Blending Wine

Are all wines blended?

Not only those that are a mixture of different grape varieties, but even wines made solely from a single grape variety will actually be a blend of different lots of that variety.

Why blend?

There are just about as many reasons to blend wines as there are wines but the basic goal in blending is to improve the final wine, since a blended wine should be greater than the sum of its parts.

Aren't single varietals better than blends?

On the contrary! The greatest, most expensive wines in the world are blends. Chateau Latour (Bordeaux) is a blend. Dom Perignon (Champagne) is a blend. Opus One (Napa) is a blend...Get the idea?

But if it says "Cabernet Sauvignon" on the label, that's a blend too?

Yes. In the US, you only need to have 75% of Cabernet Sauvignon (or any other grape variety) in a wine to be able to label the wine as Cabernet Sauvignon. Even wines made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon will be a blend of different lots of Cabernet.

Why is it better to blend different grape varieties?

Well, each grape variety brings something different to the blend. For example: Cabernet Sauvignon lends tannin and structure; Merlot brings flesh; Cabernet Franc, aroma and so on. In a way it's a little like music. A violin sounds good on its own, but even better as part of a quartet or orchestra where a much richer, more complex sound is possible.

So blending is like cooking?

Exactly! The tastiest dishes often involve many herbs, spices and layers of flavor.

Do most people like blends better?

Yes they do and all the studies confirm this. And it makes sense, when you think about it, as in a way it's like having something for everyone all in one bottle.

What are some other reasons to blend wine?

• Different grapes have different tastes and aromas and a combination is usually better than a single variety.
• Not every grape variety has everything it needs to make a great wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, makes a big, tannic wine that can often benefit from the addition of merlot for softness and flesh in the mid palate, cabernet franc for aroma, petite syrah for color, etc...
• Juice from different pressings (free run juice from initial grape crushing) is blended with juice from later pressings to add tannin and structure.
• Wines fermented in new/old/no oak have very different flavor and structural properties, so are often blended together to achieve desired result.
• Blends are often made to achieve a consistent house style year after year, avoiding vintage variation. In champagne, for example, the wines will be made from 3 different grape varieties, many different vineyards and often several different vintages. Up to 40 wines can go to make up the final style of the house of krug.
• Single varietal blends are made from grapes grown in different vineyards, from different clones, etc...