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How to Make Fortified Wine

What Are Fortified Wines?

Fortified wines are regular grape wines that have been given an alcohol boost using grape spirits. While this does produce a high alcohol wine that isn’t the whole story and it isn’t why this practice began.

Port, one of the most popular fortified winesThe real reason fortified wines came into being was to solve stability issues in finished wine. Sherry is believed to be one of the earliest fortified wines which may have been produced as early as 1260 AD. Port came about a little later, during the 18th century.

Today we use sulfites and tight sealing closures to protect our wines. Back then the closures were not nearly so effective and they didn’t even know about all the tiny micro organisms we worry about today. Both of these factors would have made wine stability a much bigger deal. Continue reading “How to Make Fortified Wine”

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Selecting a Wine Making Yeast – WMA005

Premier Cuvee Wine Making Yeast
Rehydrating a Wine Making Yeast

Choosing a wine making yeast has both practical and artistic considerations. You have to consider the alcohol tolerance as well as the different flavor profiles they can produce.

In the main topic for this episode I walk through my own method for Choosing the Right Wine Making Yeast as well as the resources I use to make sure my yeast strain of choice will work for me. Continue reading “Selecting a Wine Making Yeast – WMA005”

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Acid Blends in Wine Making

Acid blends are mixtures of acids that are naturally found in wine making grapes. Most blends primarily contain malic, citric, and tartaric acids. Wine making grapes contain more than just these acids but these are the three most abundant acids.

Malic acid contributes tartness to wines. It is the primary acid found in apples for a point of reference. Citric acid, of course, is the dominant acid found in citrus fruits. Tartaric acid also brings tartness to wine and is the dominant acid in cranberries.

An acid blend is used to increase the titratable acidity of a wine. While the point here is to adjust the amount of acids contained within the must it will have an effect on the pH of the must, a measure of the strength of the acids present. Continue reading “Acid Blends in Wine Making”

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The Specifics of Specific Gravity – WMA004

Specific gravity is one of the most important measurements a winemaker makes. It tells us how much sugar we have, how far along fermentation might be, when it ends, and how much alcohol was produced.Measuring Specific Gravity

In this episode of the Winemaker’s Academy Podcast the main topic and the quick tip both focus on specific gravity. What it means and how to get an accurate result when measuring it. Continue reading “The Specifics of Specific Gravity – WMA004”

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Matt’s Strawberry Melomel

A strawberry mead recipe by Matt Williams.

This was my first fruit wine that I ever made. I used frozen strawberries from the grocery store and a local Colorado honey.

It took about 3 weeks to fully ferment and I recommend giving it a full six months or more to clear. I opted not to degas the mead as the tiny amount of carbonation added a nice touch to the finished product. The final alcohol content was 14.25% prior to back sweetening (optional). Continue reading “Matt’s Strawberry Melomel”