When the Inconsistency of Field Blends Are a Hallmark of Consistency
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
I’ve penned several columns concerning the efforts of winemakers to create consistent wines from each vintage. That is to say, wines that are consistent in their aroma and flavor profiles and reflect the local terroir in spite of the impact and effects of nature in a given year.
Most notably are the wines of Champagne. With each vintage, winemakers seek to produce sparkling wines that represent the “signature style and profile” of their winery.
Several years ago, my wife, another couple and I visited the cellars of Veuve Clicquot, in the heart of the region, and sat down with the head winemaker in his laboratory-like cellars. Presenting us with multiple vials of wines, from numerous vineyards, vintages and grape varieties, he explained the alchemy the winery employs when creating its baseline bottling.
Certainly, each vintage may vary significantly due to weather conditions, yet for decades the winery has crafted a Champagne that replicates the famous Veuve Clicquot “house style” (crisp, bold flavors, hints of toast and vanilla, with a smoky finish). We had the opportunity to blend a sampling of several vials to create our own moment-in-time signature blend, an intriguing experiment that emphasized the myriad combinations available to the winemaker in crafting consistent Champagne from over 500 of the base wines stored in the cellars.
Wine blending is an integral component at many wineries across the globe. There are numerous examples of white and red wines that are the result of blending fermented grapes to create unique and oftentimes consistent wines. I view these blended wines in several categories:
- Blends Incognito. When might a California Cabernet Sauvignon (or other grape varietals designated on a label) be a blend? It is if Cabernet comprises at least 75 percent of the grapes in the bottle. I estimate a significant number of such labeled wines include a proportionate portion of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and other varietals in the remaining composition. The concept is similar to the Champagne producers but on a much smaller scale, and the grapes must be of the same vintage. The underlying character of the Cabernet is retained, yet fine-tuned to achieve a winemaker’s preference.
- Blends in Controlled Proportions. The producers in Bordeaux France have taken blending to an art form. Generally speaking, a typical bottle of Champagne is a blend of multiple vintages and three grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). In Bordeaux, up to six grapes, grown in segregated vineyards and all from the same vintage, are permitted in red wine. The blending takes place after each fermented wine has been aged in barrels.
- Field Blends. There are those winery owners who follow a seemingly out-of-date and somewhat chaotic method of creating blended red and white wines. They rely on single vineyards that may be over 100 years old and originally cross-planted with multiple grape varietals. The harvested grapes are then crushed and fermented together as one wine. No further blending is undertaken. The wines are then aged and bottled – truly a natural expression of their terroir. Thus, these consistently produced wines may indeed be inconsistent from vintage to vintage.
These field blends are planted in many wine regions, including Austria, Portugal, the Alsace region of France and California.
The backstory to California field blends speaks to a mosaic of grape plantings begun by European immigrants over 100 years ago. A number of the vineyards survived major diseases; many believe this vineyard approach began as a hedge against any one calamitous event.
Several of my favorite field blends:
Ridge Vineyards Geyserville, produced since 1966 from four grapes: 130-year-old Zinfandel plus Carignan, Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre.
Bucklin Old Hill Ranch, Ancient Field Blend, produced from 35 varieties, too numerous to enumerate in this space. The grapes range from the familiar (Zinfandel and Grenache) to the obscure (Lenoir and Petite Bouschet) to the rare (Mollard, Persan and Etraire de la Dui). And oh, yes, five white grapes.
The profiles and composition of modern wines we consume have ancient origins. Winemakers historically made, and continue to make, decisions on creating their unique wines for our enjoyment. This is truly a rewarding blend of the interaction of humankind and nature, of which we are the grateful recipients.
Nick Antonaccio is a 45-year Pleasantville resident. For over 25 years, he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member and program director of the Wine Media Guild of wine journalists. He also offers personalized wine tastings. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
