Recently, several customers looking for wine have asked me for ‘blends’. It catches me by surprise. I don’t quite know what they mean. Sure, I know what wine blends are, but do they want a light, zesty Valpolicella from the Veneto, a full-bodied, well-structured red Bordeaux or a fruity, easy-drinking Cotes du Rhone? I hope I hide my surprise and confusion well as I ask questions to get to the personal preference:
- Do you prefer wines that are fruity or earthy or spicy?
- Do you like wines that are tannic, leaving the palate dry?
- Or do you prefer something lighter that you can enjoy by itself or something that goes well with BBQ?
But this question of blend continued to intrigue me. So, when a colleague I was cooking dinner for expressed a preference for a red blend, I asked him what he meant.
“Well, aren’t blends better because they do not have any of those harsh elements that some grapes have?”
Sure, many wines are blended because the grapes that go into the blend have elements that complement each other and the whole ends up being better than the parts. And there are regions, such as Provence and the southern Rhone Valley, that have historically specialized in blending. They grow many different grapes and the blend is created to showcase the elements of the grape varietal and give a pleasant drinking wine.
Photo Credit François Millo
But some of the world’s most renowned wines are made from single grape varietals: red Burgundy is always pure Pinot Noir, white Burgundy always Chardonnay.
Both blends and single varietal wines can be great (or not so great, for that matter). What’s more important for us wine drinkers is the profile or style of wine and whether that matches our personal preference. I like medium-bodied red wines some earthiness, with some fruitiness but also tannin. Whether that’s a Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Oregon or a Chateauneuf du Pape, which can be a blend of up to 13 grapes is less important than whether that wine matches my mood and what I am eating with it.
Photo Credit François Millo
So, when choosing wines, try to describe more specifically what you like and why. That way, you are more likely to buy wines that your palate will find pleasing.
The language of wine is not simple. But that’s also the pleasure of exploring wine: learning how to describe something so ethereal and personal. Think of the rewards: your taste buds will thank you!
To explore the language of wine and learn how to describe what wines you like, come to one of my wine classes and let’s sip and learn together.
The Chopping Block is also hosting free wine tastings each Thursday in August at the Merchandise Mart location from 4pm-6pm. Join us to taste three different wines each week!
