Bordeaux blend

You could also add Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc (if you just happen to have some lying around).

The Bordeaux blends that I've done are typically about 80% Merlot and 20% Cab. It really depends what flavor profile you're after. I'd suggest going to the web sites for wineries whose blends you like, and see what they do. Use that as a starting point and experiment to see what works best with the wines that you have. Many Meritage blends that we like are more Cab heavy (70% cab, 20% merlot, with the other 10% made up of the 3 varietals I listed above). We're going to try that kind of blend this year, while also continuing to do our predominantly merlot based blend.

Ed

Hello,

Unfortunately, there is not straight answer to your question, but if we keep it simple the standard Bordeaux blend is Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc (there are also a few other varietals that are less popular like Malbec and Petit Verdot, but like I just said lest keep it simple.) The base varietals in Bordeaux are usually Merlot or Cab. Sauv., however, the base varietals are usually dependant on the region for example: Pomerol and St. Emillion usually base their wines with Merlot first, then Cab Sauv. then Cab. Franc, however, a Medoc blend usually starts with a base of Cab. Sauv. Although you need to keep in mind that all blends are dependent on vintage, the Chateau and the vintner. The best blends are done by taste, if you Merlot has a lot of fruit, and your Cab. has a lot of mineral and tannic flavours you might want to do a few tests, 50% 50%, 75%-45% and so on so see how they balance out...Plus if you have some Cab Franc then you would blend it according to taste... I suggest inviting a few people to do a blending tasting because it is always good to get a second opinion...

I hope this helps...

Shawn

This depends - even in the different subregions of Bordeaux in France. You mention only two of the Bordeaux varieties. Cabernet Franc is also one of the major contributors. From my experience (North Central Maryland - Northern Virginia) I have found that a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc usually produces the results I like the best. I used to think that Cabernet Sauvignon would be the major component in the blend but this has not been my experience with the grapes from this region. I do however add a little (10% to 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) for the tannins and increased aging potential. You will need test blend and to experiment with the typical Bordeaux grapes to see what suits you the best.

Thank you all for the information I will be working with Washington Cab/Sav and Merlot which I have and if I can I will look for Cab/Franc this fall.

There are no "usual percentages" for a Bordeaux blend. It's all done by taste. If it's a Right Bank Bordeaux blend it'll be heavier on Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc; Left Bank blends tend to be mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but may also contain Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot in varying amounts. Once again, let your palate be your guide.

Tom S

Jim, Paul and I are from the northern US; Cab Franc has the best chance of living through our winters and does well from Virginia all the way up into New York; Merlot and Cab Sauv are less used here.

Your weather in general and sun are better, keep that in mind. You may not need the Cab Franc.

Most consider Merlot to be quicker maturing and use that as a guide when adding it in a blend. You can play one (or many) off the others to get what you want. If your base wines have similar sugar and acid levels you will typically get more tannin out of Cab Sauv.

Joe

Jim,

As others have said, there is no hard, fast rule. I have been making barrel-aged Bordeaux for several years and have found a 60:40 blend of Cab Sauv to Merlot to generally be quite good but, as others have said, it depends on how long you are wanting/willing to age the wine. The more Cab Sauv the higher the tanning and the longer the aging required. I try to keep most of my Bordeaux for 3 years or longer before I drink much of it and

From what I've read the main varieties of grape in bordeaus are Cab Sauv and Merlot and that one of the reasons for planting the "minor" varieties is to have the insurance of diverse crops in the event of seasonal variations.

Glen Duff

Thank you for the information. Considering I only have the Merlot and Cab/Sav at this time I will start by blending 5% then 10% then 15% Merlot into the Cab/Sav and see what effect that has. I have been told once you get beyond 15% you can loose the taste of the base wine, which in my case is the Cab/Sav.

It's not neccessarily a bad thing to lose a bit of the base blend, it's not uncommon to blend 65% Cab with 35% Merlot, some feel it is drinkable sooner that way and they are probably right. You won't go wrong whatever you decide, don't get too hung up on thinking it through. All wines evolve with time, most for the better.

joe

Jim wrote:

I have just started using a product from Scott Lab called Gecoll Supra on my red wine. I am convinced as a fining agent it removes harsh tannin and can make the wine drinkable sooner. I am hoping to not have to wait a long time for my Bordeux.

I don't know why so many insist in naming their blends "Bordeaux". I would really like to see a movement in this country (California included) in which blends are named after the American Viticulture Area (AVA) in which the grapes are grown.

I do not think the rules should be as stringent as they are in France where AVAs are known as Appelations. For example, I do not think there should be rules here in the US that state how many grapes can be grown per acre or which grapes are "Official" grapes in the blend.

For example, I make a "Bordeaux type" wine but I name mine Catoctin because I live in the Catoctin AVA in Maryland. The grapes are grown in my backyard vineyard. I think that wineries should make the very best blend they can from whatever grapes grow the best and make the best wine in their particular AVA and NAME THE WINE AFTER THE AVA. In my opinion this would foster competition among the various AVAs and allow wineries to use whatever grape(s) they grow to make the very best from that particular AVA.

It is interesting that here in Maryland there is Winery named Catoctin even though it is NOT in the Catoctin AVA. It is no where close to the Catoctin AVA. I think in may be in the Linganore AVA. I was told my one of the members of the Maryland Grape Growers Association that should I ever market my wine, I could be in trouble for naming my wine after the AVA. I told him I would welcome a legal challenge since I am not naming my "WINERY" Catoctin but the blend itself. I think anyone else growing in the Catoctin AVA, for example, should be able to make their own "Catoctin" wine. The label would bear the name of the winery and this would be a way for wineries to compete on an equal footing. It would also be a way for AVAs to compete against other AVAs.

Paul, I just drove through your AVA Friday and stopped at Tarara in VA. The wine was very good, better than a few Finger Lakes I've had. They grew and made some great hybrids too.

The other issue you run into is no one but a wine maker or wine enthusiast would have clue what an AVA is or what French American hybrids are and why anyone would want to drink them. Often a wine drinker find something they like and sticks to it. It seems like that why so many northern wineries make a wide range and a lot of sweet wine, it's easily accepted. Just my thoughts...

Joe

I think anyone else growing in the Catoctin

Often a wine drinker find something they like and sticks to it. It seems like that

Joe

You've hit on one of the most frustrating things about our hobby. It seems that many of our friends say they like wine but always seem to have the same varietals and brands in their homes. That is, when it is true that they like wine at all.

Adults seem to have an almost pathological need for familiarity. We tend to want the "same old same old". How many people do you know who only eat meat and potatos and have comsumed the same brand of beer for decades? I'll bet it's more than a few. I wouldn't be surprised if researchers find that there is a link between those that do not venture outside their own comfort zones and alzheimers disease someday.

Children, on the other hand, thrive on variety. How many times have you heard a child complain of boredom?

My guess is that winemakers and brewers would be less vulnerable to this trap than others due to the nature of the hobby/craft.

Frank

They do have some good wines and quite a few acres under vines. They can't seem to keep their winemakers very long though. I worked part time two years ago, for one of their former winemakers.

It is frustrating for me to see all the tourist go to Northern Virginia because Maryland has not supported its wine industry like Virginia has supported theirs. Supposedly Maryland legislatures have finally seen the light and realize how many tourists dollars are going to the wineries in Northern Virginia (and Pennsylvania) and are starting to realize that Maryland has potential just as great. The state of Maryland has just about completed a very comprehensive GIS map indicating the best growing areas in Maryland taking into consideration the Terroir - soil, climate, etc.

But yet people will buy wines labled with names like - exaggerating a little

- Red Neck Red - or some other equally unattractive name. I think the name of the AVA would be more interesting and appropriate. Of course, Catoctin is a more appealing name (to me at least) than the name of some of the other AVAs. However, there is nothing to prevent growers from defining their own AVA just like the French have subdivided some of their Appellations and name their wines after these.

sweetfrustating

Sweet sells. I would probably fail at commercial winemaking because, like many, I would make a wine I like to drink and not necessarily one or some which would sell the most.

I worked at Windham Winery in Northern Virginia a couple years ago and the owner was really pissed because a nearby winery was selling many many more cases of wine than he - because the other guy was making some sweet wines - which flew off the shelves. The owner was not about to "Lower his standards" to make a wine like that even though it sold better than his "good wine".

This reminds me of the old joke: How does one make a small fortune in the wine industry? Answer: Start out with a large one.

...The owner was not about to "Lower his standards" to make a wine like that even though it sold better than his "good wine".

That could kill him. William Merritt has one of the oldest farm wineries in NY (up near Fredonia), and he told me if I decided to go into business and was not prepared to make sweet wine I might want to consider keeping my day job rather than opening a winery. I'm sure he is right, it's just the reality of things.

Most people start out drinking sweet wines and gravitate to dryer over time, if they are willing. Some stick to the same old same old as Frank mentioned. I started making sweeter wines a few year back for my daughters and can't keep it; I don't understand it but it's what happens...

Joe

It's called Chateau Cashflow. If General Motors said that they didn't want to lower their standards and then only sell Cadillacs they would be out of business in short order. Unfortunately, (of fortunately, more later) almost every business must target the largest part of the market. And the largest part of almost every market is at entry level. In the wine marketplace we are talking about people who are beginning wine drinkers who want to drink sweet wines.

I grew up drinking my grandfather's dago red. It was alcoholic and bone dry with a lot of tannin. At this late date I can't tell you if it was "good" or "bad" tannin but I remember drinking decent bottles in college and the tannin compared favorably. The average person who does not drink wine only gets this much tannin when they're drinking iced tea. That iced tea is most likely laced with a ton of sugar or artificial sweetener too. I also remember the most of the guys in school would turn up their noses at Pap's wine in favor of Boone's Farm and MD 2020. It was incomprehensible then but I understand it now. They were not raised in a wine using culture.

The US as a whole is not a wine using culture. You do not see Gallo advertising on the game of the week like Anheuser Busch. You probably never will. But every now and then somebody decides to try a glass of wine. And since our culture doesn't as a rule use alcoholic beverages as a beverage during the meal that glass of wine will probably be consumed before a meal or in a bar alone. That's not the proper forum for husky Syrah or a young Cabernet for the beginner. However, maybe a nice Riesling or a white zin will work.

Everyone of those beginners who start on the sweet stuff, if they stick with it long enough, will learn to love dry wines. Winemakers, pro and amateur alike, should look at these people and their kool aid wines as an opportunity to grow their markets and introduce them to the good stuff. But if they are not in business because they don't want to make and sell sweet wines they aren't doing anybody any favors.

People buy a lot more Mouton-Cadet than Mouton Rothschild. My guess is that there is more money in the former.