So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. I rean out of space in
my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
60% respectively. Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
their own and I can't figure out why. It is lighter, like a second
press wine and lacks body and character. It is not sweet - FWIW. i
reduced the alcohol content with some water and balanced the acid of
all the musts. Brix readings were taken and temps were taken.
Everything that happened with the blend was also true for each signle
varietal fermenter. The only thing that was different was the volume.
Fortunately, i only have 5 gallons of this stuff. Mind you, it is
drinkable, it is just not something I'd bring to a friend and claim as
my own . Any thoughts on this?
thanks
Marc

wrote:

> So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. I rean out of space in
> my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
> 60% respectively. Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
> their own and I can't figure out why. It is lighter, like a second
> press wine and lacks body and character. It is not sweet - FWIW. i
> reduced the alcohol content with some water and balanced the acid of
> all the musts. Brix readings were taken and temps were taken.
> Everything that happened with the blend was also true for each signle
> varietal fermenter. The only thing that was different was the volume.
> Fortunately, i only have 5 gallons of this stuff. Mind you, it is
> drinkable, it is just not something I'd bring to a friend and claim as
> my own . Any thoughts on this?
> thanks
> Marc

One way I "rescued" one of my blends (called it "Old Geezer Rescue Red" )was
to add extra oak AND the addition of about two drops per bottle equivalent
of Stevia. Stevia is a natural non fermentable sweetener and is sold in
some health food stores - or you can grow your own.

The wine did not taste "sweet", nor was there any perception of sweetness at
all but the stevia did help improve the body and brought out some
character. No one would ever guess that it was added. As for amount to
add; do some bench trials on a small amount and judge for yourself.

On Jan 12, 10:50*am, wrote:
> So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. *I rean out of space in
> my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
> 60% respectively. *Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
> their own and I can't figure out why. *It is lighter, like a second
> press wine and lacks body and character. *...

I've heard similar stories from a number of commercial wine makers.
Sometimes 1 + 1 = 0. Blends of otherwise good wines just don't turn
out like you'd expect. It seems like blending the musts instead of the
finished wines would be even more prone to these anomalous results.

I think additional oak at this point might help. Barrel aging should
do even more than a simple oak addition, but I'm guessing that you
don't have an oak barrel. If all else fails, use it for cooking. :-}

Greg G.

On Jan 12, 5:33*pm, wrote:
> On Jan 12, 10:50*am, wrote:
>
> > So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. *I rean out of space in
> > my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
> > 60% respectively. *Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
> > their own and I can't figure out why. *It is lighter, like a second
> > press wine and lacks body and character. *...
>
> I've heard similar stories from a number of commercial wine makers.
> Sometimes 1 + 1 = 0. Blends of otherwise good wines just don't turn
> out like you'd expect. It seems like blending the musts instead of the
> finished wines would be even more prone to these anomalous results.
>
> I think additional oak at this point might help. Barrel aging should
> do even more than a simple oak addition, but I'm guessing that you
> don't have an oak barrel. If all else fails, use it for cooking. :-}
>
> Greg G.

Since it seems light you might want to try freezing some of it and
removing the ice as an experiment; youv can always just blend it back
to get to a point you like. Why did youi add water initially? You
could try a bit of tannin too but go easy there.

Joe

On Jan 12, 6:05*pm, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
> On Jan 12, 5:33*pm, wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jan 12, 10:50*am, wrote:
>
> > > So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. *I rean out of space in
> > > my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
> > > 60% respectively. *Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
> > > their own and I can't figure out why. *It is lighter, like a second
> > > press wine and lacks body and character. *...
>
> > I've heard similar stories from a number of commercial wine makers.
> > Sometimes 1 + 1 = 0. Blends of otherwise good wines just don't turn
> > out like you'd expect. It seems like blending the musts instead of the
> > finished wines would be even more prone to these anomalous results.
>
> > I think additional oak at this point might help. Barrel aging should
> > do even more than a simple oak addition, but I'm guessing that you
> > don't have an oak barrel. If all else fails, use it for cooking. :-}
>
> > Greg G.
>
> Since it seems light you might want to try freezing some of it and
> removing the ice as an experiment; youv can always just blend it back
> to get to a point you like. *Why did youi add water initially? *You
> could try a bit of tannin too but go easy there.
>
> Joe

= i added water because brix was at something like 28-29. As for the
wine itself. I just drank some and will just go about drinking it as
it is not that bad, it is just more like a rose - I'm just not a fan
of roses. As I said before I onl;y have 8 bottles of the stuff since
I shared the batch...but it was mainly a curiosity why 1+1 did not
equal at least 1.1.
thanks all
Marc

On Jan 12, 8:09*pm, wrote:
> On Jan 12, 6:05*pm, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Jan 12, 5:33*pm, wrote:
>
> > > On Jan 12, 10:50*am, wrote:
>
> > > > So I made Cab Sauv and Sangiovese this year. *I rean out of space in
> > > > my fermenters so I also had made a blend of the 2. I think it was 40%,
> > > > 60% respectively. *Anyhow, the blend is worse than both varietals on
> > > > their own and I can't figure out why. *It is lighter, like a second
> > > > press wine and lacks body and character. *...
>
> > > I've heard similar stories from a number of commercial wine makers.
> > > Sometimes 1 + 1 = 0. Blends of otherwise good wines just don't turn
> > > out like you'd expect. It seems like blending the musts instead of the
> > > finished wines would be even more prone to these anomalous results.
>
> > > I think additional oak at this point might help. Barrel aging should
> > > do even more than a simple oak addition, but I'm guessing that you
> > > don't have an oak barrel. If all else fails, use it for cooking. :-}
>
> > > Greg G.
>
> > Since it seems light you might want to try freezing some of it and
> > removing the ice as an experiment; youv can always just blend it back
> > to get to a point you like. *Why did youi add water initially? *You
> > could try a bit of tannin too but go easy there.
>
> > Joe
>
> = i added water because brix was at something like 28-29. *As for the
> wine itself. I just drank some and will just go about drinking it as
> it is not that bad, it is just more like a rose - I'm just not a fan
> of roses. *As I said before I onl;y have 8 bottles of the stuff since
> I shared the batch...but it was mainly a curiosity why 1+1 did not
> equal at least 1.1.
> thanks all
> Marc- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Ok, I remember this one now. Why don't you make some oak tea out of a
a few ounces of vodka and an ounce or two of oak and see if a few
drops improves a glass?

Joe