Chocolate Cherry Port

Mike, powdered cocoa will not do what you want, believe me. Last year (2002) at Cowie's international wine competition in Paris, Arkansas I tasted a chocolate cherry wine, made by Charley Wilson of Tyler, Texas. Charley was gracious enough to tell me how he made it -- 16 boxes of chocolate covered cherries were covered with hot water, stirred, allowed to cool, and then ameliorated with sugar, acid, tannin, yeast nutrient, water, etc. and yeast pitched to make 3 gallons of 16% dessert wine. It was fabulous and placed in its category.

Lynette Clark, who also heard the instructions, raced home and started a batch before I even had a chance to look for chocolate covered cherries on sale. Not wishing to compete against her, I didn't make it. Hers turned out very good and placed in several competitions.

If I wanted to do what you want to do I'd make some choclate covered cherry dessert wine and fortify it to port strength.

Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page

How about a third opinion?

Run your merlot thru the entire winemaking process of the port sytle method. This takes considerable skill and warm cellering.Perhaps your already aware of the technique. To 750ml (26 oz) of neutral vodka or everclear add crushed cherries and whole cocoa beans and let sit for a couple of months in a large airtight glass mason jar. Shake the container weekly and sample, add, or take out the adjuncts till the flavor profile suits you. You'll want a very strong taste as it will dilute when added to the port. Strain and fine the elixir and add to the bulk wine in small amounts by taste. I have made chocolate cherry brandy this way, port or the real thing is beyond my reach. Good luck..........Zinman

Actually it might, over on rec.crafts.meadmaking there are a number of people making chocolate meads this way. They claim that you have to let the mead age in the carboy for at least a year until the oils that cause the bitterness break down (sampling before this time will make you think it has gone bad). I have never made this so I have no idea how accurate their claims are. The recipe in question can be found using google and searching the group archives. Ken

Thanks for the reply, Zinman. The port I've made was no more complicated than any other wine except maybe the fortification, but once you have the fortification formula its not difficult. Didn't do any warm cellaring (unless you count the secondary fermentation period which lasted several months), and wasn't aware that it was necessary. I've read that in the Duoro (sp?) valley of Portugal they keep the port at the upper valley for 6-months or more before sending downriver to cellar at cooler temps. Is this the warm cellaring you speak of, and at what temps do they keep it?

I like your idea with the cherries and cocoa beans except thats a lot more alcohol to add into my already fortified port. Also, why do you specify 750 ml of ? proof spirits and then no quantities for the cherries or cocoa beans. Can you recommend a ratio of the three ingredients so I can adjust to a smaller quantity of spirits.

Miker

Ken, the bitterness is what dissuaded me. I've twice tried making wine using cocoa powder in different strengths and did not like what was made at all. I didn't see any hope in either of them and dumped them after only a few months. This was actually out of character for me, as I've kept quite horrible wines for several years before giving up on them, but these were so foul I could not imagine them turning around. Maybe I'll give it another try some day....

Jack Keller, The Winemaking Home Page

I said: "Didn't do any warm cellaring (unless you count the secondary fermentation period which lasted several months)"

Oops! There is no secondary fermentation, of course. I bulk aged at around 65F for several months, then moved to 55F where it will bulk age for another 1 1/2 years, part of it in oak if I can come up with the money for a cask. Then bottle and age in bottles for as many years as we can stand (with a yearly tasting, of course).