1. Blending as Process Style Meets Substance
Stephen Menke, Colorado State University
and
Nancy Janes, Whitewater Hill Winery

2. REASONS FOR BLENDING Why would we choose to blend wines?
Ideal reason for blending wines: (Menke)
to create a wine with structural and flavor balance and desired style
Pragmatic reasons for blending: (Janes)
to build the wines we need
create products that fit volume needed and components on hand for desired styles

3. SOURCES OF BLENDING WINE
Varieties
Tank & barrel lots
Vineyard blocks
Winemaking differences
Vintages

4. Determining What to Blend
Analyze product plan ahead of harvest: (Menke and Janes)
Evaluate past sales of each existing wine in current portfolio
Make estimated projection of wines needed for next sales year
Any new wines needed to fit sales trends?

5. Determining What to Blend
What is your inventory pipeline situation?
Existing wines: quantity and quality
Grapes available for harvest: volume and cultivar
Available tanks and barrels: total volume and individual volumes
How do you match inventory to volumes needed for each wine?
Do you need % varietal blend or <75% blend for each wine
What range of integrated aromas, flavors, textures, and aging potential are desired.

6. Determining What to Blend
Analyze your components
Once volume and kind of blend is determined, then the components of the blend need to be analyzed by the winemaker and/or a diverse panel.
What components fit volume needs of wine blend
Chemical characteristics (pH, color, protein and acid stability, color)
Sensory characteristics (fitness to desired aroma and flavor, flawed aroma and flavor, mouthfeel weight and tannins, complexity, balance)
Additional tools (chaptalization, tannin additions, malolactic fermentation, fining removal, oak additions, filtering, SO2, potassium sorbate)

7. Making Test Blends
Logically project blend composition through test blends
-When each blend component is characterized, a principled guess on composition of the blend must be tested. Test blends reveal how blend components will meld.
Use principles of blending to create test blends

8. Blending Principles Principles are complementation and synergy
Complementation can involve balancing major components, such as acidity/fruitiness/sweetness, % alcohol, tropical/tree fruit/berry aromatics, tannin softness/astringency/bitterness, etc.
Synergy involves creating new aromatic or structural characteristics, not easily identifiable as coming from existing components
Artistry/experience

9. Blending Procedure Keep detailed tasting notes
each ingredient before blending
each blend
Blend in a well lit room without aromas.
Try making base blends first with two ingredients (simpler)
Then adjust blends with other ingredients
-Do bracketed blend compositions until desired volume and sensory profile reached.
-Make bottles of selected blend, test a bottle for stability and chemical composition, and taste 1 to 3 weeks later. Re-blend test blends if necessary.

10. Blending Procedure
When final test blend is proved and decided upon, make tank blend with ½ of calculated elements and taste
If necessary adjust and re-taste, then finish blending of final amount and check for stability
Let blend sit for several weeks (chill-proof if necessary) and re-taste
Filter final blend and re-taste

11. BLENDING METHODS Complementary blending Sensory Blending
balance major components mathematically by volumes
Sensory Blending
Artful attempts to balance all component volumes with desired sensory profile

12. COMPLEMENTARY BLENDING
Blend Ingredient Balancing by Pearson Square
Balances individual elements such as: acidity, sweetness, alcohol, etc. to achieve a desired level of ingredient
A D C
B E
C= Desired Ingredient % A/B= Ingredient %’s D= Parts to use of A E= Parts to use of B

13. |A – C| = E |B – C| = D (Player A) A (Player A Required) D
C (Desired Level)
|B – C| = D E
(Player B Required) B
(Player B)

14. Example: % Alcohol |96 – 18| = |78| = 78 |8.5 – 18| = |-9.5| = 9.5
(High Proof)
96%
(High Proof Required)
9.5
|96 – 18| = |78| = 78
18% (Desired Level)
|8.5 – 18| = |-9.5| = 9.5 78
(Frontenac Required)
8.5%
(Frontenac)

15. Example: Sweetness (Brix)
(Muscat)
6.5 Brix
(Player A Required)
1.5
|6.5 – 2.0| = |4.5| = 4.5
2.0 Brix (Desired Level)
|0.5 – 2.0| = |-1.5| = 1.5
4.5
(Riesling Required)
0.5 Brix
(Riesling)

16. Example: Acidity (TA) |0.55 – 0.70| = |-0.15| = 0.15
(Muscat)
0.55 TA
(Muscat Required)
0.12
|0.55 – 0.70| = |-0.15| = 0.15
0.70 TA (Desired Level)
|0.82 – 0.70| = |0.12| = 0.12
0.15
(Riesling Required)
0.82 TA
(Riesling)

17. Sensory Blending Elements
Wine
Descriptors
St. Vincent
2016
Marquette
Noiret
2013
Blend: Cabernet franc and Chambourcin NV

18. CHEMICAL BLENDING WINE ANALYSISpH TA
MALATE
LACTATE
%ETOH RS VA
St. Vincent
2016
3.42
6.5 g/l
g/l
1.54
13.12 %
2.23
0.72
Marquette
3.73
5.2
0.17
1.32
14.0
1.38
0.58 g/
Noiret
2013
3.66
7.1
13.41
Blend: Cabernet franc + ChambourcIn NV
3.70
6.2
13.55
0.40

19. BLENDING EXERCISE ST. VINCENT 2016 MARQUETTE NOIRET 2013
WINE
BLEND 1
BLEND 2
BLEND 3
BLEND 4
ST. VINCENT
2016
MARQUETTE
NOIRET
2013
BLEND: CABERNET FRANC + CHAMBOURCIN NV