Winemaking
Blending for Excellence
Blending is the personal expression of the winemaker's vision, a
combination of skill and intuition that unites the elements of the
winemaking process to create a work of art. It is the magic that
gifted winemakers use to create wines of intrigue and
enchantment.
Blending allows the components of each varietal wine lot to
merge, binding together to form a new expression. Each varietal lot
is kept separate during the vinification and aging process, and
evaluated over time to determine whether a particular facet the
winemaker desires has developed. The final blend is determined
shortly before bottling as the timing of the assemblage depends on
the grape varieties selected. An ample amount of time is allowed
for the wine to marry in the bottle prior to release from the
winery, usually two to three years. This 'blending' of winemaking
expertise and creative intuition produces a luxury cuvée of
opulence and refinement.
Winemakers determine the signature of a blend by determining
which grape variety will dominate. The character or personality of
the finished wine is then refined through a judicial addition of
complementary wines. That is why some blends may contain higher
percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and others Merlot, than smaller
percentages of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Insight
and a thorough familiarity of where grapes are sourced and their
growing conditions, is key to blending excellence.