WineXpert Wines blended

[parick]

My brother and I blended VR Cabernet and Selection Orig Merlot 50/50 very nice blend. We also did some VR Cab, SO Merlot, and Old Vine Zin. 1/3 each. That one tastes real good! We compared it to store bought Menage a trios and we think it is very similar even with no aging of our wine. We had fun experimenting with percentages and settled on the even amounts of each.

 

[NSwiner]

At what stage did you blend them ?

 

[parick]

The cab and merlot were ready for bottling according to WE instructions and the Zin was bottled about a month ago. We measured and marked a spare carboy and blended in the carboy then bottled our blends.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Do more folks blend just before bottling or before bulk aging? I've bulk aged several blends and planning on several this fall. I know you could fine tune a blend at bottling even though it will change slightly as it ages in the bottle, but wouldn't aging 2 or more wines together for a year blend a better taste?

Just curious.

 

[parick]

I really have no idea what the experts would say or do. We just did it for fun. We had six people tasting. The majority liked the even blends. I'm sure the final taste in 6 months will be different than when we bottled it.

 

[Sentinal]

How much of a difference is it blending finished versus blending before primary ferment? I have 3 different french/american hybrids and catawba and I typically crush them together. My current batch is Carmine and Cabfranc and they too were crushed together. Just lookn for some insight on this. Thanks ahead.