyone with numerous carboys in use (one of the most frequent causes
of breakage of glass carboys is when one is hit by another.)
CLEANLINESS; P.E.T. carboys are easier to
clean bother because of their lower weight, and because the plastic
is hydro-phobic, as opposed to glass being hydro-philic. That means
that the carboys really wan to be clean and dry, while glass ends to
remain wet. Liquids run off the P.E.T. more easily, leaving fewer
potential contaminants behind, and making the cleaning process
simpler and more complete.
WEIGHT; Glass carboys weigh 11 pounds more
than the P.E.T. carboys. This means that if you are ordering on line
the shipping costs will decrease and there is no danger of breakage.
RJ SPAGNOLS GUARANTEE
Did you know that all wine concentrate kits from RJ Spagnols are
guaranteed? There is a Code/Date number on the product box, and to
receive credit /or replacement kits, you write the code on your
instruction sheet in the area provided for this information. RJ
Spagnols will need this information to be sure there are no other
problems with wine kits produced at the same time.
NEW ITEMS NOW IN STOCK
Catalog # Product
5840 l.5 Liter Green Bordeaux Bottles $13.95 Case of 6 bottles
5316 Carboy Dryer $ 9.50
Holds carboys upside down to drain & dry
5058 Elastic Topped Large Coarse Straining Bag $ 2.85
20" X 22" with curved bottom
5530 3 Gallon Better Bottle PET Carboy $17.00
Uses a #10 Rubber Stopper - Handle built into side of carboy for
ease of handling
5534 6 Gallon Better Bottle PET Carboy $25.00
Uses a #10 Rubber Stopper
5549 Blue Snap-on Handle $ 7.95
For Better Bottle Carboys Only
5119 #10 Drilled Stopper $ 1.50
Bellissima Fruit Wine Kits
This is a new line from Advintage. I got thirsty
just typing this stuff for the newsletter. I’ll let the names of the
kits speak for themselves.
Whites
Green Apple Pinot Bianco $59
Peach Sauvignon Blanc $59
Pear Chardonnay $59
Tropical Riesling $59
Melon Zinfandel $61
Reds
Black Cherry Merlot $61
Black Currant-
Cabernet Sauvignon $78
Blueberry Shiraz $68
Raspberry Pinot Nero $65
Strawberry Sangiovese $62
AT THE VINEYARD
Visit the Web Site for all the activities at the
vineyard. Don’t miss Christmas at the Vineyard on December 4th,
Souper Saturdays during December and lots more.
www.cranecreek-vineyards.com
Mountain Beekeepers
This is a wonderful organization which I recently
joined. No, I’m not keeping bees - yet. However, I am an avid
gardener and am aware of how important bees are to a successful
flower or vegetable garden. Besides gardening, I am planning to try
my hand at making Mead this year. In the Fall Newsletter I wrote
about Mead or as it is sometimes called Honey Wine. Mead is the
oldest described fermented beverage in history. If you happen to
keep bees and would be interested in joining this wonderful
organization, our meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of
the month at Young Harris Jr. College. The dues are only $10 per
year and the programs offered at the meetings are very informative.
Hello Friends:
It
was always my intention to write several newsletters during the
year; however, you know what they say about good intentions. In any
case, this is the 1st Newsletter for 2007.
OUR
WEB SITE
For
the past 18 months we have had a catalog available on our web site.
The accuracy of the information has been difficult to maintain with
new products, discontinued products and the frequent changes in
price from the distributors. As a result, we have decided to
eliminate the catalog from the site and will be directing our
customers to our distributors web catalogs. These catalogs are
maintained by full time professionals and are constantly being
updated with new products. Price information may be obtained by
contacting us directly. We are sorry for any inconvenience this
change may cause our customers.
CUSTOMER ADDRESSES AND EMAIL ADDRESSES
In
an effort to keep you up to date with new information, new products,
hints and tips; we are updating our customer address list and email
list.
Several times during the year we will provide information for home
brewing and winemaking.
Please email your current information to:
Fromthevine2001@yahoo.com
Please
Note:
This
information is not shared with anyone.
We look forward to keeping you informed about new techniques to make
your hobby easier.
NEW
NEW NEW
PRODUCTS AND INFORMATION
New Kits from Wine Expert
Cabernet
Franc Ice Wine
South African Chenin Blanc
Vintners World
Vineyard Collection
Australian Shiraz
California Trinity Red
(Blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot)
California Zinfandel Shiraz
Chilean Malbec
Chilean Merlot
French Cabernet Sauvignon
Italian Sangiovese
Australian Chardonnay
Australian Riverland Reserve
(Blend of Sauvignon Blanc,
Colombard & Muscat)
California Trinity White
(Blend of Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion)
French Sauvignon Blanc
German Muller Thurgau
Italian Pinot Grigio
Italian Trebbiano
DID
YOU KNOW
A
VINTITULIST is a collector of
wine labels
HELPFUL
HINTS
From
Lynda W.
- Rinse wine glasses with B-Brite, then with clear water for
sparkling clean glasses. Thanks for the tip, Lynda.
From The Vine
– We have recently experimented with two of the Orchard Breezing
Wine Kits. The kits were out of date and we decided to add all of
the Fruit Pack to the primary fermentation. Naturally this raised
the specific gravity, which increased the alcohol potential to 11 %,
and the wine still had the wonderful fruit bouquet, but was dry at a
SG of .998. We were pleased with the results. The feedback from
our friends has been very positive, especially people that prefer a
dryer wine.
Another Wine Newsletter had a recent
article from one of their customers advising they added the fruit
pack to the fermentation, but only used ½ the pack. When the
fermentation was complete, the continued to follow the directions
and added the rest of the fruit pack. This made the wine sweet, but
not as sweet as if it had been made using the full fruit pack at the
end of the winemaking process.
From The Vine
– We have found the addition of wine skin packs during fermentation
can and usually does raise the specific gravity. The instructions
normally have the SG taken prior to the addition of the skins. We
discovered, specifically with the Cellar Craft 18 liter wine kit
that the specific gravity took a big jump. No doubt this is the
result of raisins added to the skins – which is part of making
Amarone. We suggest you take the Specific Gravity when the
instructions advise, but also take it again approximately 24 hours
after starting your wine. It will give you a better timeline for
the fermentation process.
From The Vine
– Wine Skin Kits – don’t
waste the skins use them a second time. Another experiment with
great results – We made a Cellar Craft Amarone. The skins pack with
this 18-liter kit is very large and we hated to waste it. We
started a Heron Bay Valpolicella kit and added the Amarone skins to
it at fermentation.
The result was a Silver Medal in the
2007 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition.
Several customers have advised they
are freezing the skins after fermentation, until they were ready to
use them in another kit.
Hungarian Oak Chips
Tip from Ruth T.
– don’t throw out the chips after fermentation, toss them into your
charcoal grill the next time you grill.
Floating
Oak
Tip from Ruth T.
- Sometimes the wine kits provide a sock or bag to place your oak.
These will frequently float to the top of the fermenter.
Solution
– add a few marbles to the bag and it will sink.
GOING FOR THE GOLD
In 2008
WineMaker Magazine has announced the
winners for the 2007 wine contest. Our customers entered 11
different wines and won 7 medals this year. Four of the medals were
Silver and three were Bronze. We are so proud of everyone who took
the time to enter.
FROM THE VINE IS
THE PROUD WINNER OF A SILVER MEDAL FOR OUR VALPOLICELLA.
Now is the time to start thinking
about the wines you are making and evaluate how they taste and how
much better they will be with some ageing. Get ready for next
year’s contest and let’s
GO FOR THE GOLD
In 2008
MUST HAVE BOOK
Recently Winemaker Magazine released
the name of their Wine Wizard. Alison Crowe is the columnist for
Wine Maker Magazine and has written a book with solutions to every
problem and answers to every Question.
THE WINE MAKERS
ANSWER BOOK $14.95
By Alison Crowe
TELL A FRIEND ABOUT OUR
BEGINNING WINEMAKING CLASSES
Our
classes consist of approximately 5 hours of instruction over a
period of 6 weeks. This includes starting a wine kit and ends with
bottling. We are with you the entire process.
Once your wine is bottled, we are still available to answer
questions or solve a problem.
Anyone can sell wine kits, but we provide the service and
instruction you need to make award-winning wine.
Referring a friend, who takes our class, will mean a discount for
you on your next purchase.
Picnic
– Boating - Hiking
We
have the perfect gift for you or for a friend.
Wine Picnic Backpack for Four
Our
Copper Brown backpack for four features an insulated food
compartment, service for 4 including acrylic wine glasses, salt and
pepper shakers, napkins, wood cutting board, waiters corkscrew,
stopper, serrated knife and detachable wine carrier
$57.50
Picnic Tote for Two
Our
Red/Cream zippered tote holds service for 2, acrylic glasses,
waiters corkscrew, napkins, bottle stopper and holder, and
adjustable shoulder strap.
$31.95
Wine Bottle Pepper Mill
The pepper mill is available in a small table size or a larger
version, and is the perfect gift for anyone.
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From The Vine