zinfandel blending?

[altavino]

I live in Oliver British Columbia http://winecapitalofcanada.com/index.php/wine-tours-and-tasting

, so ripening red grapes is no problem.

zweigelt makes a wine a bit like a old world syrah , medium bodied , deep red , a bit of pepper , cherry and dark fruit character.

it buds late and ripen early which is why its suited for its native austria .

a good food wine and probably the best vinifera red for a cool location . it has none of the vegitable tendences cab frank has and its more robust than pinot noir .

 

[soccer0ww]

Kendo, if you really want to walk on the wild side, try blending Zinfandel 75-25 with Muscat. I have been making or helping make this wine on and off for more than 50 years. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a Silver Medal at the Pittsburgh Amateur Wine Makers Competition in March, 2012 for the wine.

That sounds really interesting. And now my wife is like lets make it! And congrats on the medal.

 

[kendo]

Kendo takes 1st place!!! Blue Ribbon!!! From The Topsfield Fair Wine competition,, My Zinfandel took it<< man its so good!! im stoked!!!

 

[Rocky]

Kendo takes 1st place!!! Blue Ribbon!!! From The Topsfield Fair Wine competition,, My Zinfandel took it<< man its so good!! im stoked!!!

Congratulations, Kendo. Way to go, fella!

 

[kendo]

thks rocky!!!!!...

 

[ibglowin]

Congrats!

 

[DCJRW]

I really like a 50/50 blend of zin and syrah. We did this blend last year and it won a double gold in the orange county competition.

 

[kendo]

I really like a 50/50 blend of zin and syrah. We did this blend last year and it won a double gold in the orange county competition.

congrats!!!...i just racked off the lee"s this morning from this years batch, ovz x black mix< valdepena & carnelian!!!!..smells and taste good already..

 

[thesnow]

Zinfandel and Petite Sirah is probably my favorite blend. I usually like to go 75% Zin and 25 Petite Sirah. Many folks argue that by adding more than 15-20% PS you lose the varietal character of the Zinfandel. For me adding 25% PS gives the Zin the back bone that it needs. The carignane is also a common blender with these grapes, but I personally have never vinified that varietal.

Do you do the fermentations sparate on both grapes? If yes, when do you blend the two juices together.
Thanks

 

[naperwineguy]

Normal wine making standards follow the process of separate ferments, with a blending process done sometime prior to bottling. Usually during the bulk aging period where you can perform bench trials on blend percentages to find the blend which most suits your pallet.

 

[thesnow]

I see, I was under the impression that blending was done at an early stage. I will try this .. blending at bottling time.