Blended kits

Rustynail · Dec 30, 2018

Has anyone 'blended' two wine kits? Like a Pinot Noir and Merlot etc. Just curious

LouisCKpasteur · Dec 31, 2018

I asked a question like this a couple of weeks ago and got no reply. Of course someone has done it. They had to have. But someone ain't talking. If you're like me what you're hoping to hear is either an emphatic yes or reasons why it's not a good idea. In principle, I don't know why it would be any different than making wine from grapes and blending. Of course you would want to do some trials.

heatherd · Dec 31, 2018

LouisCKpasteur said:
I asked a question like this a couple of weeks ago and got no reply. Of course someone has done it. They had to have. But someone ain't talking. If you're like me what you're hoping to hear is either an emphatic yes or reasons why it's not a good idea. In principle, I don't know why it would be any different than making wine from grapes and blending. Of course you would want to do some trials.

I haven't blended kits, but you're right the process is the same as anything else. That said, I would want to be sure the things go well together, like Grenache-syrah-mourvedre or the elements of a super Tuscan.

pillswoj · Dec 31, 2018

Or Bordeaux - Cab Merlot
California Trio - Zin, Cab, Syrah
etc...

Kits can be blended, RJS even sells their 1/2 size Minirva kits designed to be blended. Do some research as to the blend you are thinking of and go for it.

Hordak · Jan 1, 2019

I've blended 25% of a cheaper Amazon Merlot kit with 75% of a mid grade Cab Sauv kit and added a Mosti grapepack. I think I did a 6 week extended maceration. They've only been in the bottle for 6-8 months but I'll try one soon and get back to you. At time of bottling the initial taste was promising.

David219 · Jan 2, 2019

I have been making kits for almost 10 years. I have blended kits once (WE Lodi Cab, WE Petit Verdot,and WE Stag’s Leap Merlot). Did a bunch of bench trials to get what I thought was the best mix after fermentation and some individual bulk aging. While the end product was good IMO, I’m not convinced it was any better than the sum of its parts. For me, the quality of the end result didn’t justify the time spent in making it, and I didn’t enjoy the experiment enough to repeat it just for fun’s sake. It seems blends are more readily available in kits now, too.

While winemaking and tasting involve a great deal of subjectivity, I might caution one thing: blending a low quality kit with a high quality kit with the expectation of elevating the taste/nose/mouthfeel profile of the low-end product. I think you’re much more likely to end up with a less satisfying result than if you just made them separately and tried to tweak the cheap kit.

Ultimately, it’s your show. Have fun with it. Good luck!