WineXpert Blending Kits

[AAADiamond]

Hartm,

My batch is in an oak barrel right now, will remain there for a couple of months and since then I have added a few sticks of cinnamon and its beginning to taste comperable to a 40 dollar bottle of meritage at my local winery, therefore I highly recommend experimenting with blending!

 

[AAADiamond]

Hello Everyone,

I'm happy to report this experiment has rendered one of the best tasting wines I have made to date! I left the wine in my 20L american oak barrel for 3 months, then transfered the wine back into a carboy with French chips for another month and I have a wine that tastes Malbec forward with a nice cinnamon and oak finish, despite having 14% abv.

The wine is still relatively young, thus I only opened one bottle and will leave the rest to age further. I intend on entering this wine to a local wine competition next spring and highly recommend this process to others.

Cheers!

 

[Scott]

Glad it turned out great,haveyoumade a copy ofa copy of the receipe and store in safe place.

 

[AAADiamond]

Oh yes, I document everything lol!

 

[Runningwolf]

Way to go. Good Luck

 

[tonyt]

Way to go AAA. One day I might have the guts to try blending. I still get nervous deciding how long to leave oak spirals in.

 

[JimCook]

Ttortorice,


Your signature says, "Do what's right, not what's easy." Blending wine is right - it's now some of the most commercially desireable wines in the world are made. In the least, take two wines that you have already bottled and mix different proportions into glasses (this works best if you can do it with a true side-by-side comparison, even if it means a little more glass washing when you're finished). Ideally, five glasses will do it as follows...


Wine A 100% - WineB 0%
Wine A 75% - Wine B 25%
Wine A 50% - Wine B 50%
Wine A 25% - Wine B 75%
Wine A 0% - Wine B 100%


You don't have to worry about being terribly accurate - wine is really a forgiving thing. However, you wil be much the wiser for the experience and it may just open your mind to a variety of new possibilities in the future. I know that it did for me.


- Jim

 

[tonyt]

Touche'
I will try blending some of the Petite Verdot in primary with a recent Montepulciano that I think is a bit thin.

 

[wangotango]

Sounds like you've really got it going. I would like to find an oak barrel like the one you described. Would you happen to know where I could find one for a good price?

 

[JimCook]

Wango,


I've had great results with barrels from Vadai.


- Jim

 

[robie]

Way to go AAA. One day I might have the guts to try
blending. I still get nervous deciding how long to leave oak spirals
in.

AAADiamond did his blending before fermentation. That certainly works,
but is pretty much "set", unless after fermentation and aging, you
blend something else with that blend. Again, nothing wrong with that.



A fun way to do blending is to take Jim Cook's plan and add a party to
it. Invite your wine drinking friends over and let them try the
different blends. Just make sure that on paper you keep track of what
each guest is trying. It's good to do this as a blind tasting.



After each guest tells you which he/she prefers, you can make a game out of giving them fresh samples and seeing if they can pick the blend they originally had chosen. Better make the samples small unless you want them to spend the night on your couch!



Maybe the blend is just for you, but it can still be interesting to find out what others are saying.



No matter how you do it, it can be lots of fun and rewarding. Don't worry that you maybe inexperienced.

 

[AAADiamond]

Thanks guys, much appreciated!!

First, when you have family with loads, and I mean loads of fresh fruit, you can't help but experiment a bit out of the box and possibly create something different and thats what I believe I did. I've tasted over probably 500 wines in my life and I was in search of creating something a bit different and therefore, I encourage everyone to try it out.

In reference to barrels, I have had nothing but great service from a local, homebrewit.com, Steve the owner is amazing and certainly appreciates the craft in the products he provides! Not to sub George, who as well is GREAT, but that is where I prefer my oak. Believe me, I have sent many, many barrels back to several places prior to finding a reliable product!

I agree blending finished products is fun and can be a party maker, I just wanted to go outside the box.

Cheers everyone, what would life be like without century old methods and the discovery of the unknown!

 

[tonyt]

Touche'
I will try blending some of the Petite Verdot in primary with a recent Montepulciano that I think is a bit thin.

I guess I stand corrected. I thought the Montepulciano was a bit thin at bottling but tonight I opened a bottle (please don't ask why I opened a bottle after only 2 months) and was shocked how is has already matured. Very approachable and rounding out nicely. the thinness is giving way considerably. I am excited to think how this will be at 6 months and a year. I don't know where the thread is where several of you suggested this wine but thanks anyway. I still plan to blend several bottles with the PV also.