Mosti Mondiale MM Port

[James]

Started my first port kit last night (MM La Bodega). Any specialtricks for this kit to make it better or at least as good as possible?


Also, do you who have done Port before bottle it in 750ml bottles or in smaller bottles? When you open a bottle of Port, does it go "bad" as quickly as wine or does it last a lot longer uncorked because of the higher alcohol content(or some other reason)?
MERRY CHRISTMAS!


James

 

[jwmaverick]

I gave up bottling my Port in the smaller bottles. All mine are now bottled in the 750 ml bottles. The 750 ml bottles will beconsumed just as fast as the smaller bottles. I also fortify all of my ports with a good Brandy. The brandy is dominent in the early stages of ageing but will blend in well after a year. As far as lasting longer opened, I've never experienced this problem due to it being comsumed that evening. My wife loves the Port.


If I am giving the Port as a gift I will normally bottle it in the smaller bottle.


Also a reciepe you might try when the port ages is to fill a blender up with vanilla ice cream and them pour in around 325 ml of port and blend. This makes an excellent after dinner dessert.

 

[Coaster]

I fortified mine with 375ml of everclear and 375 of peach brandy. I left it on the oak chips about twice as long as the instructions say (I'm pretty slow to move wine in general except when I transfer from fermentation bucket to glass). In my opinion it is wonderful. I bottled in 375's to stretch it out but sometimes I find myself opening a second bottle. I've never had a bottle last more than one nite. I am considering doing a double batch next time.


EDIT: I add the everclear and brandy after clearing. I put it in the receiving carboy, rack off about 750ml then rack the rest to the receiving carboy. I use what I need of the 750I pulled off to top up, then I sample what ever is left. Let me tell you I wait until the lees are pretty packed and I am an excellent racker at port to ensure I get every last drop

. If for some reason I need more topping up, I use marbles after that. That gives the port plenty of time to integrate the everclear and brandy.Edited by: Coaster

 

[laneygirl]

I fortified mine with 375ml of everclear and 375 of peach brandy. I left it on the oak chips about twice as long as the instructions say (I'm pretty slow to move wine in general except when I transfer from fermentation bucket to glass). In my opinion it is wonderful. I bottled in 375's to stretch it out but sometimes I find myself opening a second bottle. I've never had a bottle last more than one nite. I am considering doing a double batch next time.


EDIT: I add the everclear and brandy after clearing. I put it in the receiving carboy, rack off about 750ml then rack the rest to the receiving carboy. I use what I need of the 750I pulled off to top up, then I sample what ever is left. Let me tell you I wait until the lees are pretty packed and I am an excellent racker at port to ensure I get every last drop

. If for some reason I need more topping up, I use marbles after that. That gives the port plenty of time to integrate the everclear and brandy.

What is the before and after fortification alcohol %s of your port?

 

[Coaster]

14.7% and 18.3%

 

[James]

I'm not familiar with Everclear. Is that grain alcohol?


I have a liter of Cognac that I've had for a while. Would that work or do I need the flavor from the peach brandy and the alcohol from the Everclear?


James

 

[Wade E]

James, this is my 1st time doing this La Bodega port and so far Im impressed very much. I have done 1 other MM and both times I have had xtra that Ive had to put in a top off bottle to save for later and I love that. In my opinion, there is nothing better than not coming up short. ! tip for you as I just racked off sediment into clean carboy and added oak, do not top up at this minute, give the oak a little time to expand as mine 2" under the bung welled up and filled my airlock.

 

[joeswine]

first time I heard someone speak of everclear,like the way you use it,I myself ues it often

 

[James]

Wade,


What do you plan to fortify your wine with?

 

[Coaster]

I'm not familiar with Everclear. Is that grain alcohol?

Yes, 190 proof grain alcohol. I believe the MM instructions suggest an apricote brandy could be used (I don't have the instructions handy), for some reason that turned into peach brandy by the time I got to the store. None the less, I like it very much with the peach/everclear.

 

[Wade E]

Probably Evercleer and E&J Brandy.

 

[bmorosco]

Ok I just want to say this to make sure I have this wright...Most port is at about 20% abv. Because of this high alcohol level it takes quite a time for the wine to mature -- to get comfortable with all that alcohol.You should use a spirit with as high an "abv" as possible to reduce the amount of additional liquid you are adding to your port. But you don't have to fortify it..The addition of some brandy, before bottling,isa Portuguese Style of port. Just keep in mind that both styles of port after some aging will not even ressemble each other.Fortified and Non-Fortified...

 

[James]

Just racked MMport to secondary. Starting SG was an impressive 1.102. I left it in the primary about a day and a half too long. Directions say transfer at 1.02 or less I didn't get to it til SG was 1.004. Secondary ferm. is still moderately active so I guess I'm OK.


Hypothetical Question: Suppose someone had a friend who new somebody whose Uncle had very good homemade Everclear. Would this be a good thing to fortify my port with -making it uniquely my own?


Surely somebody knows somebody who has done this before.

 

[PeterZ]

If the someone who knows someone ... chain is very trustworthy, that would be fine. Beware wood alcohol (methanol) - it will blind or kill you.

 

[Wade E]

You guys are so lucky to know someone who knows someone who knows someone who, well you get the point! Mine is in glass at about 71* with the oak floating, barely.

 

[PolishWineP]

If I knew someone who had an uncle, I would still pass on it and go with something I know had passed some quality tests. (And I don't mean where they pour their product into a Mason jar and say, "Well, it didn't melt the jar, it must be okay.") I pay good money for my kits and feel I am worth the few extra bucks to be legal, safe and good.

 

[James]

Thanks for the advice - I'll be careful. I'm interested in making the best product possible or I would'nt be doing all the work involved and buying the best kits I can afford. I also think it's part of the fun of the whole process to try something different. As long as it's not dangerous then, if it works it will be unique, if it doesn't work then I learned something.


Another question: Can you control the sweetness of this port? Maybe make it more dry than Sweet? I'm obviously not an experienced port maker.

 

[Wade E]

You can control it by not adding all the F-Pack at the end but that will be where all the flavor might be also. Usually with an Island mist we add some of the F-pack up front to boost the alc and get some of that flavor from the pack in there but with this high abv. I wouldnt attempt that either as it might overcome the yeast. Chaptalizing is also another option which is adding sugars or part of the f-pack during fermentation but this too can add to the wine stopping early due to too high of an abv. I think you might want to put a little aside when done and experiment with it alone then play with the rest knowing your results.