Many uninitiated people in the world of wine might think that a bottle of wine comes from a single variety of grape. In fact, single-varietal wines are much less common than blended wines, because mixing different grape varieties allows all their qualities to be brought together to produce better wines. Let's find out in detail about blended wine .
The advantages of assembly
In oenology, blending grape varieties is used to make better quality, fuller and richer wines. Indeed, by finding the best blend of complementary grape varieties, it is possible to obtain quality wines, taking advantage of the advantages of each, and balancing their possible defects (acidity, bitterness, etc.).
To understand the interest of blends, you must understand that each grape variety has its own taste and aroma characteristics, but also a unique typicity. In France, more than 200 grape varieties are used to make wine. Some are particularly complementary, and manage, together, to produce very attractive wines.
Blending also allows you to find the same typicity of a wine from one year to the next. Thus, depending on the harvest, the blends offer the possibility of best transcribing the character that makes the reputation of a wine. This allows the consumer to rediscover the qualities they have loved over the years, but also to adapt to the tastes of different wine-loving profiles.
The different assembly options
To allow oenologists to get as close as possible to the wine they wish to make, several blending techniques are possible.
The blend of grape varieties
As we saw above, the assembly of different varieties of vines is the most used technique. This involves mixing several varied grape varieties, and is inspired by the complantation technique. Initially, winegrowers planted several varieties of grapes on the same plot, in order to harvest and vinify them together. Today, the grape varieties are grown on different plots, before being brought together during vinification, after the harvest.
The blend of grape varieties is particularly used in the wine-growing region of Languedoc-Roussillon, but also in Bordeaux.
The blending of vintages
This other blending technique, called vintage blending , consists of bringing together grape varieties from the same plot, but whose harvest year differs. In this case, the winemaker does not have the right to mention the vintage on the label of the wine bottle.
The blending of vintages is particularly used to produce Champagne wines, this is also one of the criteria which gives them their reputation and fame.
The assembly of plots
The last technique is plot assembly , or terroir assembly. In this case, the blended wine is composed of a single grape variety, coming from the same plot. On the other hand, the grape variety expresses itself differently depending on the orientation, the type of soil, and the age of the vines. Mainly practiced in Burgundy and the Loire, the blending of terroirs produces single-varietal wines.
The two wine blending techniques
In the world of wine and wine blending, two worlds oppose each other: those who raise their different grape varieties together and achieve the marriage from the moment they are placed in vats , and those who vinify the grape varieties separately, before assembling them. during bottling .
Each of the two techniques has its advantages. The first allows you to mix the qualities of each grape variety from the start to find a perfect balance . The second method allows you to better manage the proportions of each grape variety, but also to make several different vintages.
The main blended wines of France
Not all wine regions grow the same grape varieties. It essentially depends on the climate, but also on the terroir, more generally. Logically, the assembly possibilities are therefore different from one region to another.
Burgundy blended wines
Burgundy wines are mainly made from single grape varieties, with Chardonnay for white wines and Pinot Noir for red wines. But we still find some typical blends, notably on the Coteaux Bourguignons, where the marriage of Pinot Noir and Gamay , and the marriage of Aligoté and Sauvignon Blanc , make it possible to create excellent wines.
Bordeaux blended wines
The Bordeaux wine region has established itself as a master in the art of blending. The 3 most used grape varieties are merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc . Cabernets, which are rather tannic, give power to the wines, while Merlot brings more softness and voluptuousness.
Blended wines from the Rhône Valley
The flagship grape variety of the Rhône valley is undoubtedly Syrah . But it is also often accompanied by Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Carignan , to produce excellent red wines. As for white wines, winegrowers happily blend Roussanne and Marsanne , but also Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Viognier . To the great delight of winegrowers, the mixture of grape varieties with complementary characteristics will be the little extra that will make the great wine for a perfect final vintage.
Blended wines from the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley often produces wines made from a single grape variety, but certain blends are also common. Oenologists then use Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir for red wine, and Burgundy melon, Chenin Blanc and Folle Blanche for white wine.
Blended wines are the result of a winemaking technique that allows the different grape varieties to be sublimated. Indeed, the blend takes into account several factors, including exposure to the sun, the nature of the soil, climatic conditions, etc. Discover the blended wines from the Berne estate , and benefit from all the richness of the different Provence vine varieties.
