Making Your Own Port

[Al B.]

I was reading the thread started by Tim recently on the wood used for the barrels in which port is matured, and Tim's comment on the fact that - at the age of 23 - he is looking to make his own port.

This led me to thinking and wondering whether anyone on this Forum has actually managed to make their own "port" on family / individual scale (Symingtons and Taylors need not reply!).

I recall that in the early days of the Forum someone was looking to buy some of the native Portuguese vines for planting with a view to making their own port.

So, my question for this thread is if you have ever made your own port then please tell us the story. What was it like, how did you mature it, what grapes (or other fruit juice) did you use?

I can't contribute as the nearest I have ever come is when I lived in a cold, godforsaken country where we used to grow apples, make cider and then freeze the water out of the cider during the winter to yield a rather pleasant and warming apple brandy. But I've grown up and prefer a glass of Taylor's '63 these days....

Alex

[Andy Velebil]

This led me to thinking and wondering whether anyone on this Forum has actually managed to make their own "port" on family / individual scale (Symingtons and Taylors need not reply!).

Alex, this question may actually get them to respond :twisted:

[Tim Swaback]

I live in "a cold, godforsaken country" as well Alex. Chilly Minnesota. I have the advantage of being a horticulturalist though. Im working on producing concord grapes (which i think won't make it) and frontenac grapes. The cold winters really hinder any "true" port varieties, but the frontenac was created by the U of M specifically for wine making.

http://www.maes.umn.edu/MNHardy/components/grapes.asp
http://www.grapes.umn.edu/frontenac/

I dont know what characteristics port varieties have over regular wine varieties, but im hoping that in 5-6 years ill have a small crop of frontenac to "portify". Until then I have a few connections to get my hands on small quantities to test out a few mothods.

Let me know if you want to try growing!

Tim

[Raj Patil]

Alex,
I have looked into making my own port wine for quite some time. I've come to the conclusion based on multiple US wineries that make "port" that it would be near impossible for me to make a clone on my own. I'm aware of a few wineries in california that have grown portugese vines and have created some good "ports", however there is something very distinct about the terroir of Portugal and the aguardente that they use to fortify that cannot be mimicked. I've stopped my two+ years of research on port and have focused my home making efforts solely on mead (honey wine) and beer.

[tastingnote]

While it's not a port in any way, shape or form, Queen Victoria apparently made her own fortified wine by mixing claret and Royal Lochnagar whisky. I'm assuming that it would have been decent claret so if anyone fancies trying Queen Vic's cocktail do let me know what it is like...

[Todd Pettinger]

I live in "a cold, godforsaken country" as well Alex. Chilly Minnesota.

Oh you poor saps! Try Edmonton, AB, Canada if you'd like 'cold' and 'god-forsaken' !! :)

-40 (that's both Centrigrade and Farenheit!!!) this past winter for almost 4 days solid. You don't even want to know what the temperature was like with the wind-chill - Roy, you would have loved it if you were looking for cold and snow. Of course, you very well may have frozen solid at the gate of the airplane, had you been coming to town for a tasting at deVines during that particular week!

I too, am extremely interested in making my own port. I would also have a keen interest in producing a 10 or 20 yr old tawny. I suspect it will require a rather large investment in some VP or unfiltered LBV and an expensive oak cask - even the small ones seem to be very pricey for a 'young buck' such as me with massive budgetary constraints (read: two young children and a wife that does not "get it" with the port obsession!)

Not to hijack the thread, but has anyone tried this before? (producing their own tawny using an oak cask and either VP or LBV in larger quantities? If so, how did it turn out?

Thanks!

Todd (from real chilly Edmonton!)

[Andy Velebil]

Todd,

Welcome to the forum, really glad to have you here.

You do realize you are on the same slippery slope as all of us...but have no fear, our offlines and drinking habits are quite "significant-friendly" shall we say. The UK boys send their sig-others off to the spas to stay happy while they drink the night away together. Seems to work quite good, so I'm sure your wife will be quite happy if you do that for her when you dive into the Port making process.

And as for that budget issue, have no fear...after a few months posting here you're budget will be blown and you will have a nice cellar of Ports waiting for you 8)

[Alan C.]

Hi Todd,

I'm at the 'Novice' Drinking end of things, when it comes to Port, but it would be interesting to hear how you progress with the making it lark!
As you read many of the threads, you'll find theres a pattern of freezing cold weather, wood lodges, and making Port...Particularly NitroPort!
Welcome to the Forum, and I sympathise, or is it empathise with the bit about the wife looking at you as though you've got two heads!
:)

Alan

[Todd Pettinger]

Yes Alan, I am indeed heading down that slippery slope, and with alarming rate! 8)

I am researching oak barrels and where I may obtain one that will suits my needs. Then I have to figure out what would be the best to throw in it for a 8-10 year period of time: an unfiltered LBV or a Ruby. To me, throwing in a case of VP would seem like such a waste. There are better, lesser ports to make aged Tawny out of.

Once I come to some conclusions and start the process, I will definitely let everyone know how it progresses.

Todd

[Luc Gauthier]

Bienvenue , Todd , from us members in La belle Province . Cold climates do precipitate an increase in Port consumtion . Was born in Manitoba ( lived there for 6 yrs ) so cold is no stranger .
Don't forget : Port & Peanut butter

[Todd Pettinger]

Luc,

From the god-forsaken Manitoban plains to the Government-forsaken 'la belle province' - that is certainly a switch.

I suppose I should let you know that I was born in Montréal. Moved when I was 4 and did a stint in Winnipeg as well <shudder> Good thing I didn't know about port while I was in Winnipeg otherwise I suspect I would be much MORE broke than I already am!

Down the slippery slope we go.... wheeeeeeeee! 8)

[Luc Gauthier]

Todd , you hit the nail on the head with your comment . But hey , we're all Port enthousiasts . . .
Don't forget : Port & Peanut butter :lick:

[Marc J.]

I've played with the idea of producing my own port. Mario F. gave me a tip on where to locally (more or less) source Port grapes and I'm thinking of taking the plunge. My other half isn't quite as excited about the prospect of our backyard being turned into a vineyard....

[Nikolaj Winther]

It's quite easy, you know. All you need is the ingredients.

These are:

Grapes or grapejuice
yeast (for wine)
fine spirit
Oak Barrel.

1: The grapes, you can buy in your local greengrocers. This is not the best way to go about it since it's not wine-quality-grapes he sells - but those are hard to come by in the colder climates.

1a: Alternatively, you go to a warmer climate and buy grape-juice. If you live in Europe (like I do) you drive to Romania right around harvest, and purchase some canisters full of a decent grape-juice. (I've got some 10-liter canisters. They used to hold Developer, Bleach, Fixer and Stablilzer for C-41-film development - hardly any residue. However, my astma sets off when I screw off the cap for the developer-canister. I wonder why?)

2: You need some fine spirit. There are ways to get that. You can find Absinth that holds 89% alcohol. If you've got a cold-filter, you should be able to get most of the anis out of the spirit. However, your port might end up tasting rather funky. Another way is to visit a hospital or if you know a nurse, then "get her" to bring out a gallon of hospital alcohol. It's usually around 60%, but it'll have to do. It's tasteless by the way. A third way is getting a still and destill some cheap wine or vodka (vodka is quicker!). Then you have your aguardente substitute. (There are few places you can actually buy almost pure alcohol. But maybe you can get some at the bio department of your local University. I know the EU is distilling it's wine lake in order to make ethanol for cars. But you might get a problem with customs).

3: You ferment your grapes (or juice) and add the alcohol after the wine has reached about 4% alcohol. You can buy tools for measureing alcohol-level in fluids. Try using your bathtub as a fermentation-tank - any Port-connoisseurs favourite substitute for "terroir"! Hell, sometimes I don't even have to add any yeast. It just takes off on it's own!

4: Storing is best done in an oak-barrel. Those can be hard to come by, but sometimes you can buy used ones. If you live near the US - try locating a wooden (pine?) Pinãta. That way it's practical AND decorative. An ornament in every livingroom.

I'm sure your wife will just LOVE it, if you start making your own port. I'm single, by the way.

[Andy Velebil]

I'm sure your wife will just LOVE it, if you start making your own port. I'm single, by the way.

Nikolaj,

I would be carefull with that statement....have you seen what Alan looks like

[Nikolaj Winther]

I'm sure your wife will just LOVE it, if you start making your own port. I'm single, by the way.

Nikolaj,

I would be carefull with that statement....have you seen what Alan looks like

I don't know what that means. But it sounds horrifying!

[Roy Hersh]

I had the opportunity to blend my own Colheita on the trip. It was 50% 1937, 20% 1957, 20% 1967 and 10% 1984. It was a fabulous exercise and even the winemaker/blender thought it was a great cuvee. I have done my share of blending in the past, but never with Colheita. It certainly makes things much easier when you have exceptional raw product to work with!

It was a lot of fun and I'd much rather do the blending than do the winemaking. Your mileage may vary.

[Derek T.]

I had the opportunity to blend my own Colheita on the trip. It was 50% 1937, 20% 1957, 20% 1967 and 10% 1984.

Err, that would be a 40 yr old Tawny then

Derek

[Todd Pettinger]

Wow... that would be awesome. Did you get a bottle or 12 to take home with you after this blending exercise???

Todd

[Al B.]

It's quite easy, you know. All you need is the ingredients.

Nikolaj

Great post. Made me laugh when I read through it. Thanks for this.