Port Wine vs Dessert Wine

[Resonant11]

I was recently browsing the competition information for the Minnesota State Fair, and I had a question. They have separate classes for "Dessert Wine" and "Port Wine." My understanding is that technically "Port" is made in Portugal, so I'm assuming the competition is referring to "port style."

Can anyone clarify the difference? I tried to research online, but the results are clogged with information about Port being a wine from Portugal. My guess is the difference might be in how the sweetness is achieved; via stopped fermentation or backsweetening.

I'll try to contact the organization if I need to, but I wanted to check here first.

Thanks!

 

[CDrew]

As a guess, not all dessert wines are fortified, but all port wine is. So port will be much higher in alcohol (20% or so) to prevent ongoing fermentation.

 

[BigDaveK]

I make "traditional" dessert wines.
A bit more fruit, a bit more acid, and step feeding the fermentation with additional sugar. The four I made last year all reached 20% ABV. They all stopped around 1.010 and I thought that the residual sugar was perfect, no back sweetening needed. And the sugar that's left over is mostly fructose - I think it tastes better. They taste absolutely wonderful but the problem is that the alcohol isn't noticeable...until you stand up! Real easy to get hammered fast.

 

[winemanden]

I think it's down to selling Port. Legally you can only sell Port that is made in Portugal. You can make it in exactly the same way that they do, but technically you're not making Port. Port style, yes.
It's the same with Champagne. You can make Sparkling wine in exactly the same way, but woe betide you if you put Champagne on the label.

 

[gmac52]

Where I am I can’t buy a port wine kit (something about copywriting ), they sell the same kit but call it a dessert wine

 

[Ohio Bob]

Where I am I can’t buy a port wine kit (something about copywriting ), they sell the same kit but call it a dessert wine

Top off your kit with Everclear and it becomes a port.

 

[winemaker81]

Where I am I can’t buy a port wine kit (something about copywriting ), they sell the same kit but call it a dessert wine

Some years back the kits were labeled "port", but I suspect that was scotched due to trademark-type protection, so they are now labeled "dessert".

My best guess is that @CDrew is correct -- "port" is fortified while "dessert" is not.

 

[Resonant11]

I appreciate the conversation here. Once I confirm the situation, I'll post here. It may not apply to every competition, but for future Minnesota State Fair entries.

 

[winemanden]

Top off your kit with Everclear and it becomes a port.

Slap across the wrist. It's not Port, it's Port style
Hide your email address before the GPP ( Genuine Port Police) catch up with you.

 

[Sailor323]

I think it's down to selling Port. Legally you can only sell Port that is made in Portugal. You can make it in exactly the same way that they do, but technically you're not making Port. Port style, yes.

Technically, that's true but there are many wines produced in the US that are labeled Port just as there are wines labeled Marsala, Madeira, and many other wines with AOC protection; even kit wines ignore AOC protections.

 

[cmason1957]

I'm pretty sure most (might even go so far as to say all) wine kits have now added Style to their kits that are possibly covered by AOC rules and regulations, ala RJS Spagnols Italian Amarone Style Kit and the kits that used to be called Port Kits are now called Dessert Wine Kits. As home winemakers we can call it anything we like, we aren't commercial, we aren't selling, we aren't subject to those rules and regulations, but Wine Kits are.

 

[BigDaveK]

I was hoping to gain some clarity on what a dessert wine is and did some reading today.
They're often sweet from residual sugar and they often have higher ABV. "Often", not always.

I've come to the conclusion that no one knows what a dessert wine is -
It might be sparkling...but maybe not.
It might be sweet....but maybe not.
It might be fortified....but maybe not.

Examples of dessert wines -
Port (and port-style )
Sherry
Medeira
Sauternes
Ice

The general rule of thumb seems to be, if you drink it with dessert it's a dessert wine.

Personally I feel cheated. I was hoping for something more concrete.

 

[winemaker81]

The general rule of thumb seems to be, if you drink it with dessert it's a dessert wine.

I drink dark reds with dark chocolate and Sauternes with certain meals, so the rule breaks down ...

Naw, your rule is good. There are exceptions to all rules, right?

 

[BigDaveK]

I drink dark reds with dark chocolate and Sauternes with certain meals, so the rule breaks down ...

Naw, your rule is good. There are exceptions to all rules, right?

Bryan I swear it was so damn frustrating! We know about red, white, and country wines and I was hoping for at least a little definitiveness. Oh well, I tried...

 

[winemaker81]

Bryan I swear it was so damn frustrating! We know about red, white, and country wines and I was hoping for at least a little definitiveness. Oh well, I tried...

Nope, definitiveness is not to be. I made Grenache this year, and while it's a red grape, it's not strong in color or tannin.



While this looks like a rose, it's a full bodied red wine, although it's not as heavy are common red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.

Don't sweat the definition of anything. As long as WE know what we're talking about, we're good. FYI, my definition of "dessert wine" is a wine that is sweet (not semi-sweet or off-dry), fortified/high ABV, or both. This covers Sherry (sweet and dry, high ABV), Marsala (sweet and dry, high ABV), Port (sweet, high ABV), Madeira (sweet, high ABV), Ice Wine (sweet), Sauternes (sweet), and plain 'ole dessert wine (sweet).

Many moons ago the Wine Spectator published a wine-matched menu + recipes in each issue. I recall full dinners (appetizers, sides, main courses, dessert) matched with red Bordeaux and with Sauternes. That's complete opposite sides of the spectrum.

Don't worry about definitions. We'll muddle through.

 

[JB005]

Hi, I was interested in trying to make a blueberry "port" dessert wine. I'm kind of combining a few recipes that are out there and here's what I'm thinking. Any comments/thoughts are immensely appreciated.

Blueberry "port"/dessert wine

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 pounds blueberries
• 4 cups granulated sugar (~1.75 lbs. of sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon acid blend
• 1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme
• 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
• 1 campden tablet
• 1 package K1-V1116 yeast
• 11 grams (0.4 ounces) of French Oak Chips
• Water

METHOD:

1. Crush the fruit. Add 12 cups of water and all other ingredients except the yeast. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Let sit overnight.
2. Specific gravity should be between 1.090 and 1.095. Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and stir. Stir daily for five days.
3. Strain the must and squeeze the juice out. Siphon into secondary fermenter, add water to top up to 1 gallon and attach airlock
4. When specific gravity is 1.040, slowly dissolve ½ cup of sugar in 1 cup of must and add back into the secondary. Take S.G. reading.
5. When S.G. is at 1.030, rack wine. Check S.G. daily.
6. When S.G. is at 1.010, dissolve ½ cup of sugar into 1 cup of must and add back into secondary. Take S.G. reading. Repeat the process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar.
7. Rack and add wood chips.
8. Rack every three months until one year old.
   • If wine fails to clear, stabilize, and add fining according to instructions. Wait 10 days, rack wine once more, sweeten to taste.
9. Fortify with brandy and bottle.

 

[winemaker81]

1. When specific gravity is 1.040, slowly dissolve ½ cup of sugar in 1 cup of must and add back into the secondary. Take S.G. reading.
2. When S.G. is at 1.030, rack wine. Check S.G. daily.
3. When S.G. is at 1.010, dissolve ½ cup of sugar into 1 cup of must and add back into secondary. Take S.G. reading. Repeat the process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar.

This will work, but I suggest eliminating a racking and not focusing on the calendar. (yeast are notorious for ignoring calendars)

I suggest fermenting down to 1.010, then add enough sugar to bump it back up to ~1.020. Give the wine 4 days, then check SG. If it's above 1.010, check every day or two until down to 1.010.

Repeat until the yeast quits / dies.

When the K1-V1116 quits (around 15-16%, IIRC), inoculate with an overnight starter of EC-1118, which will get you to ~18%. You can stop when the K1-V1116 dies, but sugar is cheaper than spirits.

A week after the ferment finally quits, rack for the first time. This eliminates gross lees (fruit solids) and a lot of the fine lees (yeast hulls).

Add K-meta, oak chips, and bulk age for 1 year. There is no need to rack during the year. Any sediment that builds up is fine lees, which does not harm the wine. Every 3 to 6 months add K-meta.

While brandy is often quoted as the spirit used, from what I've read eau de vie (unoaked brandy) is more common. I use Everclear 151 (can't get 190 proof in NC) for fortification. I suggest bench testing to determine which you want to use -- both work, but the taste is different. Here are my notes on a grape port I made, that came out like a Ruby Port. I bumped it to ~20% ABV.

 

[JB005]

Thanks. I’ll definitely check out your port recipe and follow your suggestions on feeding the yeast.

How do you suggest to back sweeten it, if desired?

 

[BigDaveK]

I step feed my dessert wines in bigger increments than Bryan but it all works.

With step feeding you might possibly go beyond the 18% yeast tolerance. And like Bryan mentioned, don't pay attention to the calendar. Towards the end my step fed ferments usually slow down but they keep chuggin' along. Good luck!

 

[JB005]

Thank you!