Dan’s Cellar Notes Index

June 2002:  Varietals or Blends?

This past week I blended 6 gallons of my 2001 "Piemonte" red wine with 6 gallons of my Montepulciano.The "Piemonte" was a blend of wine made from frozen varietal juice from vintage 2000 Piedmont-grown Nebbiola grapes from the Barolo region of Northwestern Italy, and an equal amount of the same grape from a premium concentrate, from the 2001 vintage, from the neighboring Barbaresco district. The wine I blended this with was from a Brew King Selection International 16-liter kit (juice and concentrate) labeled "Montepulciano." While the famous hill-fort town in Tuscany by that name produces a famous "Vino Nobile" from a clone of the Sangiovese grape, this wine is more likely made from a distinct variety, called Montepulciano, and grown throughout central Italy, especially in Umbria and The Marches. My new blend, which I call "Super-Rosso," is superior to the wines made from the Barolo juice, the Barbaresco concentrate, or the Montepulciano kit.

These days most folks heading out to purchase wine from the grocery or specialty shop look for "varietal" wines; that is, wines made from (predominately) one single grape variety. And so people seek out Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Riesling, or Merlot. And yet, this is not the way wines have been traditionally packaged or marketed. Rather, folks would traditionally seek out Chateau Margaux, or Chateau Petrus, Champagne, or Chassagne-Montrachet, or Barolo, or Chianti, or something similar. Wines, throughout more-or-less-recent history, were sold as "brands," as names derived from specific vineyards, districts and styles. These wines were invariably blends. Many of the great French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese wines are defined, legally, as blends of specific percentages of various grapes from specific vineyards or regions.

California’s modern wine industry changed all that. Back in the 1960s—if not earlier—it began selling wines based solely (or principally) on a single variety. Such marketing practice captured the attention of American consumers who tend to prefer generic categories. It isn’t unusual to hear folks saying things such as: "I like Merlot," or "I prefer a non-oaky Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc," or, perhaps, "Aussie Shiraz goes really well with prime rib…" Of course, Aussies, Kiwis, Chileans and many others have followed California’s lead and have tended to market their wines by grape variety. Never mind that Merlot or Shiraz or any other grape variety can take on an infinitude of styles and characteristics, depending on where it is grown, the seasonal growing characteristics, and the method with which it is vinified. Zinfandel, for instance, can produce a rich, hearty red, a slightly sweet pink wine, a full-bodied, alcoholic, sweet port-like wine, etc. To say "I like Zinfandel," is to say pretty much nothing. Grape varieties DO have certain characteristics, but these can be very seriously altered or manipulated by the grower and the vintner.

No matter from where you get the raw materials to make wine, you probably buy them as varietals. That is, you buy Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, or some other sort of grape—whether you buy fresh grapes, kits, concentrates, or frozen juice. And so the wine we home winemakers actually make—what is found in our carboys, or other storage containers, at any given time--are usually varietal wines. But we are not slaves to the California traditions (and laws) that say that wines should be from a given variety. Instead, we can become true winemakers and follow the traditions of the millennia: we can blend individual wines to make better ones.

Blending is the true art of the winemaker. By blending a low-acid wine with a high-acid wine, we can make a wine of well-balanced acidity. A fruity-grapy wine can be blended with a measured amount of a tannic-aromatic wine to make a finished product that is more complex, more subtle and refined than either of the constituent components. A light-colored wine can be blended with an inky-dark wine to make one of appropriate density. Blending creates complexity, and, for that alone, it is a most important tool in the winemaker’s kit bag.

Don’t hesitate to blend wines, but before you do here are some things to consider. Don’t EVER blend an infected or oxidized wine with a sound one. You will simply ruin the good wine. Try samples of blended wines, made using some sort of measuring containers, such as graduated cylinders or measuring cups. Once you have found a good blend, it’s a good idea to pass a sample by some wine-loving friends to see how they respond. If you aren’t sure how to start blending, try some tried-and-true blends. Merlot is the most blendable red grape, and it tends to complement cabernet sauvignon very well. Merlot adds aroma, smoothness and complexity to fairly hard, stoic, cabernets. Shiraz also blends well, adding fruit, color and roundness to other red grapes. Chardonnay is sometimes blended with pinot blanc. Aussies have produced some great blends of Chardonnay and Semillon, a rich, golden-colored wine that was traditionally blended with Sauvignon Blanc and a bit of Muscat in the making of white Bordeaux, especially the sumptuous sweet dessert wine, Sauternes.

There is nothing wrong with bottling specific varietals; however, real wine artistry is found in the ability to blend. If you made some wines this year that seem a bit out of balance, try blending small amounts to see if you can come up with a wine that is much better than its components. Next year you might want to try selecting wines in anticipation of later blending. If you get grapes or juice from California’s Central Valley—such as from the San Joaquin/Lodi/Woodbridge districts, then chances are these wines will have full varietal character and ripeness, but will be very low in acid. If you also make wines from Eastern US, or from the Northwest Coast or Northern Europe, you may find some of these to be under-ripe and over-acid. Plan ahead to try some blends of the over-ripe, low-acid California wine with the under-ripe, high-acid Northeast or Northwest wines. You may well find you are making wine far better than could be made from any of the constituent grapes or juices.

Just remember: as a home winemaker you are not required to follow any rules. Blend across varieties, districts, countries, --even vintages! The proof, as they say, is in the pudding—or, rather, in the wine. What goes into it doesn’t matter. When friends and relatives taste it, all they care about is: "Is it good?"

Make it better by blending!