Our blog has featured discussions of red blends over the past year or two, like this one on Red Blends and this one Red Blends Redux. Red blends are very popular-selling wines because of how they are intentionally made to give your palate a full experience. What do we mean by "full experience?" Read on.
Have you ever wondered how wine grapes are grown in what seems like difficult climates like South America, Germany, South Africa, and Canada? The answer lies in mitigating factors such as choice of grape, proximity to bodies of water, currents, winds, altitude, aspect, mountain ranges, and even types of soils.
Lovers of Virginia wine are most likely already familiar with the grape Viognier. Some of Virginia’s initial recognition in the winemaking world happened, based on wine made from this grape. In fact, in 2011, the Virginia wine marketing board named Viognier the “signature” grape, to help its wines gain recognition outside of the state.
A red blend is a designation or description indicating that the bottle contains more than one grape variety. Red blends can be made in traditional style, such as a Bordeaux or Rhône wine, or with any combination of grapes that the winemaker desires, if it is in alignment with the local wine laws. Wine laws can dictate what grapes can be used and in what proportion.
