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In years past in the U.S., red wine blends were sold by the jug as “Red Wine” or “Table Wine.” These were inexpensive wines that were blends of grapes, vineyards or even vintages. So, blends are often discounted or disregarded as being of poorer quality.
But we only need to look to France, home of some of the world’s best wines, to see that blends are nothing to turn your nose up at. France’s famous region of Bordeaux produces red blends almost exclusively. Depending on which bank the wine is from in Bordeaux, it will be a different blend. The Left Bank is known for its blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon while the Right Bank blends are Merlot based. These blends may also include Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.
Other famous regions known for their blends include the Rhône Valley that uses Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre and the so-called Super Tuscans from Italy that may include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and others.
The main reason that winemakers produce blends is to make the best wine possible. Blending different grape varieties is useful in accentuating a particular grape’s virtues. The goal is to produce a wine that is actually better than the sum of its parts. And blending allows wines to be more well balanced and complex in their aromas, flavors, colors and textures. The blended grapes can add layers of flavor that will change through the process of taking
This Article was originally published on Ever Wonder Wine
