Niagara/Concord blend suggestions needed please

I've got a concord that I bottled in August of 2012. I also have a Niagara that has been very sluggish in clearing, but is finally almost there. I want to make a blush blend with Niagara being the more dominant and add some Concord for added flavor. In my early testing, I'm leaning towards about 90-95% Niagara, and the remainder would be the Concord.

I'd like some suggestions what other people have done to make sure I haven't missed something. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Scott, sounds like you are blending two finished wines and there is nothing wrong with that. I think the wine will be really good.

I have made blends both by co-fermenting two or more varieties or by belending finished wines. Frankly, I can't see a lot of difference either way.

This is one of the mostly blended natives. Myself, I blend them 50/50. I don't like either one of them by themselves, but blended I think they're great. There are many different combinations you can do. The best thing for you to do is try many different bench trails and see which one you like best.

Thanks for the input guys. Dan, I understand that ultimately it is my decision alone, and through trial and error I will be able to find the correct balance that works for me. This is the first "blending" I've done, so I was just curious what others doing with these two wines to make their own unique blend.

When I bottled my concord, I finished it so it would be great on its own. I backsweetened to 1.008 sg, then added 4 - 12 oz cans of Welch's Fruit Fantastic concentrate to 6 gallons. Although its a little too sweet for my liking, many people love it. Now I want to take some of that to flavor this batch of Niagara, to make a more of a blush, or lighter red that's not quite as sweet. Hopefully I can get this done by Christmas.

Hey Scott, don't sweeten your Niagara yet if you haven't. Try your blends with the unsweetened Niagara since the Concord is already sweet. You might find it to be a perfect balance or just need to tweak it just a bit.

Since this is your first time, set up three glasses. Make one 75/25 next a 50/50 and the third a 25/75 mix of the two wines. select the one you like best and then work off of that one.

We make many blends with these wines. We make Niagara/lime by adding 2 cans of limeaide to 5 gallons. Niagara/raspberry is very good with 4 cans of White Grape and Raspberry concentrate.

Concord blends well with blackberry,elderberry and burgundy. We just bottled an Anise Conord---we used Star Anise in a gallon to try it and it's real nice. Vanilla goes well with concord,also especially if you make your own vanilla extract. Concord and Niagara together as you suggested is also a good one.

Turock,

What ratio for the concord/blackberry? I tried a 50/50 but it just didn't seem right. Both flavors seem to compete with each other.

Julie--I think you always have to consider how both wines were made before you consider proportions. We always make our wines with intense flavors, which actually means no dilution, so that they not only stand alone but then they make better blends. I don't think weak wines make for good blending. Intense flavors stand up better to blending because the individual flavors come thru much better.

That being said, you might try 2 parts concord to 1 part blackberry.

Do you make elderberry wine? We do a nice blend of 2 parts oaked concord, 2 parts elderberry, one part blackberry. Everyone really likes this one. Sort of a favorite with our red wine drinkers.

I ended up blending 75% niagara, and 25% concord. It has a very nice flavor and is not quite as sweet as the concord alone. I ended up with 8 gallons, so I bottled 2 gallons as tester bottles or maybe Christmas presents. This way I can be sure I don't want it any sweeter before I commit to bottling all of it.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Scott that sounds great. A few years ago I was already to do a 75/25 blend on a wine (can't think which ones right now) when I tasted just the opposite up in the Finger Lakes and loved that one also. I ended up making half of each and I really can't say which was the favorite. They were both unique in their own way and very good.

I decided to make this my Christmas wine. Since its not a red, and not a blush, I called it Rosé Cheeks. I wish I had some daylight to help make the color more clear.

Label looks great Good job . I see you are around State College I live 15 miles west of Altoona