WineXpert Chocolate Orange Port...that's right!

[ckvchestnut]

Hmmm, this is going to prove difficult lol! I am really not too much of a sweet wine lover, however I love certain flavor profiles such as vanilla, chocolate and coffee etc. Is there a way to make these less sweet or is it just some pre-sweetened syrup? I apologize for the dumb questions, I've never made one of these kits! Thanks again for your feedback, I'm going to have to try many in order to decide which ones, in fact I like best. But as far as sweet wine goes, I can picture myself sipping it from time to time as kind of like a dessert treat but I also plan to give out to others who tend to like sweeter wines.

 

[Runningwolf]

Hey Carolyn, I did not read all the earlier posts but to answer your question, I really don't think there is a way on this one to make it less sweet. I think you really want to add the entire juice packs the way they call for them as they carry all of the flavor. Yes it is sweet but desert wines are, and meant to be drank in very small mounts either just before or after dinner. I do suggest bottling in just 375ml bottles. Just like ice wine too much would be sickening. Follow the procedures and you'll have a desert wine to be proud of.

A few years ago I made three different ones. They all turned out very well. They make awesome "special gifts" and they deserve a special homemade label.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Is it possible to make these kits less sweet than as going per instructions? Or does the flavor pack or what not already have sweetening? sorry for the dumb questions, I've never made one of these before!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oh Dan, thanks very much for your advice! Ok that will be the plan then, as it's mostly for gifts anyways. And yes I have seen many posts on bottling this in smaller bottles but that will make MORE bottles too, so that will be great! I'm liking the sound of the apple tatin, toasted, caramel and chocolate orange, but then the rest sound good too based on everyone's feedback!

don't know why I had to do a 2nd post, I didn't see my first question on the sweetness thing - sorry for the double post.

 

[Boatboy24]

The flavor and sweetening are all in one pouch.

I agree with Dan, you want to add all of it for the flavor, but you can chapitalize and/or fortify to bump up the ABV. That will help to counter the sweetness somewhat. But these are definitely sippers. A little goes a long way.

ETA: I wonder what a combined Apple Tatin/toasted caramel would be like...

 

[JMK]

The white chocolate was the only one I feel is too sweet. I also think adding brandy helps tone down the perceived sweetness. I added it to both the chocolate raspberry and chocolate orange. They are awesome at 18 months.

 

[ckvchestnut]

The flavor and sweetening are all in one pouch.

I agree with Dan, you want to add all of it for the flavor, but you can chapitalize and/or fortify to bump up the ABV. That will help to counter the sweetness somewhat. But these are definitely sippers. A little goes a long way.

ETA: I wonder what a combined Apple Tatin/toasted caramel would be like...

boy you are making this painful! lol maybe pull a small amt from both to blend and age to see what we get? Ya the brandy would dilute the flavor somewhat eh?

 

[Runningwolf]

They are awesome at 18 months.

They are gone at 18 months.

 

[LoneStarLori]

boy you are making this painful! lol maybe pull a small amt from both to blend and age to see what we get? Ya the brandy would dilute the flavor somewhat eh?

I did the Orange chocolate in Oct and bottled it just the other day. I put in a full gallon of brandy at about 1.02 in the primary. I can tell you the chocolate is still very much there and the orange is starting to come out. It's already pretty smooth. I don't think the brandy hurt the flavor at all.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Lori, I meant more on the sweetness or potentness of it? Sure can't wait to try these!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Nope didn't mean potentness either... lol just meant possible the sweetness because you are diluting the batch with brandy which in my mind and tastebuds isn't sweet itself really... just the straight stuff.

 

[LoneStarLori]

Right. I didn't think it tasted too sweet at all. The overall taste is still very much a full bodied wine and the mouthfeel is amazing. I'm just waiting till it ages more so I can get more orange. I understand it takes singer for the orange to show up.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Right. I didn't think it tasted too sweet at all. The overall taste is still very much a full bodied wine and the mouthfeel is amazing. I'm just waiting till it ages more so I can get more orange. I understand it takes singer for the orange to show up.

Thanks Lori! Has someone said somewhere along the line that brandy can suppress the fruit flavour a bit? But the I remember it seems to come through anyways after time. Need more 3 gal carboys :-D

 

[LoneStarLori]

Need more 3 gal carboys :-D

More carboys are always good.

You might want to pick up a few 1 gallons also. Once you add the brandy, it's over by a gallon.
I can NEVER get 6 gallons out of a reg kit. I always end up with 5. But on this kit, I got almost 4 gals after the rackings.

 

[ckvchestnut]

OMG! You mean I have to buy 1 gal and 5 gal carboys too? Lol this is some crazy hobby! Lol I understand what you're saying though!! Time for some shut eye lol

 

[heatherd]

When I made the coffee port, I added toasted oak powder and espresso powder (per Joe's recipe in another thread) and added a fairly small amount of brandy probably only a cup, as well as the entire fpack. I added the fpack and brandy just before bottling, as stated in the instructions, so had racked from carboy to a primary to add everything and have plenty of space. Ended up getting 36 bottles from the batch - so be prepared to have extra labels and bottles if you're doing the RJS kits. After a month it super tasty, but also a little mean because of the brandy. The oak, brandy, and espresso make it less sweet and more complex.

The RJS Black Forest port was made with oak during fermentation, as well. I added 4TBLs toasted oak powder. I used 3/4 of the f pack and the same amount of brandy. It is good but not nearly as complex as the coffee one. If I were to do it again I would add something else to the primary during fermentation like chocolate powder that is bitter rather than sweet, to add a different dimension than sweet and wine. I would keep the brandy at around a cup so as not to overwhelm the flavor.

I gave coffee port as Christmas gifts, and my friends and family all said they want to buy all that I make in the future.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Wow thanks for taking the time to jot down all that info for me! Those sound like perfect tweaks. Did you say you'd add chocolate to the Black Forest kit? How long do these sit in the carboys prior to bottling? I could let the batch sit on pure unsweetened chocolate for a month prior to bottling. I did that with my elderberry wine and it turned out perfect!

Also did you add the oak powder and the espresso powder in the primary? I would assume that since it's powder?

 

[dangerdave]

Mines still in the carboy. I'm leaving it sit right there. If I bottle it, I'll drink it!

 

[ckvchestnut]

How long has it been aging?

 

[dangerdave]

I think I started mine around late October---about the same time Lori got hers going. I need to taste it, but I'm scared! It needs to stay right where it is. Tasting leads to drinking, leads to no more port!

I need to check the Dragon Port, too. Sunday may be port tasting day.