Another Muscadine Port

[PPBart]

I've wanted to try muscadine port for some time, finally came across Waldo's recipe. After a few PM's with Waldo to clarify details, I started a 3-gallon batchfor which I have high hopes! It began life with a SG of 1.126. Today, I racked to secondary at SG = 0.996.

Fermentation continues slowly, about 2 burps thru the airlock per minute. I used E-1118 specifically for the high alcohol tolerance, and probably will not do any further fortification.






Once the batch clears, I plan to add French oak cubes, medium toast, tasting regularly until I'm satisfied.

 

[Wade E]

Man that sounds good and that was a good fermentation.

 

[gaudet]

17.5% sounds good enough for me too. You gonna have Waldo slobberin on his keyboard again. Hey maybe that's why his printers acted up.

 

[PPBart]

I forgot to mention that I still have another 7-8 lbs of grapes in the freezer, set asidefor an F-pak. Not sure about the timing, though -- when should the F-pak be added?

 

[Wade E]

IMO, before you start to let it clear but after stabilizing obviously.

 

[PPBart]

Update...


A few days ago I steam-juiced ~8 lbs grapes, got about 2.8 lts juice. Simmered that down to 1.5 ltr. Racked the wine into a clean 5-gal carboy,added the juice and 300 ml Everclear (190 proof), stirred gently, then racked into 3-gal carboy and 1.5-ltr jug. The fragrance is great, the taste really smooth and surprisingly sweet -- might not have to do any more sweetening. I added medium toast French oak cubes, and will monitor the taste closely (don't typically like heavy oak).


I'm really pleased with this (my first) port-style wine and have high hopes for the final product!

 

[Wade E]

That sounds dang good!

 

[PPBart]

Update...


Tasted the wine, decided I had almost too much oak(!) so I racked into clean glass. This stuff is really quite good, but I'll give it a few weeks before bottling.

 

[Waldo]

Current pictures with those tasting notes would be great.

 

[PPBart]

Update...


Tasted the wine, decided I had almost too much oak(!) so I racked into clean glass. This stuff is really quite good, but I'll give it a few weeks before bottling.

Here's what it looks like, and a close-up of the 750-ml set in front of the window to show color/clarity...

 

[CajunJay]

That looks great! I started a muscadine port about a month ago but it was a fly by night operation. I cleaned out a freezer and 2 huge Target bags of jumbo black muscadine were stuck in the bottom of it. I was prepared to be disappointed but they were in great shape. I added a few gallon bags to that ending up with a little over 25 lbs. I added the usual suspects, 10 lbs sugar, did not measure gravity and threw on the yeast starter. I have fed it with sugar twice and should be getting to the alcohol tolerance of the yeast soon. Four gallons of muscadine port. I hadn't thought about oak but maybe I should.