Port Wine

[newbiewinemaker]

Hello Everyone!

My favorite kind of wine is definitely a port wine. This in mind, I have decided to make my own port wine. I just recently bought a 6 gallon merlot winexpert kit that I want to use as the base. Yes I am going to be fortifying this with brandy (perhaps homemade :cross: ) but my question is, should I follow the exact instructions for the kit and at the end of the secondary add the brandy? Has anyone had any experience with this before? I want to oak this for quite some time as well. What kinds of oak would go well with the merlot style base?

Any ideas or suggestions are helpful!

Thanks!

 

[jensmith]

I have not made port, so I am just repeating what others have said...
There are two ways people make port type wines. Start with a grape juice with maybe a little higher then normel abv (14%ish), ferment as usuall and at the desired sweetness stop fermentation with a high brandy or other liqure of choice.
The other method is to ferment the grape juice to as high a abv as you can get it and then backsweeten and fortify to desired flavor and abv.
Personally I would try the second method. Even though it is not the traditional method. It looks easier and uses less fortfier. Suger is cheeper then brandy!

I am not a fan of oak, so I am no help there! As far as I can tell the choice of oak is personal preference. The darker toast the stronger the flavore. Whichever you use, taste test often and remove when its either good or just a tad bit strong. It will mellow some with age.


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[newbiewinemaker]

Thanks! I have decided to ferment the merlot out and follow all the instructions in the kit, minus adding the oak. Towards the end of the secondary, I am going to add the brandy. I have decided to take my 6 gallon kit, and split it into two - 3 gallon batches and only make port out of the 3 gallons just in case it doesnt work like I want it to and at least I will still have 3 gallons of merlot!

Thanks again!

 

[Pedro_PT]

I have tried it at home! And i have had some good experiencies!

 

[Pedro_PT]

You should not let the main alcoolic fermentaion end before fortifiing!

 

[Pedro_PT]

Depending on how sweet you would like it, thats when you fortify the wine, stoping the fermentaion. you shoul use a good, strong brandy, about 75%alcool, the stronger it is, the less you use.