The Art of Blending Wines

The Art of Blending Wines

From the notebook of Frank Renaldi, Head Winemaker at Tranquillity Vineyard & Winery in Middlebury, CT.

Single varietal wines are wonderful, but when you blend wines together, they can become great! Blending is one of the most creative parts of winemaking, and it is where a winemaker's judgment really shows.

Why Winemakers Blend

As you blend wines, you take the best qualities of each wine and combine them together to become more complex and interesting. Usually blends are made to create a better wine.

And then there are times when we blend wines to improve a sub-par wine, using another wine to add missing color, tannin, structure, or fruit.

Blends Do Not Always Work

Just remember, blends don't always work. Adding Malbec to a Cabernet Sauvignon could make the Cabernet Sauvignon worse. You may have to try blending in a Merlot instead.

Getting the Percentages Right

Besides which wines you decide to blend, it is just as important to determine the best percentage of each wine to blend together to make the best wine.

It becomes even more challenging when you go from blending just two wines to blending three, four, or five wines.

Taste Our Blends in Middlebury, CT

Curious how a blend comes together in the glass? Visit Tranquillity Vineyard & Winery on Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut and ask about our handcrafted wines. We are always happy to talk through what went into each bottle.