Blending wines are one of the most enjoyable things a winemaker can do in my opinion. During fermentation, you have to babysit the fruit. You worry about stuck fermentations or fermentations that are too hot. After fermentation, it’s time to press the fruit and the wine goes into the barrel. It’s a lot of hard work for a small winemaker. You spend many hours in the winery and it does get tiring. I woke up many mornings with a stiff back. Even though I was tired, I really enjoyed it.
Now that the wine is ready to be bottled, the winemaker has to decide if the wines are good as they sit or do they blend? Blending is an art or to some poetry. The winemaker makes various blends and tries them. If they are smart they invite friends and or peers to try the blends. Even though the winemaker likes the blend, it does not make a wine sellable. You have to make what the market wants. Unless you are very wealthy and this is just a hobby. Once the blend is where you want it, it is time to blend the wine in a large tank. Another important thing to consider as a winemaker is bottling a few bottles of the newly blended wine to make sure it is stable.
Here is a blend that I really enjoyed and the main varietal is my favorite Cabernet Franc.
Sight
Medium color depth with a garnet hue.
Smell
Aromatic, young-fruity aromas of EtOH (sweet alcohol), blueberry, bing cherry and spice.
Taste
Dry, full-bodied with great acidity. Structured soft tannins with a rich mid-palate long finish.
ABV: 14.8%
How Much: $60.00
Region/Appellation: Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley from the Bradford Mountain Estate Vineyard.
Blend composition: 77% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec (all of the Bordeaux varietals).
I rated the 2010 Peterson Winery Agraria Big Barn Red three glasses. I was contemplating four glasses because it was that good.
Life is too short to drink crappy wine. Expand your palate and keep trying.
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