# When to filter port wine kit



## traveler94 (Oct 27, 2016)

I have been making wine for awhile but never made a "dessert" wine before. I always filter my wines before I bottle them. Here is my question of anyone with this experience; do I filter the wine before I add the F-pack or after? Thanks


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## joeswine (Oct 27, 2016)

What do the instructions call for?


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## traveler94 (Oct 28, 2016)

It doesn't say anything about filtering.


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## Johnd (Oct 28, 2016)

Most times, filtering is a choice, rather than a requirement, and there has been much debate here about the pros and cons, do a search of the forum and you can read for days, we won't get into that now.

When I intend to filter a wine, my preferred process is to ferment in a bucket, transfer to a carboy and complete AF there. Follow your kit instructions as to whether or not you rack before clearing or not, some kits are different in this respect. I add KMS, Sorbate, Clearing agents, and the supplied fpack, mixing thoroughly along the way, and wait the prescribed time for clearing, following the racking timeline given as long as the wine is clear. When it says it is time to bottle, and my wine is indeed clear and ready to bottle, it is filtered into a new vessel, and bottled from there.


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 28, 2016)

Like any other wine, I would filter before bottling. Maybe minutes before, maybe up to a week or two.


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## traveler94 (Oct 28, 2016)

Johnd said:


> Most times, filtering is a choice, rather than a requirement, and there has been much debate here about the pros and cons, do a search of the forum and you can read for days, we won't get into that now.
> 
> When I intend to filter a wine, my preferred process is to ferment in a bucket, transfer to a carboy and complete AF there. Follow your kit instructions as to whether or not you rack before clearing or not, some kits are different in this respect. I add KMS, Sorbate, Clearing agents, and the supplied fpack, mixing thoroughly along the way, and wait the prescribed time for clearing, following the racking timeline given as long as the wine is clear. When it says it is time to bottle, and my wine is indeed clear and ready to bottle, it is filtered into a new vessel, and bottled from there.


This is close to the procedure I have always done. I never add the sorbate . Although I have probably made over a hundred kits I never made one with an Fpack before, I am not a sweet wine drinker, I am making this for someone. Thanks .


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## wineforfun (Oct 28, 2016)

Add the sorbate if you are intending to backsweeten, ie: add the fpak.

I would then do as others have mentioned and filter after that and before bottling. I don't filter so can't give you firsthand experience, only how I would handle it.


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## joeswine (Oct 28, 2016)

but it does say about racking ?? which kit is this ?


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## Johnd (Oct 29, 2016)

traveler94 said:


> This is close to the procedure I have always done. I never add the sorbate . Although I have probably made over a hundred kits I never made one with an Fpack before, I am not a sweet wine drinker, I am making this for someone. Thanks .



I suggest you add the sorbate if you intend to utilize the fpack. Since you've never made one with an fpack, nor used sorbate, follow this sound advice.


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## traveler94 (Oct 29, 2016)

joeswine said:


> but it does say about racking ?? which kit is this ?


 It is the WE selection dessert wine. And I will add the sorbate.

My biggest concern was if the Fpack would clog the filters. I guess I will find out.


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## DoctorCAD (Oct 29, 2016)

The f pack is only sugar, water, sorbate and some heavy chemical flavorings. It will not clog a filter after it has dissolved.


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## AZMDTed (Oct 29, 2016)

I will be filtering my Fourtitude and Chocolate raspberry dessert wine later this afternoon. I will let you know how it goes.


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## traveler94 (Oct 29, 2016)

AZMDTed said:


> I will be filtering my Fourtitude and Chocolate raspberry dessert wine later this afternoon. I will let you know how it goes.


 Thanks, and let me know which filter you used.


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## AZMDTed (Oct 29, 2016)

I filtered the Fourtitude first and then the Winexpert Chocolate Raspberry dessert wine. No problem. No filter issues or build up of Chocolate or other good stuff on the filter. I used the AllinOne set up with a 5 micron filter.


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## traveler94 (Oct 30, 2016)

AZMDTed said:


> I filtered the Fourtitude first and then the Winexpert Chocolate Raspberry dessert wine. No problem. No filter issues or build up of Chocolate or other good stuff on the filter. I used the AllinOne set up with a 5 micron filter.


 
Thanks! Did you sample them?


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## AZMDTed (Oct 30, 2016)

Yes, the dessert wine is very good. The Fourtitude is pretty good too, but it needed help. I had it in my barrel for a while and then added an ounce of liquid finishing Tannins. It needs to age for another six months or so but I think it will be okay. Not as big and bold as the name Fourtitude would suggest though.


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## downunder (Nov 10, 2016)

what is the alcohol content of your port? I make 1,000 of litres of port a year. At an alcohol content of about 18% I have never had to use sorbet (if you can get a sulfated wine at 18% to referment you are a magician lol) or filter it. I presume you are making vintage style port any filtering you do will just take away from the quality of the port as it matures for years in the bottle. All the above is true if you are making real port...that is stopping the ferment with alcohol when you have the required level of sweetness. However if you are fermenting the base wine dry and then back sweetening (making a fortified wine not real port) forget everything above. and follow what other people are suggesting.


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 10, 2016)

I also make and enjoy a good port !

The alcohol is around 20-22 % as I fortify to stop fermentation at whatever level of sweetness I desire ( typically around 4% )

I have never used sorbate as the alcohol already killed off any fermentations already. 

I do not filter any of my ports as they seem to clear rather quickly - they only get better over time. 

I just opened up my last bottle of a Zin port (grapes) from 2004 last weekend - WOW - it was really great to share with some close friends. 





downunder said:


> what is the alcohol content of your port? I make 1,000 of litres of port a year. At an alcohol content of about 18% I have never had to use sorbet (if you can get a sulfated wine at 18% to referment you are a magician lol) or filter it. I presume you are making vintage style port any filtering you do will just take away from the quality of the port as it matures for years in the bottle. All the above is true if you are making real port...that is stopping the ferment with alcohol when you have the required level of sweetness. However if you are fermenting the base wine dry and then back sweetening (making a fortified wine not real port) forget everything above. and follow what other people are suggesting.


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## traveler94 (Nov 11, 2016)

downunder said:


> what is the alcohol content of your port? I make 1,000 of litres of port a year. At an alcohol content of about 18% I have never had to use sorbet (if you can get a sulfated wine at 18% to referment you are a magician lol) or filter it. I presume you are making vintage style port any filtering you do will just take away from the quality of the port as it matures for years in the bottle. All the above is true if you are making real port...that is stopping the ferment with alcohol when you have the required level of sweetness. However if you are fermenting the base wine dry and then back sweetening (making a fortified wine not real port) forget everything above. and follow what other people are suggesting.


 
1,000 liters of port a year, you are my hero! This is a winexpert kit and I will ferment it dry then add the Fpack then add some brandy. It started with a sg of 1.115 when it got down to 1.017 I added the Chaptalisation pack, 400 g, so I now have no idea what the final alcohol content wiil be. I have never ventured into dessert or sweet wine before. If it tastes reasonable I will try to make a real port. I have been making wine on and off for about fifteen years and have never used sorbate and have never had a problem. But, I never used a fpack before. Thanks


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## traveler94 (Nov 11, 2016)

vacuumpumpman said:


> I also make and enjoy a good port !
> 
> The alcohol is around 20-22 % as I fortify to stop fermentation at whatever level of sweetness I desire ( typically around 4% )
> 
> ...


 
I never had anything last half that long!


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