Blueberry Chancellor Port (12 gallons)

[Duster]

I'm looking for some thoughts,
What I have done so far is:

Winemaking Log Notes

1December 28, 2013
70 pounds Chancellor grapes 2013 vintage
25 pounds Blueberries 2013 vintage
(fruit was frozen and thawed before crushing)

6 cups light dry spray malt
11 pounds (25 cups) granulated sugar
3 gallon warm water
(sugar and malt was inverted into the water)
5 teaspoon acid blend
5 teaspoon yeast energizer
6 teaspoons yeast nutrient (6 more will be added mid-ferment)
6 teaspoons Pectic Enzyme

2December 28, 2013
Initial SG = 1.090
Temp = 70*F
PH = 3.4

3December 29, 2013
1/2 teaspoon K-Meta
SG = 1.090
Temp = 68.8*F
PH = 3.2
4December 30, 2013
Yeast Starter Premier Cuvée
SG = 1.090
Temp = 70.0*F
PH = 3.2

5January 1, 2014
Added remaining 6 teaspoons of yeast nutrient
SG = 1.070
Temp = 67.5*F (Wine was moved to a cooler environment)

6January 2, 2014
Pressed off skins
Racked to Secondary Fermentor
Add 3 cups American light toast oak
Temp = 68.9*F
SG = 1.022

7January 7, 2014
Topped up headspace in secondary (minimal to beguine with 2") with same wine left over from pressing.
SG = 0.998
Temp = 70*F

8January 25, 2014
Racked and stabilized
added:
1/2 teaspoon potassium metabisulphite
6 teaspoons potassium sorbate
1 cup heavy toast american oak chips
SG=0.996
temp 68*F
ABV = 12.8%

9February 20, 2014
Begin cold crashing to drop acid
Ambient air temps are as follows
Day 1 = 45*F
Day 2 = 43*F
Day 3 = 37*F
Day 4 = 37*F
Day 5 = 40*F
Day 6 = 42*F
Day 7 = 46*F
Day 8 = 45*F
Day 9 = 47*F
Day 10 = 41*F
Day 11 = 46*F
Day 12 = 45*F
Day 13 = 41*F
Day 14 = 39*F
Day 15 = 42*F
Day 16 = 29*F
Day 17 = 34*F
Day 18 = 38*F
Day 19 = 41*F
Day 20 = 41*F
Day 21 = 43*F
Day 22 = 43*F
Day 23 = 43*F
Day 24 = 45*F
Day 25 = 49*F
Day 26 = 50*F

10February 23, 2014
racked off lees and returned to room temp

Currently it resides in a cool dark closet in two 23L carboys with a solid bugs

I'm thinking my next step will be to add 6 split vanilla beans (3 in each Carboy) and 750 ml of E&J VOSP brandy. (375 ml in each Carboy)
Then back sweeten with honey and simple syrup to around 1.015 or so but I'm not so sure. What does the very best winemaking forum on the net suggest on finishing this port.
Thanks for the input.




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[Boatboy24]

Have you thought about back sweetening with concentrate? (Grape and/or blueberry) Keller's blueberry port recipe uses grape concentrate. I'm using a combo of blueberry and Merlot concentrates on mine. It may give you a little more 'ooomph' than simple syrup.

 

[Deezil]

Yeah, I think that would be a nice tweak; dissolve your honey in Merlot, for back sweetening.

And the vanilla sounds a bit strong to me, but I've never added vanilla beans like that (yet; so I could be wrong)

 

[Duster]

Merlot is an interesting thought, I will have wine left after adding the brandy so I'm not sure if I will do that unless your thinking the merlot will add a flavor profile? I should have said syrup made with wine instead of water.
The vanilla I really have no idea, I have never used it before either, maybe 3 beans per Carboy is to much?


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[Duster]

Bump.
Any body have any input on how many vanilla beans to use per 6 gallon Carboy? I assume it will be biased on taste but what's a good starting point and how long should they stay in?


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[ColemanM]

Wow no responses, so I guess the third tier will respond I bought a rum called Zaya. The store didn't have my regular Ron Zacapa which to me is the best sipping rum. The Zaya had the Aztec style weave on the bottle similar to the Zacapa so I picked it up. First sip I spit out. Second sip I decided this bottle will never be consumed. I appreciate the vanilla component in many things but when it becomes an overwhelming taste, it just ruins my experience. To make a short story long... I would attempt 1 bean in the carboy at a time. My thoughts are, hopefully you will be aging the heck out of this, giving you ample time to add that second bean 3 months down the road when the first one gives out. I'm no expert by any means but that would be my method.
P.S. I replaced the "display Rémy Martin XO" gift set's content with the Zaya. So I guess it was a win win, but boy will whoever decides to drink the XO be surprised!! Don't tell the wife


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