Wednesdays with the Winemaker: Blending – The Art of Winemaking Part 2

Welcome back to Wednesdays with the Winemaker. This week's feature is Part 2 of 2 featuring Wine Blending: The Art of Winemaking. As always, feel free to leave comments and/or questions!

Blending – The Art of Winemaking Part 2

There are two basic steps in creating a blend: component evaluation and then blending the wines in different percentages to create the final product.

Component evaluation involves analyzing each wine individually to determine how each wine will contribute to the blend. Wines are evaluated organoleptically (i.e. by taste and smell) for sweetness, acidity, astringency, tannins, body, and complexity. In the laboratory the chemical parameters are measured including the pH, acidity, residual sugar, as well as the wine stability.

Then comes the fun part – blending, tasting; more blending, and more tasting!

As far as “The Art of Winemaking” goes, blending wine is one of the areas where the winemaker can truly express himself or herself through creation of that unique masterpiece blend. It takes patience, attention to detail, and years of experience to master this art.

“Blending” is a wonderful metaphor for using the same, but different ingredients, to create something new and unique through a process in which ultimately a balance and improvement are achieved. Talk about collaboration and innovation with a twist of tradition…