Whole grape port

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I can make an "app" The question is whether or not you would be comfortable running the .EXE

John, you are in IT -- surely you could get my Excel spreadsheet to run, no? :D

I, on the other hand, don't have the "skilz" needed to compile an app.... sigh.

SG,

I have never written an app. most of what I do is in "larger" languages.
I am thinking that if we had someone that new app coding, we could download this to our phones and not have to boot up a computer in order to do the calculations.

That spreadsheet is sweet.

Last year, I did everything in terms of brix. If I assume that 1 brix is about 10gpl of sugar, the formulas confirm what I did.


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HEY DAN, JULIE, WADE, Et Al...
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These guys came up with a great tool for the forum members...

I see that Seth already has a premium membership, but how about gifting one to Sourgrapes?
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I see that Seth already has a premium membership, but how about gifting one to Sourgrapes?


No, no, no! Thank you so much for the suggestion, John, but that does not feel right. I have been meaning to pay my 15 simoleons for some time, and you just pushed me over the edge. (Unwittingly guilted me into it? ;) ) The deed is done, so no need for a gift membership. But thanks anyway!
 
Hmmmm,

Just signed on for a premium membership, but my avatar is still the same size. Wonder if I need to do anything....
 
All I can say is WOW, what a difference! This year's port is perhaps the best I ever made.

Does anybody else make port for fresh fruit? If so, do you continue to macerate after the point of fortification?

To answer your question its that time of year down here...Just made a 1000 litres of port just the way you made it and yes we do continue to macerate after fortification untill about 7 days from first crush. When we add the fortifying spirit we also add sulfur to about the level of 90ppm total.
The spirit helps to extract colour and flavours out of the grapes.
And while I understand what everybody is trying to do with formulas to make the perfect port.....one thing seems to have been forgotten......Taste.
Every year the grapes vary in the amount of acid, tannin etc. So while the initial baume etc may be the same as last years (I wish) the mouth feel will be completely different. More acid and tannins make the port taste less sweet even if you have your "perfect" residual sugar.
What I would suggest is to have a ballpark figure of say 120 to 140 g/l residual sugar.(adjust this figure to suit your own individual taste). when your baume hydrometer shows you are close to this figure I do a quick alcohol test which gives me how much alcohol to add to bring it up to say 18% let your taste buds tell you when to actually fortify your residual sugar will then drop to say 100 to 120 g/l.
 
And while I understand what everybody is trying to do with formulas to make the perfect port.....one thing seems to have been forgotten......Taste.
Every year the grapes vary in the amount of acid, tannin etc. So while the initial baume etc may be the same as last years (I wish) the mouth feel will be completely different. More acid and tannins make the port taste less sweet even if you have your "perfect" residual sugar.

Okay, I believe I understand your point, and it makes sense to me so far, but....

What I would suggest is to have a ballpark figure of say 120 to 140 g/l residual sugar.(adjust this figure to suit your own individual taste). when your baume hydrometer shows you are close to this figure I do a quick alcohol test which gives me how much alcohol to add to bring it up to say 18% let your taste buds tell you when to actually fortify your residual sugar will then drop to say 100 to 120 g/l.

I don't see how these instructions differ in any way from what the formula that I derived does. I am trying to understand where the winemaker's latitude comes in in your approach. Is it just because you are allowing a range of 120 to 140, and you pull the trigger (and fortify) somewhere in that range depending on your taste?
 
Seth,

That I exactly what I am saying. Maceration with the fortifier seemed to bring out more of the body of the wine.

This is how it worked out last year and I only have one trial using this method. I am not sure if the quality of the port is due to the particular year or is it truly due to allowing a higher alcohol contact with the skins.

This is why I am asking if anyone else has had similar results.
John, I'm not taking a cheap shot at you or your port - if you were in the EU you wouldn't be allowed to call it port. From what I've read, port makers add young brandy to the must at about halfway point to let it kill off the yeast slowly. Then when it is dead they drain off the port. How long it takes to kill the yeast I don't know. If it's good enough for "so called Real port makers:rolleyes:" then you're doing more or less the same thing. Can't seem to find any info on what they do with the skins afterwards.
“Port is not for the very young, the vain and the active. It is the comfort of age and the companion of the scholar and the philosopher”
-- Evelyn Waugh
 
John, I'm not taking a cheap shot at you or your port - if you were in the EU you wouldn't be allowed to call it port.

Because he is not in Oporto, you mean, or because of his technique? (We all know that we are very liberal with our terminology, i.e., not always saying "style" after something like "Bordeaux.")

From what I've read, port makers add young brandy to the must at about halfway point to let it kill off the yeast slowly. Then when it is dead they drain off the port. How long it takes to kill the yeast I don't know. If it's good enough for "so called Real port makers:rolleyes:" then you're doing more or less the same thing. Can't seem to find any info on what they do with the skins afterwards.
“Port is not for the very young, the vain and the active. It is the comfort of age and the companion of the scholar and the philosopher”
-- Evelyn Waugh

Yes, the technique you describe is exactly what was being discussed here. What is it that you objected to?
 
Can't seem to find any info on what they do with the skins afterwards.

"Grape pomace has traditionally been used to produce pomace brandy (such as grappa, orujo, törkölypálinka, zivania). Today, it is mostly used as fodder, as fertilizer, or to extract bioactive compounds like polyphenols from it."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomace
"Rather than using the pomace as vineyard compost, turning it into feed supplements for cattle or dumping it in landfills, Seneca BioEnergy in Romulus, N.Y., plans to process the pomace, converting it into grapeseed oil, biodiesel fuel and manufactured soil. "
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/putting-pomace-to-work-4771
 
"Grape pomace has traditionally been used to produce pomace brandy (such as grappa, orujo, törkölypálinka, zivania). Today, it is mostly used as fodder, as fertilizer, or to extract bioactive compounds like polyphenols from it."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomace
"Rather than using the pomace as vineyard compost, turning it into feed supplements for cattle or dumping it in landfills, Seneca BioEnergy in Romulus, N.Y., plans to process the pomace, converting it into grapeseed oil, biodiesel fuel and manufactured soil. "
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/putting-pomace-to-work-4771
Quite right. I completely forgot about Grappa. Some of ti is very expensive.
 
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