Muscadine Port

[PPBart]

Despite a dismal crop this year I have managed to get enough muscadines for a few gallons of wine. I've never made any port, and would really like to try making a port-style muscadine wine. Anybody have any experience with or info about it to share?

 

[ellijaywinemaker]

If you dont have many muscadines what you can do is press the juice out of the dines put in a bucket and put it in a bigger bucket. In the smaller bucket put a fish aquarum warmer. Put a lid on the biger bucket and let some of the water evaperate out of the must. When you get to the condenced sugar content you are looking for to make your port you are now ready. Please let me know how it turns out for you

 

[PPBart]

... Please let me know how it turns out for you

I got in touch with one of the guys active on Fine Vine Wines Forum who has had good success with muscadine port. He provided recipe, info and advice, and the 3-gallon batch is bubbling away in primary right now -- I'll post details soon...

 

[Wade E]

I would be assuming you are talking about either Waldo or Jobe and most likely Waldo, he's one of my mods there and a damn good wine maker! I have a bottle of his Muscadine Port in my cellar which took Gold in the winemaker mag comp. I havent tried it yet though as Im letting it age gracefully!

 

[PPBart]

I would be assuming you are talking about either Waldo or Jobe and most likely Waldo, he's one of my mods there and a damn good wine maker! I have a bottle of his Muscadine Port in my cellar which took Gold in the winemaker mag comp. I havent tried it yet though as Im letting it age gracefully!

It was Waldo. I was searching for past threads about port and found his detailed account of making a batch of muscadine. After studying his recipe and the thread -- and several PM's back and forth -- I was ready to try my own. The batch SG was down to ~1.02 yesterday, still bubbling away.

 

[PPBart]

Update...

After stabilizing, sweetening, oaking, the muscadine port is now aging in 3-gal carboy + one 750-ml bottle. I think it turned out quite well. Here's a couple of pics; it's has a really dark color, so I placed the 750-ml bottle in front of the window to show the color and clarity.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn297/PPBart/Wine Shots/MuscaPort11-6-10B.jpg

 

[Runningwolf]

Looking good there Bart

 

[PPBart]

Followup report...

When I bottled the muscadine port I did a bunch of 375-ml bottles. I've opened one of those about every month or so. It was pretty bad to start with, gradually improved until I can finally say that the bottle opened today is really quite tasty -- good fruit, body and alcohol! I'm definitely gonna do this again!

 

[grapeman]

Glad to hear it turned out great. I still have a bottle of his Muscadine from about 2005 aging away. I would say it must be about ready by now for a very special occasion.

 

[ibglowin]

Looking good!

I will take that little bottle on the left!