RJ Spagnols produce a blend from seperate kits

[bcfryer]

I would like to make a blend with a 33 % Red zinfandel, 33%Merlot and 33% Syrah. I would like to get the results to replicatea store bought blend we are fond of. I thought I might use the RJ Spagnols International series: Primitivo ( Red Zin) , Syrah and the Merlot kits. These are all 12liter kits . I thought I would need to start each kit on the same date then when all three were ready to bottle I could do a taste test and make the blend to taste. I know it will be somewhat hit or miss.


Has anyone else tried this type of experiment? What about blending prior to fermentation andend up with two 6 gallon batches . 3 x 12 = 36 plus 10 water = 46L.


thanks

 

[ibglowin]

If you have (3) 12 liter kits you should end up with 18 gallons of finished product or ~69L. You can't cut that much water out of each kit and expect it to ferment properly (way too much sugar).
Best thing to do is make them as directed. Let them bulk age for ~3 months then do a bench trial with different amounts of each one. You may find that you like one blend over all the rest and it may not be the magic 33/33/33. This gives you the most options. You can even bottle some at several different blend points just for fun.

 

[cpfan]

I would definitely do each one separately (and properly - ie as 23 litre kits). Iwouldn't even start them all on the same day because I never bottle a kit "on time". But I would bottle some of each as the straight varietal, and blend the rest.


Steve

 

[Mharris335]

I have done this with two kits. I used two 16lit red kits and it turned out great. How I did this was made both kits at different times. I then tasted and let them both sit in the carboy for six months. No, I could not tell how they tasted in six months and I don't think you will either. What I did at bottle time was made 20 bottles of 50% 50% blend, 20 of 25% 75% blend, and 20 75% 25%. I thought each blend was good but totally different. The 25% 75% blend took three years to get good, while the other two took two years. I would do this again.

The biggest problem I see with your way is you will not be able to taste three kits and find the blend you want, unless you wait to bottle at the one year mark.

 

[Wade E]

Either your math is way off our Im sensing a disaster with only adding that much water!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bcfryer]

Wade, You are correcto , the math was off. I was off in the thinking department. Thesekits are already up there in sugar content for making the alcohol. Talking thingsout on this forum is what a newbe like myself needs. I am trying to get to a clone of a blend named Apothic Red.Sells in the local Kroger stores around here.thanks

 

[AlFulchino]

i agree w the idea of completeing each one as directed then bench blend to taste..and i also agree w what Mike also mentioned...let each age at least three mos before benching so that you can get a truer grip on what you are blending

 

[Dean]

Don't short the water in a kit. They are acid blended as well to get to a certain stage by the end of fermentation. If you short the water, you could very well end up with an unbalanced wine. The blend will take at least a year to possibly become what you want.

I would probably do this experiment with 16 or 18L kits instead to get a much richer product. I'm not much of a fan of the 12L kits. However, that Primitivo is supposed to be quite awesome. Mine's still in the carboy waiting.

 

[ibglowin]

The only reason I said 3 mo bulk aging and not 6 mo was the fact that these are 12L kits so they should for the most part be early drinkers.

 

[Wade E]

They do have grape packs though so that may up the anty on aging.

 

[ibglowin]

Wow, a 12L kit with a grape pack.

Didn't see that. If I was looking for less expensive or entry level stuff that would still make a decent wine, that would have a bulls eye on it.....

 

[joeswine]

I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE PREMISE,BUT BLENDING IS USUALLY DONE AFTER THE WINES HAVE FINISHED THERE FERMENTATION PROCESS,AND A TIME TABLE WAS SET ON TASTING,YOU SHOULD END UP WITH SOME OF EACH NOT USED,DON'T BLEND ALL THREE IN A LARGE BATCH,THEN BY TASTING EACH OTHERS CHARIS TICS ,IF YOU ALLOW THESE KITS,TO SET A FEW MONTHS AS STATED YOUR BETTER OFF AND HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE DECENT TASTE BUDS HELP YOU,THATS IF I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOUR WERE DOING .......THATS LEAST THATS MY WAY..

 

[Wade E]

Mike, these are the RJS International and they seem to do a decent job. Better then a lot of 15 liter kits with no skins out there.

 

[dragonmaster42]

Reading this reminded me of my grandfather. He had about 20-30 acres of grapes that he sold to local wineries in northern CA and his fields were split up into 3 or 4 varieties of grapes with a different percentage of each that were all combined into one batch that he sold. The wineries used this pre-blended batch of grapes to make their red wine. This was way back before single variety wines became popular - guess it would be the "old old school" way of blending.

 

[bcfryer]

Took a bottle of each , a Merlot and a Syrah from previous batchesfrom The RJS Int series and went out and found a bottle of Red Zin. Mixed the three together in a gallon jug , stirred well and rebottled and had them for a friends birthday get together at the house this past weekend. People were asking,what is this? saying a little sweet but not really sweet. Still not capturing what I wanted but was good.

 

[v1rotate]

One of the best wines I have tasted was a Zinfandel/Syrah blend. Later this year I am going to try my hand at blending a Meglioli Zinfandel and a Crushendo Aussie Shiraz. I am going to make them separately and then combine them at the 90 day point (roughly) to sit in my new Vadai 40L barrel for 4 months. I'll report back, but with these 2 ultra premium kits it will be 2014 before the jury returns to the jury box. Maybe even 2015. Sheesh.

 

[joeswine]

THE WAY TO TRULY DO THAT IS TO FIRST UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH WINE BRINGS TO THE TABLE,THEN POUR DIFFENENT AMOUNTS IN DIFFERENT GLASSES TILL YOU ACHIVE THE FLAVOR COMBO THATS YOU TRULY WANT ,THEN BLEND TO THAT VOLUMNE.........AT LEAST THATS THE WAY IVE ALWAYS DID IT //////////////

 

[robie]

THE WAY TO TRULY DO THAT IS TO FIRST UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH WINE BRINGS TO THE TABLE,THEN POUR DIFFENENT AMOUNTS IN DIFFERENT GLASSES TILL YOU ACHIVE THE FLAVOR COMBO THATS YOU TRULY WANT ,THEN BLEND TO THAT VOLUMNE.........AT LEAST THATS THE WAY IVE ALWAYS DID IT //////////////

Have a blind blend tasting party with friends, whose tasting judgment you trust.

 

[bcfryer]

v1,
The blend Zin and Syrah was it a red Zin? Iknow I have talked of blending three specifics and now feel I have over reached and probably should consider just two blended together as a project. thoughts?

 

[tonyt]

I recently blended 4 bottles, 1/2 Sicilian Nero D Avola and 1/2 Sicilian Syrah. Did the bench test to decide on the blend. Problem was that each was so delicious on it's own I was reluctant to blend much. (the NDA was already bottles so I had to uncork) I liked the blend but really felt I couldn't tell if it was better than the parents. I do plan to add 10% petit verdot to my Rossa Fortissimo at bottling, should make a classic Bordeaux?