How do you brew fortified wine?

[woody1959]

I did a search here and couldn't see any threads on this.

 

[simon12]

Its wine with spirits added so brew the wine then add the spirits.

 

[woody1959]

I don't think it's a simple as that, I think the spirits are added during the fermentation process, the point at which they are added determines the dry or sweetness of the final wine, but I can't find any information on the when and how much anywhere.

 

[Subtle Duck]

You are correct, traditionally ports have their fermentation stopped before they meet their fg with the addition of spirits. This can be done wih something like brandy for full flavour, but can take quite a lot to reach desired strengths, or some thing stong like 95% everclear (us) or spirytus (look in polish shops). I have had quite a bit of luck with what I call faux ports by fermenting the base wine dry, back sweetening slightly with grape juice concentrate then fortifying. I use the vino lab fortification calculator to get the correct ammount of spirits needed to reach my goal strength and usually back sweeten to about 1.030. You could even age on a bit of oak for added flavour

 

[Benbo Bywater]

You are correct, traditionally ports have their fermentation stopped before they meet their fg with the addition of spirits. This can be done wih something like brandy for full flavour, but can take quite a lot to reach desired strengths, or some thing stong like 95% everclear (us) or spirytus (look in polish shops). I have had quite a bit of luck with what I call faux ports by fermenting the base wine dry, back sweetening slightly with grape juice concentrate then fortifying. I use the vino lab fortification calculator to get the correct ammount of spirits needed to reach my goal strength and usually back sweeten to about 1.030. You could even age on a bit of oak for added flavour

I believe the problem with Everclear is that it's grain-based, and for a wine most people really want something grape-based. I'm trying an experiment at the moment to make a strong, sweet wine without the need for fortification by fermenting it to as high an ABV as possible, then making up the rest of the strength by fractional freezing. I know it isn't really a 'fortified' wine and there will be more impurities than if you used distilled brandy, but it's a lot cheaper than doing it the traditional way. No idea how it'll turn out yet, hopefully not a disaster!

 

[Subtle Duck]

I once tried this with a 'my jewel ' apple cider using a high tolerance yeast, I think it was a port yeast. Kept batch feeding sugars once the gravity reduced over a period of a few months. i think it managed about 17% before the yeast gave up the ghost and keeled over. To be honest, i forgot about the demi john for about a year. So plenty of time for it to smoothe out any rough aspects, it turned out like gold, just wishing i'd made more than I did.

 

[johncrobinson]

Your right fermentation is stopped by adding spirit BEFORE the fermentation is complete.
Problem is most uk spirits are around 40% so you need quite a bit.
Whats known as Polish spirit i belive is stronger but at what price it is i dont know.
When i have done it i fermented to the max if the finished wine was "good" i then bumped it up with cheap Brandy
rather than a vodka.
Works well.!!!!!