The Art of Blending

Red blends are some of the most popular red wines in Napa Valley. All kinds of labels are often bestowed upon winemakers to describe how they use their creativity by those who consume their enticing elixir: rock stars, mad scientists, and artists. Wine producers have always emphasized the art of blending in how we present our wines to the world to highlight the sense of artistry and craftsmanship that our winemaking team employs.

Once the grapes are ready to be harvested, they arrive in reusable bins and are immediately emptied and sorted on a conveyor belt where careful hand-sorting helps remove any undesirable grapes. Those that pass inspection are quickly crushed and moved into stainless steel vats where they undergo fermentation. Generally, varietals are not blended during the fermentation process. Once fermentation is complete, the vats are emptied into a mechanical basket press where the juice is separated from the skins and pulp. Free-run juice will be removed naturally from the weight of all the grapes causing a natural and gentle crush. After the free-run juice has been expelled, gentle pressing will extract the juice while the skins act as a filter in which the juice flows through, taking on bolder, darker characteristics. The winemaker's next steps reflect their stylistic choices. 

The wine transfers into a mix of new and used barrels where they mature and develop over time. These barrels, some containing free-run juice and some with pressed, are not alike. The wine in each barrel will generally have some nuanced, yet expressive differences. Errant Sons has foregone the use of any new oak barrels, a stylistic choice intended to allow the fresh varietal characteristics of Petite Sirah shine without additional tannin or flavor from the barrels. 

Mother nature gives us nuanced and expressive differences each year, which is why the blend makeup of the wine is different from year to year. Bordeaux-style blends (using varietals native to the Bordeaux region in France) are the most common blend in Napa Valley and are usually comprised of the 'Noble 5' varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Each varietal offers a different component to the finished wine similar to how an orchestra is comprised of instrumental sections that include: strings, horns, winds, and percussion. Just as each section is utilized differently per song, the role that each varietal plays in a blended wine depends on the winemaker's vision. Merlot tends to add softness to a wine while Cabernet Franc intensifies the aromatics. Malbec adds spice and distinctively bold fruit flavors, and Petit Verdot is a tannic workhorse known for adding weight even when used conservatively in the blend. Cabernet Sauvignon is the glue (and the base particularly when modeled after the wine blends of Left Bank Bordeaux). 

Blending allows the winemaker to have several colors in their palette. They can shape, sculpt, and refine how the wine tastes, smells and feels. As I reflect on this while sipping a fun red Rhone-style blend given to me by a friend, I can’t help but think how blending symbolically epitomizes how the earth, nature, and mankind can work together to create beautiful art that often leads to emotionally charged tasting experiences.