Blending

[Griffster]

Hi Wine Folks -


Gota question about blending wine.
Should I blend two different wines (say, cabernet and merlot or whatever) in the primary of one of the wines or should I wait until one of the wines is being bulk aged and add the other wine. Can I use a retail wine ( maybe 2 or 3 bottles) and add to whatever wine I'm making.
I know I can get kits that are already a blend - in fact, I'm drinking a carernet/shiraz as I type this. But I thought of playing around alittle with a kit that I have or something in the future.

 

[grapeman]

I find blending kits a bit tricky in the primary. You have no real way of knowing if the blend proportions will be correct for the particular kits being used. The companies have a lot of grapes, juice or must to experiment with to get the correct proportions. Rarely are they blended 50/50.


Generally you will have better luck blending after both components are finished. That way you can test amounts in small quantities until you get it correct. Then you use the same proportions for the full quantity.


I would stick to blends with my own grown fruit or leave the blending to the manufacturers.


You could also try Elite Vintners(only available in Canada Now though)where they blend the juice for you to your specifications and you make the kit out ot the blend.

 

[Griffster]

Thanks Appleman-
That's interesting.

 

[joeswine]

griffster I do a good bit of blending,usually with fresh juice and when i do its something i've already tried like pinogrigio and chardnay,good together and at a 50/50 bllend in primary together works out just find,or my rassberry /sharaza made seperately blended by taste into workable formula and then by volume,i have a friend in our wine club that makes kit wine all the time (reds) and has blended them

independently to make super tucasons to a tune that he has won 4 gold medals at the winemakers event in conn. or were ever the big evet is and has kit making and blending down to a science,with kits blend seperatly then on a day with all the time to yourself and all is ready with note book in hand and lots of wine glasses sit down with your product decide what it is your primary wine and then your secondary wine,start pourring by calculated volumes so that you know how much of each is in each glass and do it to taste,yours,their is a formula four this but thats borring i make about 6 different blends and have found the fun thats supposted to be in this craft ,,good tasteing

 

[s.arkvinomaker]

I am notorious for blending fruit to come up with good combinations. Usually I'm looking to balance to smooth a wine out. I made the mistake of
taking some of my favorite Cab wines only to totally destroy a perfectly good wine.

I don't do that anymore. I do blend fruit wines very commonly now. My favorite is a 50/50 blend of plum and peach. They work very well together. I use "The Joy of Home Winemaking" by Terry Garey for
ideas. On page 197 there is a chart to guide by with suggestions. This will
give you something to go by that are tried and tested combos and with this experience under your belt I'm sure you will come up with some good ones of your own. Many times I will take a gallon or two of a 5 gallon batch to experiment with.

 

[joeswine]

i think blending whether it be finished wine to wine or adding fruit to finished wine is really enjoyable and helps keeps the taste buds happy ,look at the creations out there chol.rass.port and others creative and tasteful, this is the carfting of this venture,