I really like a the Shiraz Cabernet from Jacobs creek. I would like to do a similar concept with kits. I wanted to do a 50/50 blend with a Cabernet Sav and a Shiraz kit.
When you blend, do you do it before it ferements? During? Or at bottling?
You can do it any way you want. I grow grapes and sometimes mix different red grapes before fermentation to help with obtaining better pH and %TA numbers. But, you have more flexibility by blending finished wines when it come to flavor. If you do blend after fermentation be sure to let the blended wine bulk age for a while. It's possible the blended wine will develope a haze or precipitate solids even tho. the wines were perfectely clear before blending.
Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA
Traditionally, you ferment the grapes first and then blend the finished wine. There are two reasons for this that come to mind. First, different grapes usually reach peak for picking at different times. You cannot keep tons of grapes around waiting for another grape to come in. So they make each and then blend later.
Another reason would be because you can blend and taste to determine the optimal blend if they are made separately.
But the first reason is not applicable for kits and I see no reason not to blend first if you are not going to worry about optimal blend. It would certainly be easier.
Ray
Of course, there's nothing wrong with what you are suggesting, but you could also buy a Cabernet-Shiraz Kit.
Not sure where you live, so I don't know what's easy for you to find, but off the top of my head....
Vineco makes an Australian Cab Shiraz in their Ken Ridge Showcase
6-week line, and a "origin not-specified" in their 6-week Bin 49.Spagnols has a 4-week Vino del Vida Cab Shiraz, and a 6-week Cellar Classic.
Spagnols also has a Cru Select Platinum Australian Cab-Shiraz-Merlot, that is very nice. (The only Cab Shiraz that I've made - it's a bit rich for my tastes - but one friend likes it so much he's talking about making a batch for himself.)
I don't know the other kit companies line-ups very well, but I imagine that they also have a Cab Shiraz buried somewhere.
Steve
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