The Art of Blending Wines

Blending has become a highly-respected part of the process of winemaking in Paso Robles. Winemakers view blending as a highly-evolved art form. The basic idea of blending is to mix different varietals of grapes (or years of the same grape) in order to create a final wine that possesses a quality that is superior to that of each of the different components singularly.

Today in Paso Robles, one of the most common types of blends is called a “GSM” and involves the blending of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. In Paso Robles, blending has become so popular that winemakers now plant their vineyards just for the purpose of blending. Blending can also be done with white wines as well, such as all our highly acclaimed White Rhone Blends that have been popping up in many tasting rooms.  

Another way to blend wines is to blend wines that are from different vintages or years. When blending wines from different vintages commonly the bottle will have a printed "NV" which means non-vintage. These wines are not associated with a specific year.

When properly handled, blending can help to balance the flavors as well as the levels of tannins and acids. It should be pointed out that blending can help to improve the quality of wines that already at least somewhat good on their own. If you have a okay or average wine that you wish to improve, consider mixing; a process that can take away an off flavor. I have personally done this in a restaurant and was much happier with the outcome! Plus,my friends were quite impressed that I was able to “kick my wine up a notch"!

If you have never tried to blend wines before, but want to give it a shot, it’s best to start with just two wines. Blending gives you the ability to select the best characteristics of multiple wines and then blend them together to achieve a far better flavor. While the process may seem complicated, even the most novice home winemakers can create a good blend at home.