# Old Vine Zinfandel Port



## ColemanM (Oct 16, 2014)

So I am getting a 5 gallon frozen must pail on Friday. It's an OVZ coming in at 29+ brix. After press and racking, the approximate finished wine will be 3.5 gallons. I plan on fortifying this to bump it up to 20%. I am looking at proceeding with one of three options and I would like all of your help to figure which would be the wisest plan of action. 

#1 suss reserve. Pull out X amount of juice from must and keep @40* ferment 29+ brix wine to dry, rack, fortify, add juice back. Sulfite. Age. 

#2 acidulated water. Water it down (mr crews stated 3 liters and 30 g tartaric acid) ferment to 1.020 and fortify. Press off skins. Rack. Sulfite. Age. 

#3 ferment it untouched. Ferment from 29+ brix to 6brix or so and fortify. Press off skins. Rack. Sulfite and age. 
Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you. 
Coleman. 


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## ibglowin (Oct 16, 2014)

I would make sure your using a yeast with high alcohol tolerance first. Then ferment "as is" to dry. Treat this as a normal wine for the first year. Once it is clear, fortify using Pearson's Square formula. Then back sweeten with a can of Alexanders Zinfandel Concentrate to about 10% residual sugar. One can should get you there but if you are a little under add simple syrup to get you to 10%. You will need to rack this once more down the road. I would also do MLF as well in the after you rack off the gross lees etc. And OAK lots of American Oak! No Sorbate.


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## ColemanM (Oct 16, 2014)

Would ec1118 leave out some of the benefits that say a bm45 or other yeast would give to the wine itself? Would it be possible to start with something like d80 then finish off with an ec1118? Just trying to make sure I have all the angles before it arrives. Thanks. 


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## ibglowin (Oct 16, 2014)

BM45 and RP15 both will go up to 16% abv and maybe a little more. Just make sure you feed them properly and they should finish out just fine. I wouldn't mess with EC1118 even as a backup. If it gets stuck at 15.5% who cares. You have less to backsweeten.


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## ColemanM (Oct 18, 2014)

Never mind. Some piece of trash stole my fed ex package from my doorstep. Oh well, $180 lesson learned. Sticking with kits I buy at a store. 


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 20, 2014)

ColemanM said:


> Never mind. Some piece of trash stole my fed ex package from my doorstep. Oh well, $180 lesson learned. Sticking with kits I buy at a store.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making



Are you serious!!?? That's terrible. Very sorry to hear. Did you ask the vendor if it was insured?


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## Kraffty (Oct 20, 2014)

Wine thief no doubt.

Seriously check with your vendor, most automatically insure some amount.
Sorry to hear that but good luck,
Mike


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## ColemanM (Oct 20, 2014)

I'm trying to get ahold of FedEx to see for SURE if they delivered it to the right house. However I did have that little voice in my head telling me to "go home", put the package in the house, then go meet the kids at the mall, so I am pretty sure it was stolen. The voice is never wrong. I have not yet contacted winegrapesdirect about the insurance, but I did order another bucket to tide me over while dealing with PayPal and fedex. Im on a mission and no little punk is gonna get between me and my 29.6 brix old vine Zinfandel!!!!


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## ColemanM (Nov 8, 2014)

So I ordered another OVZ and it came last Friday. Warmed it up on Sunday and added 2.25 liters of water and 25 g tartaric acid and rehydrated rock pile yeast. RP15 I hear it's also called. I tossed a heating blanket over it and by Monday night it was at 90*!! It hung around 85-90 for three days and is now in the upper 70's to low 80's. Starting SG from what I could gather was 1.130 and is currently at 1.038 and very slowly going down. It looks like the drop in SG dramatically slowing but it's hard to tell with the amount of solids in the sample must. I tasted it and lo and behold it tasted dang close to the 2011 vintage port I prematurely (at least 5 years) opened. I am hoping it will putter out around 1.020+ so I have time to fortify it, otherwise I will have to use sub par store bought brandy. If I had the money I'd toss in 1.2 gallons of Rémy Martin vsop. We will see where this ends up later next week but all I can say is, I wish I got the first shipment because I would have ordered another but they are now sold out  that's my update.


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## marino (Nov 8, 2014)

Where did you order the OVZ bucket? I couldn't see where you ordered...


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## ibglowin (Nov 9, 2014)

If your making a port out of this why in the world did you add WATER……

That makes no sense whatsoever. You just diluted and lowered the ending ABV so now you will have to add more fortifier than you would have had to in order boost it back up.


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## ColemanM (Nov 9, 2014)

Marino, I bought the bucket from winegrapesdirect. They send everything you need to ferment the grapes. Ibglowin, I added the water due to the fact that I will be adding @70+ brandy, so there is a lack of water and I was looking to bump a little in volume. The grape must looks like sludge, not a nice liquid wine with grapes.


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## marino (Nov 9, 2014)

Thanks Coleman, just saw they were sold out. I was going to try your project. I really only got into wine making for the port


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## richmke (Nov 12, 2014)

I still don't get why you are adding water. You will be adding a lot of brandy, which will increase the volume. Clearing will take care of the sludge look.

BTW: Option #3 is the classic way of making port.


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## ColemanM (Nov 12, 2014)

I highly doubt the Douro Valley gets 29 brix gapes. Give me a few months and I will send you all a 167 that will make you crap your pants. As I stated before.... I should get about 3 1/2 gallons of finished wine and I will fortify with 70+ not 40 brandy. Less volume, less dilution. Thus my method.


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## richmke (Nov 12, 2014)

What's 167?

Regarding Brandy: all the brandy I can find is 80 proof (40% alcohol). The only thing I can find at 150 proof (75% alcohol) is everclear (actually it is 190 proof here, but they make 150 proof where 190 proof is not allowed).


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## ColemanM (Nov 12, 2014)

167 ml bottle.


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## marino (Nov 16, 2014)

I've found 151 proof vodka. Can't detect the fusil oils. Do you think that's marry better? What about mixing the vodka with brandy?


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## ColemanM (Nov 16, 2014)

Hmm, I like my drinks "neat" because I like to taste the grain, grape or what not. I have never really tasted a tasteless vodka. I tried an ever clear and it was ok, not sure if the vodka was a grain if it would interfere with the wine. Best bet would be to take a Zin and add some of the fortifier. If it meshes, good deal. But I think vodka of any type would add a bitter note. Not sure if I explained that very well.


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## marino (Nov 16, 2014)

Yeah, I see what you're saying. I'm not saying the vodka was tasteless, just clean. I like my drinks clean too. I would use the aguardente they use in Portugal but it's not available so I use E&j brandy. I was thinking out loud with the vodka/brandy fortification idea.


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## ColemanM (Nov 23, 2014)

Nailed it!!! Bench tests on the fortification of my Zin port conclude that it tastes super good!! Yes, I could have gone without the water additions, though I don't feel it will be too detrimental to the final outcome. 3.7 gallons wine fortified with .53 gallons brandy unfortunate doesn't get me over the 20 liters needed for a barrel. Hmmmmmmm. That's my next hurdle. Anyone try the American oak 10liter barrels before? Maybe wait til next year for more Zin grapes. Decisions.


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## marino (Nov 23, 2014)

I have my labodega port kit in a 10L Vadai. The oak impact has been very soft. Spent 3 months in on first oak and it is almost imperceptible. I'll be getting a 20L soon so I can combine batches.


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## ColemanM (Nov 23, 2014)

Nice!! I didn't realize vadai had a 10L barrel. I'll look into that.


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## ColemanM (Nov 23, 2014)

marino said:


> Thanks Coleman, just saw they were sold out. I was going to try your project. I really only got into wine making for the port




Have you thought about a Durrell vineyard Syrah that they have? I need to hold off for about 3-6 months. But I'd love to hear about what you ultimately decide to do when you make your port.


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## marino (Nov 23, 2014)

The thing that kills me is that there's a $10 difference between a 10L and 20L. With the stand and a silicone bung, I paid less than $180, shipped to Boston, ma


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## marino (Nov 30, 2014)

ColemanM said:


> Have you thought about a Durrell vineyard Syrah that they have? I need to hold off for about 3-6 months. But I'd love to hear about what you ultimately decide to do when you make your port.





Is this something I buy from them? Never heard of this place. I gotta wait until spring--I need a break from cleaning carboys!


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## ColemanM (Nov 30, 2014)

Yup it's 2012 Sonoma coast Syrah from the Durrell vineyards. 135 + 30 shipping. I got 3.75 gallons bulk aging wine, on average, from my cab and merlot from WGDirect. I have a ratchet press, but still expect to lose about 1/4 gallon over the year racking? Just tossing that out there if you are concerned about $/bottle and/or have no press.


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## ColemanM (Dec 2, 2014)

Update: soooooo good I had to order another "lost in the shuffle" pail that they had on hand. I need a full 7 1/2 gallons to put in a like barrel and never think about until my children are of age. Unreal product from WGD!! More info to come.


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## marino (Dec 2, 2014)

So do they always have these syrahs from different years, or did you just get the lucky stock? 

Congratulations on the score!!


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## byathread (Dec 3, 2014)

ColemanM said:


> Starting SG from what I could gather was 1.130 and is currently at 1.038 and very slowly going down. It looks like the drop in SG dramatically slowing but it's hard to tell with the amount of solids in the sample must. I tasted it and lo and behold it tasted dang close to the 2011 vintage port I prematurely (at least 5 years) opened. I am hoping it will putter out around 1.020+ so I have time to fortify it, otherwise I will have to use sub par store bought brandy.



So, just curious what your final gravity was before fortifying? What about the TA?


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## ColemanM (Dec 3, 2014)

Fortified and held steady at 1.034 not sure of the TA but I will check on it when my second pail of grapes arrives on Friday.


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## ColemanM (Dec 3, 2014)

marino said:


> So do they always have these syrahs from different years, or did you just get the lucky stock?
> 
> Congratulations on the score!!




I actually bought another OV Zin not a Syrah, but I just racked my cab and merlot into their long term vessels and I realize...$99 for the cab is a screaming deal!!


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## ColemanM (Dec 24, 2014)

So my second pail of OVZin has been fermenting for two weeks now. Started at 1.130 with two packets of BM45 yeast rehydrated in 10 g of ferm aid o. Added a few additions of ferm aid K and DAP over the next 8 days. Temp in the mid 80's. Really slowed down last Sunday and has dropped from 1.064 to 1.052 in the last 7 days so I pressed the grapes last night. This time around I added no extra water or acid. Since the 1.034 first port is too sweet for my taste, I am planning on trying to finish this almost dry by adding ec1118. Anyone see a problem with that? I will try to make a quart starter. Since it's already about 10% ABV. Rehydrate yeast. Steep feed must to it over the next day. Then pitch. Really getting excited about this one! Super dark and earthy fruity. Will mix well with the last one and be enough to fill a barrel for a year or so.


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## sour_grapes (Dec 24, 2014)

ColemanM said:


> I am planning on trying to finish this almost dry by adding ec1118. Anyone see a problem with that?



I recently did something similar. I made an Amarone (WE SI), and I used BM45 yeast. The untweaked version of this wine is probably close to the alcohol tolerance of BM45. In addition, I added (a la Joeswine) 20 oz of Zante currants. This should bump the ABV another 0.7 or so. Therefore, I made a starter of EC1118, which I added to secondary (i.e., after the fermentation was pretty far along). It finished to dry.

I do not know whether this was necessary or not. That is, I did not wait to see if it stalled; I just went ahead and did it as a prophylactic measure.


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## syncnite (Dec 24, 2014)

*OV Zin Port - Me Too*

I also bought a couple buckets from WGD a few months ago. I asked them to hold them until December and so I'm just now fermenting.

One is the 2013 Syrah and the other is the OV Zin - the same wine that you bought. I don't want a lot of port, so I took out 1.5 gallons of Zin must to ferment separately and end up with 1 gallon of port. I just inoculated with yeast 2 days ago. Now the fermentations are off to a good start.

Before pitching yeast, I measured the Zin at 31 Brix. So the Zin to become table wine, I watered back with acidulated water. But the small batch to become port, I did not water back. In fact, I'll step up the sugar a little pretty soon. I intend to halt the fermentation by adding cognac at a certain point - still deciding exactly at which point. I was planning on 10 Brix, but I'm not sure if that's too sweet.


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## richmke (Dec 24, 2014)

The BM45 yeast is rated for 15 to 16% ABV. That implies the SG 1.13 should ferment down to between 1.015 to 1.010, or lower. However, the grape skins could add another 0.01 to the SG. 1.052 seems a little early for the yeast to konk out.


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## ColemanM (Dec 24, 2014)

I'll try heating it up and give it a few more days then.


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## marino (Dec 27, 2014)

Colman, I just checked WGD. What do you think about a Carignan port? I'm not familiar with this grape, but it has higher Brix than the syrahs from 2013..


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## ColemanM (Dec 27, 2014)

I've never even heard of that grape. And most info that I read was lacking at best. Not sure the flavor profile of the grape. If I were you I would grab a bottle of it at a store and see what it's all about. Sorry I can't help, but I know they come from the same vineyard as the Zin and they were quality!


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## ibglowin (Dec 27, 2014)

It's not the brix so much that your looking for in order to make a good port. It's a dark inky black must. Something that will still be quite dark even after you fortify. Think of Petit Syrah. Syrah. Zinfandel....


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## marino (Dec 30, 2014)

Ahhh, that's helpful. They have syrah, I think ilk give that a shot!


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## sour_grapes (Jan 3, 2015)

marino said:


> Colman, I just checked WGD. What do you think about a Carignan port? I'm not familiar with this grape, but it has higher Brix than the syrahs from 2013..





ColemanM said:


> I've never even heard of that grape. And most info that I read was lacking at best. Not sure the flavor profile of the grape. If I were you I would grab a bottle of it at a store and see what it's all about. Sorry I can't help, but I know they come from the same vineyard as the Zin and they were quality!



You may never have heard of this grape, but I bet you have consumed plenty of it in your life! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carignan#United_States


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## ColemanM (Jan 31, 2015)

Enjoying the fruits of my labor.


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## marino (Feb 1, 2015)

Already? How old is it? How does it taste?

Looks delicious. It's crying so hard!


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## ColemanM (Feb 2, 2015)

It's very fruity and a little tart with a sweet full flavor. The nose is sweet and earthy with a hint of oak. It's not as dark as the 2011 vintage port I drank, nor as gritty either. I would say it's very close to a tawny port. It's still sitting with American and French Oak cubes in the carboy, but just had to sneak a taste. More of a bing cherry, red berry earthy sweet flavor than a stewed fruit raisin profile. I'd say I'm satisfied though may be a bit sweet for me. Won't have an open barrel for some time though, so I need to be careful not to taste it too often 
P.s it's about 2 months old


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## marino (Apr 26, 2015)

Hey Coleman! Ive had some bad luck happen with my wines here but I'm back to give it another try. 

I have 2 lugs of Chile Syrah and Malbec coming in a couplle weeks. and am thinking of maybe making the Syrah into port. Do you think the Malbec would work as well? I have better luck with Port, it's the only wine that hasn't completely disappointed me. 

I was trying to find a bucket of syrah, but no luck. appreciate any advice you have from your experience with the OVZ! 

marino


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## ColemanM (Apr 30, 2015)

Hey Marino, sorry to hear about your wines. What happened?? I think a Syrah would make a pretty good port. Your malbec could be iffy though. I just bought 4 different Malbecs and found them to be all over the place. I was under the impression that they where supposed to be much more blackberry dominant and these, well, had no identity. However at a higher brix and ABV it might show blackberry more. So I'd say go for it. Do them seperately. Then blend if you like. 
I had a taste of my Zin and believe it may be too sweet. It is 1.040 (where both ferments stopped at) and fortified with 77% brandy. I think it needs to see a barrel for 6-9 months. Very good raisin stewed fruit and earth though. 
Are you going to stop fermentation or back sweeten? If the brix are high I'd try and use a weaker yeast and arrest fermentation. Start adding brandy at 1.024 should hopefully stop it less than 1.02 hope you have better luck with your grapes. What was wrong with your other wines?


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## marino (May 2, 2015)

Hey! I don't know what happened to my other wines. I just received my Vinmetrica 300 so I'm hoping to get some information from that ( I think I might have gotten into some acetobacter problems bc of poor sulfite management)

I'm still unsure of what to do with the Malbec. I could just make wine, but I don't want my wife to feel forced to drink swill--if making it a port gave me better hope, I'd go for that. 

As for the Syrah, I think I'll stepfeed it and hope the yeast die at the right spot. I'll have some brandy around to see if I can stop it. I think I'll try to stepfeed it with some concentrate from a port kit I have.. Or maybe I should keep it simple and go all grapes... 

What are some good ph and acid values I should be looking for? 

Hows your Vadai barrel? Is your OVZ in it? I just ordered a 20L and have my LaBodega kit in it now. I also have 3 10L American Barrels with port in it.. I'm looking forward to the differences! 

At least the port is all fine, the other wine is probs bad.. I'll hold it in bottles and hope for the best


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## ColemanM (May 2, 2015)

Does your wine have a creamy ring on the top of the carboy? How has it gone bad? I can't help with TA and ph values. I'm not the chemist just a drinker. I only have the so2 tester. One day I'll get serious.


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## marino (May 3, 2015)

Actually, there's a white ring on a couple. What's that mean?


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## ColemanM (May 3, 2015)

I have no idea. It only happens to the kits I add pressed grape skins. Pectin haze? Not sure. I add extra sulfites to the top layer with a syringe.


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## ColemanM (Jan 24, 2016)

Hope you're still here Marino, I added chitosan to my milky ringed Malbec kit and the ring vanished. I'm guessing pectin ring. Nothing bad. How did your wines turn out? I just topped my OVZin port in the barrel off today and had about 100ml left over from the top off bottle. Without it being in the barrel (what I sampled), it has mellowed incredibly gracefully. The 77% brandy has really softened, the 1.04 is not as cloyingly sweet as it once was. I'd have to say I am incredibly proud of this port. Raisin, earth, plums and light oak. Beats the 10 year old Frontenac port I had this summer from a local winery. This is about a $40-$50 drink. Hopefully it will age gracefully and become a 96 point $150 bottle.


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## marino (Feb 16, 2016)

Hey Coleman! Good to hear from you! Wow, so this port is doing all this great stuff this early?? What are your tricks? 

I kinda gave up on all this stuff, and then it turned out that it made the wines better (patience by quitting) ! 

I really want to make a OVZin port, but can't find good juice and skins for this. My La Bodega port is getting better but I wouldn't call it port (and not just because of the naming restrictions) it tastes like sucrose. I'm hoping barrel time will help it along. 

How did you get your hands on the brandy? I'd love to get a batch of OVZin port going! I'll be visiting my uncle in the Douro Valley this summer. He's got a small producing vineyard. I'll be too early for harvest, but I'm hoping to pick up some pointers. 

Hope to hear from you! 

M


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## ColemanM (Feb 16, 2016)

Hey Marino. So I had a sample from the barrel last week and I'd have to say it has a little oak to it. Maybe a tad much, but the barrel should be darn near neutral by now, so I'll leave it in. I have 1 gallon topping wine left. I can't quite explain the brandy. Let's say I know someone who knows someone. I also would have to say that this is a tawny port style. My grapes, if you recall, stall fermentation at 1.040 and I pressed and fortified. Overshot to 21% but oh well. If I did it again, I would add the brandy if it stalled (or at 1.030 if it was still fermenting) and let it sit for up to 7 more days. I'd have to research that but I think it would make a more vintage style port. I bought some Malbec from winegrapesdirect and I feel this would be a pretty good candidate for a port. 
I was always ho hum on my port wine kit I made from winexpert, but I found one that was three years old, and I think the sorbate died because it was a sparkling port. Very very interesting. I chilled it but kind of preferred a 58* glass. Good luck on your next adventure. And have a great time in Douro!!!!


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## marino (Feb 16, 2016)

I tried to do this with Malbec last year but had a lot of H2S problems. Still don't know how to fix it. Maybe it's too late? I got Chilean grapes in the spring and I didn't take enough care to learn all I could about the sulfites that those grapes get on the way here. I don't think I can salvage it. I tried multiple super splash rackings, even a few little tests with copper (in glasses) and no noticeable change. 

I'll keep hunting for the OVZin and will let you know when I'm getting started!


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## Busabill (Mar 30, 2016)

Hey all, I've been following this thread because I have 6 gallons of Zinfandel that I made from grapes picked in Lodi, started last September. It is dry, MLFd and just finishing 3months of French Oak. I want to take 1 gallon (or a little less and end with a gallon) of it and make a port. But I've never attempted a port before. Are there any issues with starting the port process at this point? Is it just fortify and back sweeten at this point? Is there anything to watch out for or make sure that I do or add? Thanks. This has been an interesting thread! REally want to make a good 20 abv or so port!! Cheers!!!


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## ColemanM (Mar 30, 2016)

Hey busabill, can you find a 77% abv brandy? If so it would help. If not, I'd go with a Brady or cognac that you enjoy and use the pearson's square to fortify. I would also try and get you Zin up to about 1.020 after fortification. Mine was 1.040 but think it would do better with less sugar. Any questions, just ask. I'm here to help you make the port your friends will all ask for!!


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## Busabill (Mar 30, 2016)

Hey, thanks for the reply Coleman! Why a 77% Brandy? And...after fortification, how much sugar do I add to get the SG to 1.020? What is the math there? And is that just simply measured with a hydrometer then? It seems there is a learning curve here, but I will get it.


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## sour_grapes (Mar 31, 2016)

Busabill said:


> Hey, thanks for the reply Coleman! Why a 77% Brandy? And...after fortification, how much sugar do I add to get the SG to 1.020? What is the math there? And is that just simply measured with a hydrometer then? It seems there is a learning curve here, but I will get it.



You can let Fermcalc do the work for you: http://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermcalc/fermcalc_applet.html


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## ColemanM (Mar 31, 2016)

77% is for the least amount of dilution. Actually I think it's more like 72 that the Portuguese use. Otherwise your pouring in lots of water with a 40%. Not many people can find the higher stuff, sorry for putting it out there.


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## ColemanM (Mar 31, 2016)

Busabill, also, I just read another post of yours stating you're looking to take 6 gallons of your Zin. I'd do the math of fortification first because I believe you would turn that 6 gallons into about 7 1/2. Maybe do 5 if it works out to be like 6.2 just my 2¢


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## Busabill (Mar 31, 2016)

ColemanM said:


> Busabill, also, I just read another post of yours stating you're looking to take 6 gallons of your Zin. I'd do the math of fortification first because I believe you would turn that 6 gallons into about 7 1/2. Maybe do 5 if it works out to be like 6.2 just my 2¢



Hey Coleman, you must have misread, or I misspoke, anyway, no biggie. What I'm actually doing is wanting to end up with about 1 gallon of port. So I'm going to use about 1 gallon of the zinfandel (or a little less) and fortify it so I arrive at about 1 gallon of port. Of course I suppose I should make a little over a gallon for topping up, and I suppose it would make the math easy if I start with exactly 1 gallon of the zin. The fortification math is a little cloudy still but I will figure that out. Also, on the 77% brandy to use, thanks for the clarification, so basically just find the highest ABV brandy to avoid unnecessary dilution then?


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## ibglowin (Apr 1, 2016)

Well if you want to end up with 1 gallon of port you would start out with LESS than one gallon of wine!

I have made port wine a couple of times and using a starting wine with about 15.5%ABV you need about 1 (750ml) bottle of 80 proof Brandy per GALLON of wine if you want to end up with ~19% ABV.



Busabill said:


> What I'm actually doing is wanting to end up with about 1 gallon of port. So I'm going to use about 1 gallon of the zinfandel (or a little less) and fortify it so I arrive at about 1 gallon of port.


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## sour_grapes (Apr 1, 2016)

What works out well for me is to put a 750 ml bottle of wine into an empty 1 liter brandy bottle, then top it off with 250 ml of brandy. (This is assuming about 13% ABV wine and a target of 20% port using 40% ABV brandy.)


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## wineforfun (Apr 1, 2016)

@ibglowin and @sour_grapes Interesting stuff there. Sounds like a quick and easy way to make a port wine out of a bottle of wine you have on hand that you like, without doing all the fermenting, etc.


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## sour_grapes (Apr 1, 2016)

wineforfun said:


> @ibglowin and @sour_grapes Interesting stuff there. Sounds like a quick and easy way to make a port wine out of a bottle of wine you have on hand that you like, without doing all the fermenting, etc.



I also add some sugar, since port has some residual sugar. I add about 3 Tablespoons for this 1-liter batch.


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## Busabill (Apr 2, 2016)

So...after the fortification, when back sweetening is there a specific formula that is used or is it better to just do bench trials and figure out what tastes best? Or is it better to just use SG? What is the typical method?


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## sour_grapes (Apr 2, 2016)

Busabill said:


> So...after the fortification, when back sweetening is there a specific formula that is used or is it better to just do bench trials and figure out what tastes best? Or is it better to just use SG? What is the typical method?



I use SG. On my first attempts I sweetened the wine (before fortification) to 1.030; after fortification, the SG was ~1.010. (Brandy is not at all dense!) This amount of sugar was too sweet, IMHO.

On later batches, I sweetened the wine to 1.017-1.020. I don't know what the SG was after fortification for this level of sweetening, but the taste was fine to my taste buds.


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## Busabill (Apr 3, 2016)

Paul, cool. It seems a read that a lot of people fortify first and then sweeten. Here you are sweetening first. Do you think there is a benefit either way? What about aging it after fortifying and sweetening. Recommended?


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## sour_grapes (Apr 3, 2016)

I don't think it matters which order you do it. I did it that way sort of randomly.

Aging? Yes, I expect it to help. Real port is typically aged a long time. The higher ABV helps stabilize it.


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## Busabill (Apr 4, 2016)

Cool, and one final question, which I think the answer is yes, do you SO2 a port the same way you would when aging a traditional wine?


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## marino (Sep 27, 2016)

Coleman, finally got a lug of OVZ happily fermenting. Having a hard time getting the yeast to make it past 15% abv. Gotta get it off the skins-starting to get stinky. Going to do
The same with Tempranillo when they come in. Any hints? How's your ovz batch?


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## NorCal (Sep 28, 2016)

Busabill said:


> Cool, and one final question, which I think the answer is yes, do you SO2 a port the same way you would when aging a traditional wine?



You have 20% alcohol working for you, so you can dial it back. If it calls for 50, I would do 30-40 ppm. When I make port, I like it a little dark and dirty.


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## ColemanM (Sep 28, 2016)

Hey Marino, why is it getting stinky? Did you fortify it yet? If the yeast is puttering out, that may be a good thing. You want/need a but of residual sweetness. I would first fortify it by adding some brandy/cognac to the correct abv. Then I would dust it with some kmeta. Then I would leave it on the skins (if it's not objectionable smelling). I pulled it off the skins pretty much right away, and it is definitely a tawny. If you want a "vintage" port, I would try to leave it on the skins longer. If it's too late for you OVZ then try it with your Temp. What were your numbers for the temp?


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## marino (Nov 19, 2016)

Sorry I've been MIA Coleman-- the OVZ port got stinky because I think I left it on the lees too long. I fortified it and then splash racked it A TON. Need to go back down and check on it. The tempranillo smells good, but I don't know how to make it vintage. I used E&j VSOP (the more expensive one) has WAY too much vanilla. Not doing that again. I had.05L of the 70% brandy from my uncle who makes port. That brandy came inside the barrel my that he got for me to protect it. Too bad I couldn't bring enough to make a whole batch the traditional way


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