Mosti Mondiale La Bodega Port (Double Batch!)
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Yea but I am trying to keep the distilled spirits out of the barrel. Wine only!
Ha! Some day when I have a barrel room full of Vadai's!
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Search for grape spirits. You'll get lots of alcohol (85%) and the grape goodness. Fortifying with brandy at 80 proof will take several bottles and change the taste of the port. I used 375ml of 190 Everclear and 375ml of VSOP Brandy on a 3 gallon batch. I did not try to calculate the exact proof.
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I am leaning towards a good VSOP and or XO Brandy ATM. I have time to do some R&D on this one!
Yea that was by design. Didn't have to buy a 3 gallon Carboy so saved that $$. Should last me a few years for sure!
Hi all. I'm new to this forum, but have been making wine for almost 40 years, and in 2002 was knighted as a Master Knight and Knight Commander in the International Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.
Love to see the interrest currently exploding in "the greatest hobby ever."
A couple of comments here in this threat have caused me some concern, however, when it comes to making any port - whether from a kit or from grapes. Comments concerning adding everclear to make a port have me shuddering. The old addage of "never mix the grape with the grain" could never have been more true than when making a port. Not only is everclear a grain alcohol, but it is a very harsh alcohol to boot. Grain alcohols will never marry with the tastes and flavors of the wine, and will always result in a port that is much harsher than one made with a brandy, no matter what kit makers may state. To make a truly memorable port, always use a good quality brandy, and use the Pierson Square to calculate the amount of brandy to use to give you your final alcohol content. The result will will be astonishing compared to using grain alcohol. The grain alcohol will never truly marry with the falvors of the wine, because it can't.
To make a truly remarkable port, spend the little extra to use the brandy. The results will be a complete melding of the flavors of the grape based wine and the grape based brandy....something that can never be achieved with the use of any grain alcohol.
Ports using ANY red wine and brandy can be exceptional. Just make sure that you shut down fermentation for the desired sweetness, add the brandy, and have a little patience. I have six gold medals sitting on my wall for brandy infused ports......so it does make a BIG difference.
Bill
Love to see the interrest currently exploding in "the greatest hobby ever."
A couple of comments here in this threat have caused me some concern, however, when it comes to making any port - whether from a kit or from grapes. Comments concerning adding everclear to make a port have me shuddering. The old addage of "never mix the grape with the grain" could never have been more true than when making a port. Not only is everclear a grain alcohol, but it is a very harsh alcohol to boot. Grain alcohols will never marry with the tastes and flavors of the wine, and will always result in a port that is much harsher than one made with a brandy, no matter what kit makers may state. To make a truly memorable port, always use a good quality brandy, and use the Pierson Square to calculate the amount of brandy to use to give you your final alcohol content. The result will will be astonishing compared to using grain alcohol. The grain alcohol will never truly marry with the falvors of the wine, because it can't.
To make a truly remarkable port, spend the little extra to use the brandy. The results will be a complete melding of the flavors of the grape based wine and the grape based brandy....something that can never be achieved with the use of any grain alcohol.
Ports using ANY red wine and brandy can be exceptional. Just make sure that you shut down fermentation for the desired sweetness, add the brandy, and have a little patience. I have six gold medals sitting on my wall for brandy infused ports......so it does make a BIG difference.
Bill
Welcome to the forum Bill.
I completly agree with what you said. I did bench trials with Port using Brandy and Everclear. I vote Brandy hands down!!!
However, with some fruit Ports Everclear is a good option.
What Brandy do you prefer to use?
I completly agree with what you said. I did bench trials with Port using Brandy and Everclear. I vote Brandy hands down!!!
However, with some fruit Ports Everclear is a good option.
What Brandy do you prefer to use?
That was my next question!
I have yet to pick up a bottle of XO and still not clear which makes a better Port one or the other or perhaps a mixture of the two! There is a boutique winery/distillery just a mile from me that it actually making Grappa! Only thing he wants $45 for a 375ml bottle!
I have yet to pick up a bottle of XO and still not clear which makes a better Port one or the other or perhaps a mixture of the two! There is a boutique winery/distillery just a mile from me that it actually making Grappa! Only thing he wants $45 for a 375ml bottle!
Normally I used VSOP, or a very good cognac. The better the brandy, the better that it lays down with the wine and becomes seamless. As with any port, though, time is the secret. Have never had a great port that layed down in less than 3-4 years, regardless of the quality of the brandy, but the better, the quicker they become seamless.
Just opened a bottle of ZIN port with courvossier bottled in 1999. Still a teenager, but really nice already. May not have any left by the time it grows up (grin)
Just opened a bottle of ZIN port with courvossier bottled in 1999. Still a teenager, but really nice already. May not have any left by the time it grows up (grin)
Hey Bill,
Much thanks for your input on Port fortification!
On another note, I just noticed your located in Parkville, MO. My inlaws lived for almost 30 years at Weatherby Lake just up the road from you. Father in Law is a retired FAA flight controller. They decided to get out of the "big" city and moved out to Plattsburg, MO about 5 years ago. You guys have the best of both worlds.
Hot and Humid Summers and Colder than H#LL Winters!
Much thanks for your input on Port fortification!
On another note, I just noticed your located in Parkville, MO. My inlaws lived for almost 30 years at Weatherby Lake just up the road from you. Father in Law is a retired FAA flight controller. They decided to get out of the "big" city and moved out to Plattsburg, MO about 5 years ago. You guys have the best of both worlds.
Hot and Humid Summers and Colder than H#LL Winters!
Laughing.....soooooo true, and don't forget it can be 20 below one day, and in the 60s the next...we joke about it being the "land of the constant head cold". Glad to be here.......good forum. I teach a lot of winemaking classes, and train judges......so this is a great platform, and a true platform. Used to spend a lot of time on Winemaker forum, but that just got too full of people who thought they knew it all (laughing.) As we all know, all of us still have a lot to learn. George suggested this forum and I really like it......real people!!!!
Update on this guy. He is in the carboy all finished up and awaiting his turn in the Vadai. I took a small carboy sample a few weeks back to try and see if i could figure out what type of grape is used in this mix since Mosti is playing the "we can't tell you, its proprietary" game and holy cow, this guy tasted almost as GREEN as my wine from fresh grapes.
Lots of tannin for sure. No way I could figure out any type of wine to use to top off with at this stage. Should make for one heck of a Port down the road! Till then I am keeping him stoppered and backfilling the headspace with Argon every few weeks.
Lots of tannin for sure. No way I could figure out any type of wine to use to top off with at this stage. Should make for one heck of a Port down the road! Till then I am keeping him stoppered and backfilling the headspace with Argon every few weeks.
Mike, I made this guy 2 years ago (single kit) and fortified with VSOP. It took right at 1000 ml to get it up to 17% ABV. Iadded an additional med toast French spiral for 2 months. It came out with a very nice vanilla tone and I must say at this point the Brandy has blended in very well as Bill has said. I am glad to hear it still isn't at it's best.
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