Fortifying Port

[Sirs]

brandy is distilled also same difference

 

[greyday]

I've fortified with brandy and everclear to me everclear is much better as it imparts no flavor whatsoever the brandy normally does. If I'm fortifying any wine I want it to keep the original taste not add any others to it


and not sure why anyone would think everclear won't marry into the wine as good as a brandy

Depends on how much fruit you had available. I was working with a fair amount, but not enough (I doubled the syrah syrup). Since i don't have oak on hand, I went with brandy to achieve a slightly oaked touch. It's all taste; if I was going for higher than 21-23% no doubt I would have done everclear, or it just would have been flavored brandy!

 

[JohnT]

JohnT did you keep the port at 10% residual sugar in the finished product?

Al,

The point in time where I killed the fermentation (with fortifier) was when the wine was at 10% sugar. This yielded a 6 or 7% port. Plenty sweet for my tastes.

wjdonahue,

If you wine is fermenting slowly, timing is not as much of an issue as you suggest. Remember, a good rate of fermentation will consume perhaps 3 or 4 % sugar over the peak 12 hour period. No "camping out" is needed. If you watch you rate of sugar consumption, you will have a good idea of when the right time will be.

I normally use brandy as a fortifier. I have always heard that one should never mix grain and grape. Not sure if this is a fact.

johnT.

 

[Delfava]

sometimes i forget that most of the country doesn't have access to good wine grapes, its very strange hearing about port and wine kits. but i do appreciate all of the input!
I added 2 gal of 40% ABV brandy to 8 gal of must(6 gal juice) at 7 brix/12% ABV for, hopefully, 20% ABV. we're having a wine lab run the numbers tomorrow but i think it's going to turn out very good! thanks again for all the input

 

[Sirs]

a lot of people all over have access to good wine grapes it's just a lot don't normally use fresh grapes a lot of the people on here have only made wine from kits myself I'd never even seen a kit till this past year but have made wine for years. I'd say your wine will turn out just as you want it to. I myself prefer to use everclear to fortify with for 2 reasons #1 it has no taste to impart on the wine,#2 being it is 95% ABV that means you use a whole lot less so it doesn't dilute the flavor of the wine as much. Meaning you get the higher ABV without losing as much taste and body. That's just me guess I'm getting old and set in my ways lol

 

[AlFulchino]

found out that everclear cannot be delivered to nh among many other states....thoughts? suggestions? alternatives?

 

[Deezil]

found out that everclear cannot be delivered to nh among many other states....thoughts? suggestions? alternatives?

Everclear is the brand name but they make different ABV's - 191 cannot be found in some states - mine included - but 151 can. Its an ABV thing

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds like your stuck with Brandy then unless you want to go back to the "old" family tradition as Hank Williams Jr used to sing about.

 

[robie]

I have also heard of fortifying with plain Vodka (sorry if it has already been mentioned), which is not much more than alcohol. I haven't tried it, myself.

 

[Sirs]

found out that everclear cannot be delivered to nh among many other states....thoughts? suggestions? alternatives?

you could always take a drive to a local state that has it and load up on enough to do what you need and say abit extra for future use it keeps fairly well lol........... you could always see if a friendly neighbor who might be going thru a state that carries it would pick up some for you, you know throw in a bottle of some of your good wine for the trouble. I mean if you could've got in touch with her in time I'm sure a girl we know wouldn't have minded picking some up for you.

 

[CB750]

According to Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits. In France sweet wines are fortified two ways "vin de liqueur" the fortifying spirit is added before fermentation takes place. The result is a mix of grape juice and spirts as the high % spirits prevent fermentation. The other method "vin de naturel" a smaller amount of 5% to 10% spirits are added as part of fermentation not to prevent it but to arrest it.

Both systems revolve around the fact that will not ferment after the wine has reached a certain strength. Both allow the wine to retain it's sweetness while providing it with a high alcoholic content of between 14% to 21.5%.

 

[robie]

Yep, there are several ways to arrive at a fortified wine. All of them are right.

Port originated in Portugal. There, based on everything I have read and videos I have watched, they let the must ferment down to a level where the must is still sweet, about 10% sugar left, then they add plain 72% ABV brandy to kill the yeast and arrest fermentation.

vineonology.com has a great video library. They have several videos on how port is made in Portugal. They define the differences between ruby port and tawny port. Very interesting site, by the way. great wine news section.

 

[JohnT]

It is funny exactly how port came into fashion...

England was a HUGE consummer of French wine. Centuries ago, England was the number ONE importer of French wine. The problem was that England and France did not exactly get along.

It was during one of these period in history when England and France were fighting each other that some British importers happened upon the bright idea that they could import wine from portugal instead. There was only one problem..

The Portuguese wine that was shipped up the coast, in the holds of rocking ships that were hot enough to make the pillsbury dough boy cringe, spoiled.

The portuguese merchants then hit on the idea of adding brandy (which was used to preserve everthing from fruit to lab specimins) to the wine.

The result is the forefather of the port we drink today.

Well the brits went nuts! they simply loved the stuff.


BTW, That little war between England and France. It was better known as the "American Revolution" in the U.S.

That right. We gave birth to port!

 

[AlFulchino]

thanks everyone for giving me some good info and suggestions,....i think i am on my way!

 

[greyday]

I have also heard of fortifying with plain Vodka (sorry if it has already been mentioned), which is not much more than alcohol. I haven't tried it, myself.

Just my two cents, but if you're stuck at 80 proof, I'd HIGHLY suggest a cheap brandy over a vodka, as vodka will dilute flavor. Brandy will add flavor, both a mild grape and a nice oak, which may not be preferable to no added flavor but IMO is better than dilution. I'd definitely cross state lines and get some everclear well before I'd use vodka...

 

[ibglowin]

Hey Al,

Just as an aside here, there is a small winery just 20 miles down the road and he just released his first estate grown Zin port. Price is $28 for a 375ml split!

thanks everyone for giving me some good info and suggestions,....i think i am on my way!

 

[wjdonahue]

Mike isn't the markup remarkable. Hollyfield winery, just down the street from me makes a phenomenal St. Vincent port. Les sells his normal St. Vincent for about $8 a bottle. He saves some of it, adds the brandy, lets it sit about 2 years before release, and charges (and gets) $48 a 750ml bottle. This year he is reserving 50% of his run for port. Wonder why? (grin)

 

[ibglowin]

Liquid gold for sure!

 

[AlFulchino]

"...estate grown Zin port. Price is $28 for a 375ml split!..."

holy cow!!!!

 

[ibglowin]

Crazy huh!