Mosti Mondiale La Bodega Port Style

[geek]

Picked one up yesterday for a really good price.

I never done any ports in the past except the WE Raspberry Chocolate just recently and is bulk aging after adding brandy.

Anyway, so I opened the La Bodega kit last night just to check what came with it.
I am impressed so far, aside from the 'normal' ingredients that came with the WE port it also came with :

90gr of oak
454gr of raisins
10gr of yeast nutrient (yep..!!)
2 small tubes of I assume clearing agents call "Siligel" and "Geliquide"

So far I really like what I see and cannot wait to get it started.
To me, it looks like a much better combo compared to the WE port kit.

This La Bodega is running for $95

 

[geek]

Here is a pic, the bag shown is the fpack, the big juice bag is in the box.

 

[ibglowin]

I was going to say where is the F-pack. IIRC that thing was about a liter or so. Let me tell you you are in for a treat with this one. I did not want to turn the wine into port it was THAT GOOD! And it was only 6 months old at the time I think. If I were to make it again I think I would try step feeding it until the yeast gives out just to see how high you could get it and…… the less brandy to add to it.

I think I only have 6 bottles left of mine and those are Splits no less so not much. Luckily I have about 7 gallons of Petit Syrah Port (from fresh grapes) that is now almost 2.5 years old waiting in the wings to bottle up this Winter.

 

[geek]

I was even thinking of getting another kit to make a double batch together, this way I can bulk age in a 6gal or 5gal carboy and leave the existing WE port in the only 3gal carboy I have. But budget is tight due to Christmas...

With the goodies included it seems like this kit is a better deal compared to the WE and RJS port style kits. We'll see.

I think I may follow directions to the T. I saw a post on another forum where the guy added a banana to primary for body....hmmm

 

[geek]

BTW, did you add the raisins in primary or secondary?
I think the instructions call to add them 24 hours after pitching the yeast, but found this info on FVW's site about the raisins:

http://www.finevinewines.com/La_Bodega_Port.html

Quote:

"The instructions indicate that the raisins are to be added 24 hours after pitching the yeast. We have found that the wine is often ready to be racked to Secondary in three or four days allowing only two or three days for the raisins to make their contribution to the wine. We do not believe this is enough time. Rather than adding the whole raisins, we recommend that they be coarsely chopped and added just before pitching the yeast. This will result in the extraction of the sugar and flavor contribution from the raisin. (A food processor works very well for this purpose.)"

 

[ibglowin]

I added in primary and iI would take it to dry in the bucket. I also made a double batch. I have tried some of the other ports and they are thin tasteless in comparison.

 

[geek]

Do you remember if you added whole or you chopped them as stated above?

 

[Brian55]

With the goodies included it seems like this kit is a better deal compared to the WE and RJS port style kits. We'll see.

That's not setting the bar very high. The WE and RJ's ports I've made are "lacking" to say the least.. They definitely require some serious tweaking. Hopefully the Mosti kit is significantly better.

 

[ibglowin]

What part of "THIS IS THE BEST PORT KIT HANDS DOWN" did you not understand? LOL

Hopefully the Mosti kit is significantly better.

 

[ibglowin]

Corse chop with a knife, no food processor.

Do you remember if you added whole or you chopped them as stated above?

 

[Brian55]

What part of "THIS IS THE BEST PORT KIT HANDS DOWN" did you not understand? LOL

It's definitely going to be my next port, but since I'm already well stocked on kits, it will have to wait until fall.

 

[geek]

Thanks Mike.

Now, I have to think whether to start now or take the plunge and go get a 2nd kit to make a bigger batch....

 

[Brian55]

Thanks Mike.

Now, I have to think whether to start now or take the plunge and go get a 2nd kit to make a bigger batch....

I'd do one to see how I like it, but get a second 3 gallon carboy. After you're done with the port, it will come in handy for other wines, as you can split a 6 gallon batch of regular wine and oak them differently, or bulk age one longer than the other.

 

[jsiddall]

I generally followed the FVW instructions for mine. Not sure I thought it was all that spectacular before "portifying"/fortifying but it was just a few months old then so still too early to really know.

I will say the F-pack seems to dominate the flavor, at least initially. It weighed in at 2.2 kg and although I never measured the volume the weight implies it is probably close to 2 l. It has a lot of sugar and a strong vanilla-ish flavor and aroma. You may want to consider adding gradually if you want an end product closer to the base wine in flavor. Apparently the vanilla dies down as it ages though so I am looking forward to that.

 

[richmke]

I will make the La Bodega in February. I'm thinking of adding 1/2 of the F-Pack into the primary, and the rest after stabilizing. That should cut down on the sweetness.

 

[thecrewking]

where do you guys get the kits? I'm having a hard time finding this one online that's in stock. Local brew shop doesn't carry this brand.

 

[richmke]

This is the only place in the USA that I have found it that ships. They had it in stock a few weeks ago. Ask them when they will get more.

http://finevinewines.com/Z_ProdListWK.asp

 

[bakervinyard]

I bought this kit a year ago. Haven't had time to make it yet. I plan on starting it in January. I bought fresh yeast for it though. II made the Chocolate Raspberry 2 years ago, I like it alot and it gets better every month. Bakervinyard

 

[thecrewking]

They said not until mid January.

This is the only place in the USA that I have found it that ships. They had it in stock a few weeks ago. Ask them when they will get more.

http://finevinewines.com/Z_ProdListWK.asp

 

[geek]

Try M&M. They had a few when I picked mine up Friday.