I've always heard that pinot should stand by itself and not be blended.
Recently, I completed a batch of pinot from fresh grapes that turned out
chemically perfect. My only criticism is that it's a bit thin, and doesn't
have the body of a good cab. My knowledgeable friends tell me that this is the
way pinot should taste, but I still think it needs some oomph.

What grapes have you blended with pinot? I'm already planning next years
grapes.

Lee

Lee,
I would leave it alone. Pinots should be fruity and a bit light. They
are not meant to compete with Cab or Merlot. They have a quality that
makes them Pinots and not cab or merlot pretenders. I think your
friends are right.

HTH,
Joe

LG1111 wrote:
What grapes have you blended with pinot? I'm already planning next years
grapes.

Lee
Pinot Noir is one of the flagship grapes where I live. Some is made
into Methode Traditionelle often blended with chardonnay. But not many
blends using Pinot Noir. Did you use any oak? Pinot Noir needs light
oaking and fruity flavours.

If you prefer Cab's, next time make a Cab. But if your Pinot is as good as
you say, leave it alone. Use it as gifts for your friends who like it.

Ray

"LG1111" wrote in message
...
I've always heard that pinot should stand by itself and not be blended.
Recently, I completed a batch of pinot from fresh grapes that turned out
chemically perfect. My only criticism is that it's a bit thin, and
doesn't
have the body of a good cab. My knowledgeable friends tell me that this
is the
way pinot should taste, but I still think it needs some oomph.

What grapes have you blended with pinot? I'm already planning next years
grapes.

Lee

One of the wineries in the BC Okanagan blends Pnot Noir & Merlot. I
liked the sample in the winery. Haven't tried the bottle that I
bought yet. (Must dig it out grin)

Steve

(LG1111) wrote in message ...
I've always heard that pinot should stand by itself and not be blended.
---snip

True, but since it is your wine you can do whatever you like with it.
Set up a row of glasses and start blending. Here's were the fun comes
in. It might not be the traditional classic Pinot Noir when you are
finished, but it will be a wine that you hopefully like better. Isn't
that what it is all about? Ask yourself, whom I'm I making this wine
for?

SG Brix

LG1111 wrote:

I've always heard that pinot should stand by itself and not be blended.
Recently, I completed a batch of pinot from fresh grapes that turned out
chemically perfect. My only criticism is that it's a bit thin, and doesn't
have the body of a good cab.

There are some wineries in Niagara that blend Pinot Noir with Baco
Noir... I don't think it's that great of a blend...

Did you age in oak and sur lie?

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields

I don't have any suggestions for what to try but personally I would leave
it.

I have a Pinot Merlot blend that was conjured up because the group I did
that wine with needed enough must to fill the bladder press. It is still
under oak (2002 vintage) and barrel tastings have shown it to be light and
have a VERY barnyard-y aroma. Not sure what the latter is due to but, hey,it
tastes like a nice, light Pinot with something I cannot quite detect -
probably something from the Merlot.

"Steve Waller" wrote in message
...
One of the wineries in the BC Okanagan blends Pnot Noir & Merlot. I
liked the sample in the winery. Haven't tried the bottle that I
bought yet. (Must dig it out grin)

Steve

"Very barnyardy"? Are you sure you don't have a Brettanomyces infection?

"Patrick McDonald" wrote in message ...
I don't have any suggestions for what to try but personally I would leave
it.

I have a Pinot Merlot blend that was conjured up because the group I did
that wine with needed enough must to fill the bladder press. It is still
under oak (2002 vintage) and barrel tastings have shown it to be light and
have a VERY barnyard-y aroma. Not sure what the latter is due to but, hey,it
tastes like a nice, light Pinot with something I cannot quite detect -
probably something from the Merlot.

"Steve Waller" wrote in message
...
One of the wineries in the BC Okanagan blends Pnot Noir & Merlot. I
liked the sample in the winery. Haven't tried the bottle that I
bought yet. (Must dig it out grin)

Steve

Hmmmm, nope I don't know for sure. I guess really I would describe the aroma
as being like hay or something like that.

Any test to determine if I have a Brett infection?

"evilpaul13" wrote in message
om...
"Very barnyardy"? Are you sure you don't have a Brettanomyces infection?

"Patrick McDonald" wrote in
message ...
I don't have any suggestions for what to try but personally I would
leave
it.

I have a Pinot Merlot blend that was conjured up because the group I did
that wine with needed enough must to fill the bladder press. It is still
under oak (2002 vintage) and barrel tastings have shown it to be light
and
have a VERY barnyard-y aroma. Not sure what the latter is due to but,
hey,it
tastes like a nice, light Pinot with something I cannot quite detect -
probably something from the Merlot.

"Steve Waller" wrote in
message
...
One of the wineries in the BC Okanagan blends Pnot Noir & Merlot. I
liked the sample in the winery. Haven't tried the bottle that I
bought yet. (Must dig it out grin)

Steve

"Patrick McDonald" wrote in
message ...
Hmmmm, nope I don't know for sure. I guess really I would describe the
aroma
as being like hay or something like that.

Any test to determine if I have a Brett infection?

Yes, but I'd bet you don't want to spend what it would cost to have a lab
run a culture on your wine.

Tom S

I am growing some pinot in an area not particularly noted for producing
excellent pinots (although one local winery has made some excellent pinot),
and have been really amazed at how watery mine is, even with a 20% seigneur
etc. A discussion with a Williamette Valley (Oregon)consultant revealed that
that is a very common complaint with pinot, and it results from a
combination of hot summer weather and over cropping. Apparantly you really
have to keep the yield down in the vinyard (2 ton or so) if you want a
substantial wine. A Williamette Valley aquaintance dropped so much fruit in
his vineyard I wasn't sure it was moral.(Starving masses etc), but it has
to be done.

"Charles H" wrote in message
...
LG1111 wrote:

I've always heard that pinot should stand by itself and not be blended.
Recently, I completed a batch of pinot from fresh grapes that turned out
chemically perfect. My only criticism is that it's a bit thin, and
doesn't
have the body of a good cab.

There are some wineries in Niagara that blend Pinot Noir with Baco
Noir... I don't think it's that great of a blend...

Did you age in oak and sur lie?

--
charles

"Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were
forced to live on nothing but food and water for days."
- W.C. Fields

"Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote in message
...
: I am growing some pinot in an area not particularly noted for producing
: excellent pinots (although one local winery has made some excellent
pinot),
: and have been really amazed at how watery mine is, even with a 20%
seigneur
: etc. A discussion with a Williamette Valley (Oregon)consultant revealed
that
: that is a very common complaint with pinot, and it results from a
: combination of hot summer weather and over cropping. Apparantly you really
: have to keep the yield down in the vinyard (2 ton or so) if you want a
: substantial wine. A Williamette Valley aquaintance dropped so much fruit
in
: his vineyard I wasn't sure it was moral.(Starving masses etc), but it has
: to be done.

Out of curiosity, what was the yield/acre of the grapes you used for your
wine?
Tim

On the pinot, probably equivalent to 6 ton/acre (entire vineyard is about a
half acre.) For premium pinot the wineries want it down to 2 or 2 1/2. We
had 22 days over 100 degrees last summer (a record).

"Tim O'Connor" wrote in message
...
"Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote in message
...
: I am growing some pinot in an area not particularly noted for producing
: excellent pinots (although one local winery has made some excellent
pinot),
: and have been really amazed at how watery mine is, even with a 20%
seigneur
: etc. A discussion with a Williamette Valley (Oregon)consultant revealed
that
: that is a very common complaint with pinot, and it results from a
: combination of hot summer weather and over cropping. Apparantly you
really
: have to keep the yield down in the vinyard (2 ton or so) if you want a
: substantial wine. A Williamette Valley aquaintance dropped so much fruit
in
: his vineyard I wasn't sure it was moral.(Starving masses etc), but it
has
: to be done.

Out of curiosity, what was the yield/acre of the grapes you used for your
wine?
Tim

That seems awfully hot to me. Pinot is a flagsip of this region, and it
would we would not have had 10 days over 90 in the current southern
heimsphere summer (which until February has been quite hot, but has now
turned wintery). I understood Pinot is really a cooler climate grape.

Darwin Vander Stelt wrote:

On the pinot, probably equivalent to 6 ton/acre (entire vineyard is about a
half acre.) For premium pinot the wineries want it down to 2 or 2 1/2. We
had 22 days over 100 degrees last summer (a record).