In Chapter 21 of "The Home Winemaker's Manual", Lum Eisenman has a recipe for berry port which I'm in the process of making. In it he calls for 2 1/2 tsps of grape tannin. I've yet to see a recipe that calls for more than 1/4 tsp per gallon. Dose anyone know if this is a typing error or is this correct? Thanks!!!
BERRY PORT
Mar 12, 2006
4 Replies
Hi Ronald, Most Port style wines made from fruit (other than grapes) lack phenolic backbone, so extra tannin is added in this recipe to correct that problem.
2.5 tsp. of tannin for 5-gallons of wine is the correct amount of tannin in this recipe. Good luck with your "Port." Lum Del Mar, California, USALum Eisenman wrote "2.5 tsp. of tannin for 5-gallons of wine is the correct amount of tannin in
Lum - I've been threatening to make your berry port for a while. I can get frozen, mixed berries at Sam's club close to the mix you suggest. With regard to tannin...I've have an assortment of tannins that I experiment with. Some from seeds, skins and one from oak tree gall nuts. Also, some plain old grape tannin of unknown origin. What would you suggest using in the port? Thanks.
Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA
I want to try that recipe using elderberries for the tannin.
Alas I am out of elderberries for this year. Next year for sure though.
Bill, I have tried several kinds of "grape tannin" and each one seemed different. Some were good and some were bad. Given a choise, I would use the tannin (from skins and seeds). Of course, a bit of oak tannin might also be nice. Regards, Lum Del Mar, California, USA
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