Kit Blending

[J-Hat]

I was wondering if anyone had done or considered doing blended wine from kits or if it's even worth attempting?

The example off the top of my head would be a red Bordeaux style blend using the WE Lodi Ranch Cab Sav and WE Stag's Leap Merlot in a 60/40 each way, or even using an addition of the LE Cab Franc with it.

Or is it at this point of my wine making adventure that I need to by a crusher, press, and order some grapes?

 

[Mismost]

Never with the Eclipse quality of kits! Blended a Fontana Cab Sav and Pinot Noir....both were just Mehhh at best. Blended, is like turning on the light switch. Right now we just do bottle blending, not batch blending.

Just a side note, so far, we have liked most of our results. Now that could be because we are tired of drinking that single wine. But it has become a kind of thing around here....what do you think would go good with dinner? what do you think would blend well that?

At any rate, I think you will enjoy your efforts.

 

[Kraffty]

I'd say the answer is yes, yes and yes. You can experiment anyway you like. It's a great way to learn what you like best and improve your skills. If you do move on to grapes you can even blend your "from scratch" wines with kits if you like (though you probably won't want or need too very often).
Best of luck let us know what you come up with.
Mike

 

[joeswine]

Yes blend with kits of the same price ranges,read, form a plan as to what wine's are blenders, which are bases and fillers but by all means Yes.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Blending is definitely a possibility with a kit wine. The only thing I would add is that you will probably want the wines to age some before you determine how you want to blend them. If you blend too early, it might not turn out as you intended as the blended wine ages.

Also, do trials with small amounts of wine to figure out what you like. If for some reason you are not pleased with the results, you at least have not blended gallons of wine together!

 

[joeswine]

Good point Southern chemist, aging is a key for any wine, at least 8 mos for a kit, cheaper kits about the same. A50/50 blend is standard.35/65 blend is also standard
Don't get cought up in a glass by glass tasting it gets boring .But that's just me

 

[J-Hat]

So it sounds like I should have results in about a year (sounds boring when it's said like that).

My plan is to make the eclipse cab sav and the eclipse merlot. Depending on the ingredients provided I'll probably add additional oak and change the yeast to better compliment each other. Also bulk age separately for ~9 months.

Provided all of that goes well I will rack half the cab and half the merlot into separate 3 gallon carboys for further separate bulk aging.

With the remaining 3 and 3 gallons I'll do bench trials of 20-80, 35-65, 50-50, 65-35, and 80-20. And unless the 50-50 just happens to be my favorite I'll rack my favorite blend into another 3 Gallon carboy.

One of the things I'm not sure about is what to do with the remaining wine (other than drink it). Example; if my favorite blend is the 80-20, that means I have 2.4 Gallons of one wine left over and .6 gallons of another. My first thought is just to do a 3 Gallon inverse of my favorite and see how it progresses over time.

Does anyone have any suggestions for any of what I plan on doing?

 

[jburtner]

That sounds great and maybe for leftovers just bottle single varietals so you get three bottled wines. The singles are good too so it's certainly not a waste. Maybe pull back a little on the blended volume so you'll end up with more of the single varietal.

You could add a third to the blend so you can perhaps end up with two blends and three singles in bottles. Then let em all sit in the rack for a couple years and you have five different wines then To taste and test and enjoy

Cab, Merlot, and Syrah or Zin perhaps...?

I also have some cab and merlot going with similar plan and might add a syrah for fun.

Cheers!
-johann

 

[joeswine]

Bottle the remainder sereratly and enjoy, keep it simple and fun.

 

[Smok1]

I bought a WE LE16 cabernet franc i plan to use half for blending with

 

[J-Hat]

I bought a WE LE16 cabernet franc i plan to use half for blending with

I thought about doing that too late, still too green to have the foresight of what I might want in the future.

 

[jgmann67]

So it sounds like I should have results in about a year (sounds boring when it's said like that).

My plan is to make the eclipse cab sav and the eclipse merlot. Depending on the ingredients provided I'll probably add additional oak and change the yeast to better compliment each other. Also bulk age separately for ~9 months.

Provided all of that goes well I will rack half the cab and half the merlot into separate 3 gallon carboys for further separate bulk aging.

With the remaining 3 and 3 gallons I'll do bench trials of 20-80, 35-65, 50-50, 65-35, and 80-20. And unless the 50-50 just happens to be my favorite I'll rack my favorite blend into another 3 Gallon carboy.

One of the things I'm not sure about is what to do with the remaining wine (other than drink it). Example; if my favorite blend is the 80-20, that means I have 2.4 Gallons of one wine left over and .6 gallons of another. My first thought is just to do a 3 Gallon inverse of my favorite and see how it progresses over time.

Does anyone have any suggestions for any of what I plan on doing?

You need more Carboys! My guess is a 60-40 in either direction will rock your palate nicely. 3 gal of one 2 gal of the other. Bottle and drink the scraps.

 

[Frosty]

You may want to blend and then bulk age to ensure the flavours integrate.

 

[J-Hat]

You need more Carboys! My guess is a 60-40 in either direction will rock your palate nicely. 3 gal of one 2 gal of the other. Bottle and drink the scraps.

I figure when all said and done I'll end up with:
3G Cab Sav
3G Merlot
3G Blend 1
3G Blend 2

I'm pretty excited about it. I'll probably pick up the kits in a week or so along with the additional carboys!

 

[J-Hat]

You may want to blend and then bulk age to ensure the flavours integrate.

I plan on continuing to bulk age at least an additional 3 months after blending.

Or are you suggesting that I determine my blend ratios beforehand and blend immediately after fermentation in order for them to fully integrate?

 

[joeswine]

Bulk age separate then clear,then blend